Brendan Rodgers

[Alex]

Does this mean he will use Henderson in his best position?

[Robbie-9-Fowler]

Indeed. I tried to avoid naming Barcelona in my original post, but it was the only way I could try and give an example to explain my point(s). We don't have the players (Henderson equals Iniesta, Adam equals Xavi etc!), so I'm not comparing the team, just how they couldn't get past a formation that was set up to counter tika taka*.

* I know Chelsea rode their luck and I'm not saying it's a long-term solution, just again, an example of how it has been countered and how they could be developed to be the new fad.

I'm living up to my username.

I just don't like the idea of us being bunched with Barca too much.

We really need to invest to make this work though! Last year vs United in the FA cup our midfield was outran by Scholes and Carrick, we literally gave the ball away for fun.

Lucas back is so important it could actually be the making or breaking of our season.

Adam likes to tread water and play wonder balls too much.. He'd need to drastically change to fit in.

I keep changing between being excited about what's going to be served up and a bit worried.

I think you're username has caught on here!

[Muddled]

Does this mean he will use Henderson in his best position?

I think if Henderson comes back from the Euro's without being lambasted for England's inevitable **** up, we will see the best of him. Henderson has such a great eye for a first time pass, if we can get the players moving around him, Henderson will find them.

He has a great awareness of what is around him and has an ability to find pockets of space, I think he'll come to life under Rodgers and be a very important first team player over the next couple of seasons.

If he chip in with a few goals, we'll be laughing.

[Mattshark]

Does this mean he will use Henderson in his best position?

On the bench?

[Muddled]

I just don't like the idea of us being bunched with Barca too much.

We really need to invest to make this work though! Last year vs United in the FA cup our midfield was outran by Scholes and Carrick, we literally gave the ball away for fun.

Lucas back is so important it could actually be the making or breaking of our season.

Adam likes to tread water and play wonder balls too much.. He'd need to drastically change to fit in.

I keep changing between being excited about what's going to be served up and a bit worried.

I think you're username has caught on here!

The Man Utd game is a great example of us being bossed in the centre of the park. For Rodgers to get the best out of us, he needs the centre of the park to be at it's very best with no room for passengers - like you say - investment is key, but I think it will take him a fair few transfer windows to get it right.

You've got Adam's down to a tee, if he can look a little lighter on his toes, I think there could be a place in the squad for him and I can't wait to see Lucas back in the team. My main area of concern is definitely the flanks though.

[Nicey]

On the bench?

Boooooooo !!! **** you !! and your fish

[Mattshark]

Boooooooo !!! **** you !! and your fish

Haha, he has been average at best. He may be young and may improve but we need much better than him right now.

[Robbie-9-Fowler]

The Man Utd game is a great example of us being bossed in the centre of the park. For Rodgers to get the best out of us, he needs the centre of the park to be at it's very best with no room for passengers - like you say - investment is key, but I think it will take him a fair few transfer windows to get it right.

You've got Adam's down to a tee, if he can look a little lighter on his toes, I think there could be a place in the squad for him and I can't wait to see Lucas back in the team. My main area of concern is definitely the flanks though.

We need someone to be in there that can both compliment Lucas and cover if he needs time to get back into the rhythm or has another setback.

Yeah we lack pace so much its criminal at times.. Kuyt going is 1 less option and I cannot see Henderson being shifted out there any more.

Downing might not be great at beating a man but I've just been thinking, he passes back to Enrique a lot! But maybe in a Rodgers side that wouldn't be a problem if we have creativity in other places. Suarez, Sigurdsson?, Gerrard and someone on the other wing.

[Gibbo]

On the bench?

@FootbaIlLatest: Carroll, Henderson and Downing cost Liverpool £71m more than Messi, Xavi and Iniesta cost Barcelona. #CrazyFact

[ric.williams]

I think if Henderson comes back from the Euro's without being lambasted for England's inevitable **** up, we will see the best of him. Henderson has such a great eye for a first time pass, if we can get the players moving around him, Henderson will find them.

He has a great awareness of what is around him and has an ability to find pockets of space, I think he'll come to life under Rodgers and be a very important first team player over the next couple of seasons.

If he chip in with a few goals, we'll be laughing.

i think he might do well in our expected new style of play

[Robbie-9-Fowler]

i think he might do well in our expected new style of play

Me too.. Wonder if we might see Shelvey going to Swansea on loan.

[The Birdman]

Whilst football is a simple game, to refer to it as 'pass as move' is too simplistic and to dismiss it as 'nonsense' is a bit naive in my opinion; fair enough - it's not reinventing the wheel - but it's not a case of fluid football. It's patient and methodical, precise yet not overly direct. Its a modern day twist on the Dutch's total football, to pigeon hole it along side past LFC teams is incorrect and I'll think you'll see a difference over the next few years.

Surely you can see how football has evolved? Or should we employ a motivator, stick eleven blokes on the pitch and just tell them to pass the ball, then move and if we haven't got the ball just chase it and press?

How is it too simplistic?
It only appears complicated to people like you who appear (by your post) to not understand it.
Take our starting position next season under Rodgers from goal kicks, full backs pushed on, centre backs split with the deep midfielder dropping to make a 3.
Exactly what Rafa evolved into towards the end of his time here and a lot of other sides have been doing for years including us at times last season.

The only evolution Barca have gone through is Messi, apart from him they are playing the style implimented by Cruff and carried on later by Rijkaard that is exactly the reason why Guardiola got the managers job because he understood the system and style of play from all his years at Barca as a player and coach.

It is also the reason why Guardiola wont be as successful managing elsewhere.

Tiki Taka is just a buzz phrase, the next bandwagon for fans and pundits to jump on, it is pass and move.
Christ the Roy Evans side of the 90's was a 3-1-3-1-2 its just back then the lazy media labelled it 5-3-2.

I understand it perfectly well, the only bit that i dont know about is what triggers the decision to press and win the ball back, after that it is very simple and easy rotation of positions while keeping the football.

Oh and btw any possession football is 'patient and methodical' because you are keeping the ball, they dont keep it for the sake of being different, you keep the ball to tire out the opposition and to drag them out of position before attacking through the gaps your passing has created.

Just because in the age of 24 hour news outlets everything is analysed to the enth degree and new buzz words are invented doesnt make it new or innovative.

[danperkins]

On the bench?

[Yozza]

Whilst football is a simple game, to refer to it as 'pass as move' is too simplistic and to dismiss it as 'nonsense' is a bit naive in my opinion; fair enough - it's not reinventing the wheel - but it's not a case of fluid football. It's patient and methodical, precise yet not overly direct. Its a modern day twist on the Dutch's total football, to pigeon hole it along side past LFC teams is incorrect and I'll think you'll see a difference over the next few years.

Surely you can see how football has evolved? Or should we employ a motivator, stick eleven blokes on the pitch and just tell them to pass the ball, then move and if we haven't got the ball just chase it and press?

Isnt that what Kenny tried......

[Muddled]

How is it too simplistic?
It only appears complicated to people like you who appear (by your post) to not understand it.
Take our starting position next season under Rodgers from goal kicks, full backs pushed on, centre backs split with the deep midfielder dropping to make a 3.
Exactly what Rafa evolved into towards the end of his time here and a lot of other sides have been doing for years including us at times last season.

The only evolution Barca have gone through is Messi, apart from him they are playing the style implimented by Cruff and carried on later by Rijkaard that is exactly the reason why Guardiola got the managers job because he understood the system and style of play from all his years at Barca as a player and coach.

It is also the reason why Guardiola wont be as successful managing elsewhere.

Tiki Taka is just a buzz phrase, the next bandwagon for fans and pundits to jump on, it is pass and move.
Christ the Roy Evans side of the 90's was a 3-1-3-1-2 its just back then the lazy media labelled it 5-3-2.

I understand it perfectly well, the only bit that i dont know about is what triggers the decision to press and win the ball back, after that it is very simple and easy rotation of positions while keeping the football.

Oh and btw any possession football is 'patient and methodical' because you are keeping the ball, they dont keep it for the sake of being different, you keep the ball to tire out the opposition and to drag them out of position before attacking through the gaps your passing has created.

Just because in the age of 24 hour news outlets everything is analysed to the enth degree and new buzz words are invented doesnt make it new or innovative.

I think calling it 'pass and move' is too simplistic. There are other elements to tika taka that make it more complex; whilst not complicated as a style, it has other intricate movements that differ to pass and move. Yes, the split centre backs is nothing overly new, but it's not paramount to tika taka (or pass and move) as Rodgers allowed Vorm to mix it up and go long on occasions to counter a high line of pressure.

I agree 'tika taka' is just a buzz word, but it's easy enough to use when having a chat about tactics. And again - I agree - possession football is patient and methodical when used to draw players out of position, but it can also be used to work spaces quickly if the passing is crisp and incisive enough. Obviously this tempo this too high to maintain for a full 90 minutes, but if used effectively in the first 30 minutes, it can allow for any easy remaining 60 when a slower pace and little incision.

I'm also trying to move away from the Barcelona comparisons, as I think they leading to muddled* points.

I don't think there is anything wrong with talking about the next fad, regardless of how innovative it is (or isn't) - it could well be different to what we've seen last season, which is enough to talk about it on an LFC forum, regardless of whether it's a 24 hour news world we live in.

All this in my opinion of course.



* Whaaay!