We have performed well against Spurs. But I think the highlight of the game was how we hunted them in packs. I think it was more of a hounding. I am not sure if we can perform that every game. Our energy levely are likely to drop and also our opponents also will probably try to do the same thing. When our opponents will do the same thing with us, it will boil down to keeping our heads cool, wiser short passing and finding a way through. In the below video we can see how we pressed them and I think that was the most interesting characteristic of the game against Spurs.



Coming back to thread title, what do we do when Studge comes back.
1.  play 4-4-2 at Anfield, pressing high up the pitch as usual with only 2 MF and Cou and Sterling on the wing or Hendo on the wing instead of Sterling
2. Play very similar formation to Spurs game to Spurs game and bring one of Studge or Suarez in Sterling's role
3. Drop Studge to the bench, sub him if required

When Gerrard comes back
1. Drop him to the bench, sub him in when required
2. Play him only in home games where opposition are likely to sit deep

OR it was just about one match against Spurs and we should wait before we play the next threee fixtures

If we keep on performing without both of them, no idea whether we should change the system just beause they come back

IMO Sturridge deserves his place more than Gerrard on this season's evidence. If Sturridge was available right now, I'd probably start him instead of Sterling. If Gerrard was available right now, I wouldn't change our midfield right after the performance in the Tottenham game.

We need to see how we perform now in their absence to give more accurate "I reckons" to this topic, but Gerrard's small contribution off the ball is perhaps an issue.

Im not sure we should judge the importance of Gerrard not being right now. We played excellent against Spurs yes, But as Stevie mentioned their defending was school boyish throughout the 90 minutes. They had Dawson and Capoue standing in a line for the Flano goal ffs.

Anyways, The next 2-3 fixtures will actually decide the importance of these two, We have been excellent with Suarez as our only ST.

As of now both of these players have no place in the squad, This can obviously change over the course of few weeks. Enrique has a much better chance of getting in the moment he returns.

Nishank wrote:Im not sure we should judge the importance of Gerrard not being right now. We played excellent against Spurs yes, But as Stevie mentioned their defending was school boyish throughout the 90 minutes. They had Dawson and Capoue standing in a line for the Flano goal ffs.

However, it wasn't only their defence that we had a field day against. They had zero shots on target and our midfield was all over their midfield.

Let me put it this way that no other top-4 contender has a 33-year-old (or older) as a regular in their midfield. Lampard comes the closest, but he's not as certain a starter as Gerrard (and he is often seen as the weakest link in Chelsea's midfield nowadays).

Barry is 32


Too soon to decide if Gerrard is a weak link at his age in the squad, But over the few weeks and Gerrard's performances when he is back will be the deciding factors.

Gerrard to get rotated with Allen for fitness reasons.

With that said, there's nothing "wrong" with Stevie. The game against Spurs was the first time this season we went back to how we played from last season. Judge Gerrard when he plays in that system (where he was arguably the best midfielder in the league last season) before the "we're better without Gerrard drop him".

It's no surprise Lucas looked very good when we played as a 'team' too. This "SAS" operation thing affected more performances than it benefited.

It was just one game. We will HAVE TO play with a similar team and without Gerrard and Sturridge for over a month. That's around 10 games which includes chrunch ones like City, Chelsea etc.

What I mean to say, this is not the time.

Sturridge starter, Gerrard benched.. can come in as a sub at times and starter against weaker opposition.

When is Sturridge sheduled to return from injury?

I dont think starting Sturridge is the answer. If we try to accomodate sturridge we have to Play 4-3-1-2 or something so that we can dominate the Opposition.

Regarding Gerrard, I am not sure if the style is played because of Gerrard OR Gerrard is just played in certain tactics. But the fact is Gerrard has 6 assists this season, I guess 5 are from set Plays. I am not writing off Gerrard, I am just saying, he should be used effectively and not an automatic starter week in-week out. So that we can get maximum out of him

To my eye, Sterling has been playing more like Sturridge than Sterling in Sturridge's absence.

frrack that was so funny some times against Spurs, when Sterling showing disappointment towards Suarez when Suarez didnt give the ball to him i think he even shouted at him may be. It was so nice to see Sterling asking for the ball

I'm going to say what I've been saying this whole season so far.

Gerrard should be a sure starter against teams from 8th-20th. He's a huge part of our game play when it comes to breaking the defensive barrier of those bottom teams.
However we must play a more agile and pacier midfield against the other 6 teams.

As for Sturridge though, if he's fit, he should play no questions asked.

To be honest, I'd stick Suarez out on the right flank like he did at Ajax when Daniel comes back. He'll continue scoring goals as he'll have the freedom to do so, and Sturridge will benefit from it too playing in his preferred CF role. Suarez will play anywhere and will still be a threat to the opposition. In fact, he could probably score more goals on the right hand side cutting in than he would in the middle as he has a lot less pressure on him.

Gerrard should be starting. He shouldn't be starting 2 games every week or so, but he's still the best midfielder we have. He doesn't need the "legs" to play his position, we only need his quality on the ball. Allen should be rotated for fitness reasons and slowly getting him to develop for when Steven is no longer at the level to play consistently.

It was the same with Alonso really. But he made up for it with his positioning. Gerrard's slowly adapted to that, as shown from last season. Again, it's the "get the most out of SAS to get the points" for the reason our midfield has been overrun / we've been poor this season. We just simply let the opposition play.

Our upcoming games in January

Stoke (A): Sturridge is likely to be on the bench while Gerrard will start, taking Allen's place
----------Mignolet----------
Johnson-Skrtel-Shako-Cissoko
-------Lucas--Gerrard-------
Raheem-Henderson--Coutinho
-----------Suarez-----------

Jan 18: Villa (H): Both are likely to start. So either we sacrifice Henderson and play 4-4-2 (Suarez & Sturridge upfront) or 4-2-3-1 (Suarez behind Sturridge). Or we sacrifice Raheem and Suarez & Sturridge alternates in occupying the RW.
----------Mignolet----------
Johnson-Skrtel-Shako-Enrique
-------Lucas--Gerrard-------
Suarez-Henderson--Coutinho
----------Sturridge----------
or
----------Mignolet----------
Johnson-Skrtel-Shako-Enrique
-------Lucas--Gerrard-------
Raheem-------------Coutinho
------Sturridge--Suarez------

Jan 25: Bournemouth/Burton (A): Gerrard, Sturridge & Suarez on the bench.

Jan 29: Everton (H): Henderson will start and Raheem on the bench.
----------Mignolet----------
Johnson-Skrtel-Shako-Enrique
-------Lucas--Gerrard-------
Suarez-Henderson--Coutinho
----------Sturridge----------

iftikhar wrote:

----------Mignolet----------
Johnson-Skrtel-Shako-Enrique
-------Lucas--Gerrard-------
Suarez-Henderson--Coutinho
----------Sturridge----------

well that will be my line up in the long term in this season. We can bring in sterling for either Hendo/Coutinho/Gerrard/Lucas depending upon what situation we are in the particular game. I wont hesitate for a second to bench Gerrard for big matches, but Gerrard should play all the weaker sides. We need his set piece deliveries. I really dont see Hendo being benched, Hendo has started to almost match or probably do better than Gerrard in open play, pressing. Btw I like the idea of playing Gerrard as holding MF benching Lucas.
Damn Moses, i watched the first half yday, he looked very avg. Alberto and sterling looked the only spark in the first half. It was like Moses is trying to do something but he is not pushing that last gear to make something happen. I would never like to see him playing for us unless he puts his shite together and play better.

There is no way you move our best player Suarez out wide and make his impact on the game less.

The best way and the way that Rodgers has been lining up those IX players is like this

I think for the good of the team it will be better to play him there. I also like your idea of playing 4-1-3-2 but I doubt Gerrard can play there for 90 minutes, he would have track back often when he will play there.

Well, in about 10 days we will see how they lineup and how they perform. Did Coutinho, Sturridge and Suarez never play together!!!

They have played together.

Last Season:
Liverpool 5-0 Swansea (all 3 started)
Liverpool 3-2 Spurs (all 3 started)
Soton 3-1 Liverpool (all 3 started)
Liverpool 0-0 West Ham (Sturridge came off the bench)
Reading 0-0 Liverpool (all 3 started)

This Season:
Arsenal 2-0 Liverpool (Coutinho came off the bench HT)
Liverpool 4-0 Fulham (all 3 started)
Everton 3-3 Liverpool (Sturridge came off the bench very late 12mins)

8 matches together so far
3 wins, 3 draws, 2 losses

Not the best record at all but do keep in mind that they never played together where all 3 were 100% fit except for Swansea, Spurs and Soton

I saw somewhere that the 3 played a total of 122 minutes together!

Now I understand why Wenger says 'it's like new signing' when a player returns from injury. But seriously, EIGHT games in one year!!!

BR gave me the answer today about what to do with Gerrard, I will say BR has some ballz to tweak the things for an important match like this I like his new role. I would play rather this every match:
CAM==Coutinho I know I have written a 4-3-3 but mostly we would see a 4-4-2

I'm pretty sure I've said somewhere some time ago that I'd like to see Gerrard playing the current Lucas role. He's pretty good at tackling, can get physical and obviously has world-class distribution. On the negative side, he is prone to making some careless mistakes when in possession and that ill suits the holding role.

If Gerrard plays the holding role, I fear for our chances making the top 4........ put Lucas back there now and stop with this experimentation crap. Gerrard as the controller, with Lucas given that advanced role. Wtf.