Author Topic: Rafa: we can adapt to any formation  (Read 121510 times)

Offline abhred

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Re: Rafa: we can adapt to any formation
« Reply #40 on: July 11, 2008, 08:23:38 pm »
if you have one of the best midfielders in the world why play him in a position he is nowhere as effective in, he might of got away with it against the poor to weak teams but playing in the more advanced position against the big three towards the end of the season he struggled to have an impact.

Wasn't it Gerrard who scored out second goal against Inter? And also created two great chances for Torres against Chelsea in the first leg? (which Torres on a normal day would have put away).
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Offline SMD

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Re: Rafa: we can adapt to any formation
« Reply #41 on: July 11, 2008, 08:29:17 pm »
Keane would be ok, I am not a big fan of his. My dad is a Spurs fan and has dragged my bot to many a Spuds match and Keane hasnt impressed me. He works hard and runs around alot, takes good penalties and chips in with a few goals. I think we need more skill and magic from whoever we sign, as I think the 4th player we sign to add to the Babel-Torres-Gerrard 3-some will determine whether we challenge for 1st or for 4th.

Unless we find a rare gem like Torres who's both built for the Premiership and has the skill to boot, who do you suggest we go for if not the likes of Keane?
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Offline the_prodigal_s0n

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Re: Rafa: we can adapt to any formation
« Reply #42 on: July 11, 2008, 08:32:13 pm »
Wasn't it Gerrard who scored out second goal against Inter? And also created two great chances for Torres against Chelsea in the first leg? (which Torres on a normal day would have put away).
Or his run into the box to set up Kuyt's goal in the away leg against Arsenal. That was further proof of how effective he is in the role.

Offline masher

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Re: Rafa: we can adapt to any formation
« Reply #43 on: July 11, 2008, 08:32:16 pm »
if you have one of the best midfielders in the world why play him in a position he is nowhere as effective in, he might of got away with it against the poor to weak teams but playing in the more advanced position against the big three towards the end of the season he struggled to have an impact.

Even If i  buy your "Gerrard being ineffective against Big team argument", which i must say is silly itself, the league is decided over 38 games and 19 opponents, not 3.

Offline Britvic Orange

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Re: Rafa: we can adapt to any formation
« Reply #44 on: July 11, 2008, 09:05:06 pm »
Or his run into the box to set up Kuyt's goal in the away leg against Arsenal. That was further proof of how effective he is in the role.
Granted Gerrard did set up the goal against Arsenal in the first leg but for the rest of the game Torres was isolated and was very poor because Gerrard never supported him, the second leg he played left midfield and stunk and his performance in the two games against Chelsea were a disgrace where he was one booking away from a ban and never threw one tackle in, in both legs for fear of missing the final. Am sorry just cant see how playing with a negative one man up front and supported with a midfielder is the way forward for our club.

Offline redprodigal

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Re: Rafa: we can adapt to any formation
« Reply #45 on: July 11, 2008, 09:25:33 pm »
already got him fired without a ball being kicked this season.. its this kind of 'support' i personally think we could do without.

You obviously haven't read many of Britvics posts before have you.  ;D

Offline Shanks1965

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Re: Rafa: we can adapt to any formation
« Reply #46 on: July 11, 2008, 09:56:22 pm »
Ooh goody.

Well I'll look forward to that, y'know, 3 or 4 months in to the season when we have 15 point gap between ourselves and the top spot.

Every sodding season.
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Offline Shanks1965

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Re: Rafa: we can adapt to any formation
« Reply #47 on: July 11, 2008, 09:58:13 pm »
Granted Gerrard did set up the goal against Arsenal in the first leg but for the rest of the game Torres was isolated and was very poor because Gerrard never supported him, the second leg he played left midfield and stunk and his performance in the two games against Chelsea were a disgrace where he was one booking away from a ban and never threw one tackle in, in both legs for fear of missing the final. Am sorry just cant see how playing with a negative one man up front and supported with a midfielder is the way forward for our club.


Your dead right. We're so negative with just one man up front its pathetic.

Erm.... tell me again. How many goals did we score last season?
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Offline Britvic Orange

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Re: Rafa: we can adapt to any formation
« Reply #48 on: July 11, 2008, 10:37:02 pm »

Your dead right. We're so negative with just one man up front its pathetic.

Erm.... tell me again. How many goals did we score last season?
So you think we can win the league by playing with one up front backed up by a midfielder, funny how Gerrard won his only Player of the Year award playing right midfield when all along his real and most natural position has been up front all this time.

Offline anfield

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Re: Rafa: we can adapt to any formation
« Reply #49 on: July 11, 2008, 10:51:12 pm »
if you have one of the best midfielders in the world why play him in a position he is nowhere as effective in, he might of got away with it against the poor to weak teams but playing in the more advanced position against the big three towards the end of the season he struggled to have an impact.

Gerrard was probably the best link up player in the world last season. That is why Rafa plays him as our second striker as the link between our midfield and Torres.

I doubt that you will find a better player in that position in the world at the moment.
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Offline elsombreroman

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Re: Rafa: we can adapt to any formation
« Reply #50 on: July 11, 2008, 11:58:28 pm »
I dont think the formation matters, just the players on the pitch, provided there is a balance.

Dont need an out and out winger personally.

The formation definately matters and we do need a new winger, however contrary to what some people think on these boards I believe that Rafa has two formations one for when we are defending (4-5-1) and one for attacking (3-5-2).

Next time you go to watch Liverpool have a look at our back line when the ball is being pushed up we will nearly always send a full back forward and play with just three centre halves - this is why Rafa is looking for more forward wingbacks.
You what lad?!

Offline Britvic Orange

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Re: Rafa: we can adapt to any formation
« Reply #51 on: July 12, 2008, 01:42:26 am »
Gerrard was probably the best link up player in the world last season. That is why Rafa plays him as our second striker as the link between our midfield and Torres.

I doubt that you will find a better player in that position in the world at the moment.
why does he always struggle against United, Chelsea and Arsenal then if he is the best link player in the world.

Offline kevmck

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Re: Rafa: we can adapt to any formation
« Reply #52 on: July 12, 2008, 02:18:32 am »
You obviously haven't read many of Britvics posts before have you.  ;D
i try not to.. i deal with enough whiner's in my daily life.. sick of it when im supposedly reading a site FOR liverpool fans

Offline TheRedBull

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Re: Rafa: we can adapt to any formation
« Reply #53 on: July 12, 2008, 02:36:36 am »
So you think we can win the league by playing with one up front backed up by a midfielder, funny how Gerrard won his only Player of the Year award playing right midfield when all along his real and most natural position has been up front all this time.
In the last 4 years, team that won the premier league regularly play with one main striker... So what's your point?

Offline Gnurglan

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Re: Rafa: we can adapt to any formation
« Reply #54 on: July 12, 2008, 01:53:01 pm »
One only has to draw the different formations on a piece of paper and compare to see how similar they really are. It's a matter of where you put the wide midfielders and one striker/attacking midfielder. That's about it and you have 4-4-2, 4-2-3-1, 4-4-1-1 and 4-3-3. There are two versions of 4-3-3 though. Chelsea used one and the diamond midfield under Mourinho. All of those are just basic formations, starting positions on the field and little else. Just because you have a 4-3-3 doesn't mean there's only one way to play it, so a formation is just a starting point.

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Offline hassinator

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Re: Rafa: we can adapt to any formation
« Reply #55 on: July 13, 2008, 02:34:56 pm »
Controversial.

Currently our formation brings the best out of our 2 best attacking players. On the odd occaisson it may have to change due to injuries/suspensions/chasing a late goal etc. but I don't see why a settled formation is bad thing.

because teams can set up to simply block us out - park the bus in front of the goal if you like - and we need to be able to adapt to circumstances and still get a result.

there is nothing weird or new about this as its pretty much what rafa has been trying to do since he came here.  when you hear lawrenson and hansen bleating on about settled teams on motd it ignores the fact that the game is totally different and much more athletic these days so we have to have a big squad to ensure maximum effort all the time.

again it simply comes back to the most successful clubs having the greatest strength in depth so when you rotate - or 'make a change' as its described for chelsea and man utd - you switch quality for quality.

Offline Sweet Silver Song

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Re: Rafa: we can adapt to any formation
« Reply #56 on: July 13, 2008, 07:45:06 pm »

again it simply comes back to the most successful clubs having the greatest strength in depth so when you rotate - or 'make a change' as its described for chelsea and man utd - you switch quality for quality.

Oh dear, another red who's fallen for the propaganda on here that our winning run at the end of last season was all to do with the formation, and nothing to do with playing a settled side. Another popular forum myth that this poster has fallen for, is that Rafa rotates he's team the same way as Chelsea and Man U. When will people start waking up to things?
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Offline muyuu

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Re: Rafa: we can adapt to any formation
« Reply #57 on: November 23, 2014, 05:40:32 pm »
Wish we could.
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Re: Rafa: we can adapt to any formation
« Reply #58 on: November 23, 2014, 05:47:56 pm »
hahaha, really.

jesus, I love Rafa, but do people even keep up with what's going on with him. Zeman - "We can score 3 against Napoli, always".

Let him do his job in peace, he has a fair task ahead if he is to write his name into Neapolitan history, as he did with us.