Line-UpsHere are the line ups from last season along with the average pitch position of the players. What stands out for me is that given the amount of possession we had, the defence could play a high line yet the full backs did not push on as much as we witnessed in the latter part of the season. It also looks like Sterling and Suso (remember, it was early season and they were just in the team) were not as ambitious as perhaps they could have been given our dominance in that match.
The key position within the team for the Stoke game and perhaps a large majority of the games this season, will be the role & position of
Coutinho. Just looking at Stoke, Liverpool have played two 0-0 draws against them in the last 2 seasons. Given the limited changes in personnel from Stoke and the new manager is unlikely to want or be able to make significant changes to the style, then I think we need to look at a set up that can unlock a team that are likely to be deep, compact and very hard working. For that reason, I would look to get Coutinho central.
Mignolet
Johnson Toure Agger Enrique
Gerrard Lucas
Aspas Coutinho Sterling
Sturridge
Carragher's take on Coutinho's role this season;
"I think he is going to end up starting the season wide left, thats where he was in the pre-season game I was involved in and for me I'd like to see him in the central areas to be honest, thats where he is at his best......receiving the ball in these areas and thats what you want, (analyzes clip vs Fulham) you look at him now, he has Duff on toast here in the middle of the pitch. But look at the pass with the outside of the right foot to create Sturridge's goal.
But the role that I think he will start the season is on the left. One of the reasons why I think he is going to be on the left at the moment is because I think Brendan Rodgers is looking at playing Stevie, Joe Allen and Lucas as a 3 really. I prefer to see him as a Number 10 really with just 2 of them."
I looked at Stoke a bit more indepth here:
http://roryfitz9.webnode.com/news/test/Including;
Discipline
Stoke were the
most physical team in the Premiership last season picking up 78 yellow cards and 4 red cards. They also committed the
most fouls per game at 12.8. Last season at Anfield, it was felt that Stoke were '
clever' in the way that they fouled. Firstly, they spread the fouls around such that they only started picking up consistent bookings from the 70th min onwards when 4 players were booked. But, secondly, the graphic below shows where they committed the fouls.
Only 3 fouls were near their box and even then, they were out wide. It looks like a cynical strategy of committing fouls in the oppositions half to stop counter attacks. However, once the play proceeds to their own 3rd of the pitch, discipline kicked in and only 3 fouls were committed.
