Jordan Henderson

[Buzzo]

Imagine Thiago had made this pass.

[ame]https://twitter.com/btsportfootball/status/1577386778260013058[/ame]

[danperkins]

He was very good in the first half, faded in the second. Having 2 lads covering in the midfield seemed effective & beneficial to Trent (had a great game). Interested to see if it would have the same effect against better opposition.

[Doc_Piptorious]

He was very good in the first half, faded in the second. Having 2 lads covering in the midfield seemed effective & beneficial to Trent (had a great game). Interested to see if it would have the same effect against better opposition.

It was as the formation change forced TAA to stay in the right channel for almost the entire game and he could not roam as much as for most of the game we went between a 442 and a 4231.

Granted the opposition were pretty toothless, but TAA staying in the right channel is a far more effective player.


Later on, after Milner and Elliot came on, did catch the eye as we got a bit more relaxed in our formation and TAA started staying up closer to Elliot and the two quicker guys that Rangers brought on suddenly had space on our right flank.

[Rich]

You could see the old problems coming back as soon as Henderson went off, Elliott came on and we reverted to more of a midfield 3. Trent exposed and we conceded a couple of good chances on that side.

[Buzzo]

Good observation that was exactly what happened.

I worry that there is not an obvious position for Elliot in the team. He is tiny.

He needs to look at Salah, who whilst small is incredibly strong, and when on the ball is not someone you can knock over easily (unless in the pen area like a good forward) but I am not sure he is that sort of player. He has undoubted ability but who knows if that will be enough.

[RedReet]

Good observation that was exactly what happened.

I worry that there is not an obvious position for Elliot in the team. He is tiny.

He needs to look at Salah, who whilst small is incredibly strong, and when on the ball is not someone you can knock over easily (unless in the pen area like a good forward) but I am not sure he is that sort of player. He has undoubted ability but who knows if that will be enough.

I'd be curious to see him in the role Jota played last night.

[Buzzo]

I'd be curious to see him in the role Jota played last night.

yeah, fair point, seems like he could do alright with a bit more freedom.

[Doc_Piptorious]

Good observation that was exactly what happened.

I worry that there is not an obvious position for Elliot in the team. He is tiny.

He needs to look at Salah, who whilst small is incredibly strong, and when on the ball is not someone you can knock over easily (unless in the pen area like a good forward) but I am not sure he is that sort of player. He has undoubted ability but who knows if that will be enough.

Elliot did not slot into the middle though when he came on. We went out right and Salah went into a central attacking position.

TAA then started staying up close to the RM slot all of a sudden and drifting a bit. Rangers then brought on that fast guy, TAA stayed further up the pitch and the Rangers guy had lots of room to try and get into.

Up until the Elliot/Milner sub, we have stuck with a fairly steady 442/4231 that went 424 when on the attack (with Tsimi seeming to time some his runs forward to when TAA was not as advanced).

TAA stayed in his right channel for most of that time.

Then the sub was made, we looked to be trying to go 433 again with Salah central, Elliot wide right and Firmino/Fab/Milner in the middle and TAA started to roam again at that point and we had Milner as the RCM of the trio trying to cover the big space and then Fab trying to push over to compensate.

We just seem to be so unsteady when we switch to 433 despite having played one variation or another of it for a good few seasons.

The more rigid (in terms of back line positoning) way we used the 442/4231 seemed to work better albeit against a weak team.

Have no idea how I would like to see us line up against Arsenal though. On one hand the extra attacker way could see us try to drag them into a shoot out, but the one less in the middle means we need our full backs being very aware of which one of them is going forward so the other stays back, along with the risk of the midfielders getting into a 3 on 2 or a 4 on 2 situation if a full back does not track back ( 4 on 2 if playing a team that sends a FB in to overload the midfield the way City do with Cancelo or how Arsenal sometimes do this season also using the LB slot for it )

[Rich]

I think we have to have 2 sitting in midfield - Thiago and Henderson on current form - against Arsenal. We'll be much too open against their rapid attack.

Firmino over Jota for that deeper central striker and keep Nunez up top.

[Scratch]

TAAs roaming without Henderson a tactical switch, or just without Hendo marshalling him he got a bit lackadaisical?

[S-RED]

TAAs roaming without Henderson a tactical switch, or just without Hendo marshalling him he got a bit lackadaisical?

or just without Hendo marshalling him he got a bit lackadaisica

This is my take

[Doc_Piptorious]

Whatever it was or is, I hope that against Arsenal we get more reasons to praise him than criticize.

[danperkins]

With Martinelli's pace, Hendo will be absolutely essential there as they will target Trent.

[Irishnev]

With Martinelli's pace, Hendo will be absolutely essential there as they will target Trent.

I hope we play Thiago and Fab tbh

[Buzzo]

I hope we play Thiago and Fab tbh

Fabinho has been very poor this season, and has played more minutes than the rest of them though it is less acceptable to say that. He seems immune when it comes to criticising midfielders or our midfield.

That said, maybe in this new formation he will play better