Topic: The Attack

[C]

Sterling is shunted out wide because he is a winger.

[penga]

It is clear we need to change something with regards to the attacking set up to create and score more, the current formation and line up is stagnating somewhat. To be honest Sterling could do a lot better at RWB as Ibe has shown it can be done. I remember him doing well in the past in that position too when he was occasionally put there last season. When Ibe comes back if he could continue that form it would be really helpful. In fact I think it's one of the most important things that will contribute to improving the attack, beats players easily and sucks multiple players into his space that allows the front 3 a bit more room.

[rickardinho1]

Is there a danger that Sterling becomes too much of "utility player" (for lack of a better word), Jack of all trades (ie positions) but master of none? HIs versatility is a great asset, but normally players benefit from a run in one position rather than moving around. Only in the last month Sterling has played RWB/RB, LWB/LB, AM, RW, LW, and ST at various points in games, which surely must be somewhat unsettling for him!

[Caston]

Please just get Sterling up with Sturridge. Sterling has been shite at wingback

[stevensr123]

Sterling has hardly played a lot as wing back this season has he? Like twice and those where this week and last week. Even before he was shunted out wide his performance and attitude left a lot to be desired.

[RedEire]

We need two up top, even if it means changing to a back 4 again we need two up top. We can press better from the front with two up there and force mistakes like we did all last year. I think Brendan will have to take a gamble now because the last two matches our formation has been countered and now teams will know how to get at us. I'd go 4 at the back again and bring in Lucas to protect them.

[Dree]

Sterling is shunted out wide because he is a winger.

Is he though? He's a poor crosser, excels at turning and releasing passes and can accelerate through the middle with pace and strength. He's not as technical as Coutinho, he can't beat his man with trickery out wide that much. He's an AM. He showed it last season and this, and for England at the World Cup he dropped off completely when he was sent out wide.

[killer-heels]

Yep, Sterling is definitely an attacking midfielder. I would go as far to say he is probably becoming a support striker. The way he moves and everything.

He probably isn't as creative as Coutinho from a withdrawn position and he isn't as good as going past players like Ibe, who is a true winger.

[spider-neil]

Markovic had gone of the boil but he was doing a darn sight better than Sterling is currently do there and Sterling has become a non entity on the pitch. I feel sympathy for Sterling being shunted out wide because Lallana has done next to nothing to warrant being accommodated for.

[Adeemo]

But Lallana's our big money attacking signing, bought to win us these big games, the player who's taken Luis' place in the team, he's Premier League proven and at the peak of his career, of course he's got to play. Ahem.

[OOS]

But Lallana's our big money attacking signing, bought to win us these big games, the player who's taken Luis' place in the team, he's Premier League proven and at the peak of his career, of course he's got to play. Ahem.

Plays like a magician, got a great disappearing act.

[spider-neil]

Plays like a magician, got a great disappearing act.

Bet you waited ages to drop that punchline

[Adeemo]

In all seriousness though Lallana just seems to be such a modern day Liverpool player, all technique and no fight. It's not even like he produces enough assists and goals against the lesser teams, to make up for going missing against the big boys. I'd have Mario on the pitch over Lallana all day long at the moment, at least when he came on, he was prepared to match them physically and gave their defence something to think about.

[Michel]

He nearly got himself sent off.
Thanks to some fans he didn't.

[JackWard33]

He nearly got himself sent off.
Thanks to some fans he didn't.

Not enough has been said about that - first time I've ever seen fans hold back a player like he was their mate

Honestly I was pissing myself in the middle of 90 minutes of darkness

[Adeemo]

He nearly got himself sent off.
Thanks to some fans he didn't.

If you look at it again, he clearly wasn't going to go back for more, if he'd wanted to he would have.

[Clint Eastwood]

Sterling is most certainly an attacking-midfielder. We don't really have wingers, except for Ibe, because I'd consider Markovic an attacking midfielder too.

Anyway, Lallana needs dropping for a few games. Give Sterling the chance to get his season back on track.

[lionel_messias]

Please just get Sterling up with Sturridge. Sterling has been shite at wingback

Yes, this is what needs to happen. Sterling floating around and just behind Daniel.

Make is so. Even play Glen Johnson if it means Raheem doesn't have to play wing-back.

(Oh my word, what I am saying)

[Walk On]

In all seriousness though Lallana just seems to be such a modern day Liverpool player, all technique and no fight. It's not even like he produces enough assists and goals against the lesser teams, to make up for going missing against the big boys. I'd have Mario on the pitch over Lallana all day long at the moment, at least when he came on, he was prepared to match them physically and gave their defence something to think about.

Agreed, thought that while he's been playing well, he's not the one that going to make the difference for us.  It seems we're having to shuffle key players to accommodate Lallana.  It could also be that the other players are not quite sure what he's going to do.  Also, he really should have put away that chance he had in the first half, might have been difficult but was a clear opportunity. Was great play by Sturridge to play him in as well.  After that, he seemed to fade in some respects, held the ball up and linked play here and there but that's not what we needed from him. 

In hindsight, it was also perhaps not the right game to allow him to find his form.  Also a shame that although the change happened at the right time, the impact of Gerrard's sending off had a bigger impact on our shape and attacking threat.

Another point is that while Sterling has played reasonably well out on the wing/as a wing-back, it seems like he's getting quite frustrated in that position.  Could be because of the lack of support or that he can see that others aren't having the impact he may have.

One final point from what I saw yesterday was I think we're really starting to get quite leggy.  We're not moving the ball quickly enough especially when we're in attacking positions.  There was one play towards the end of the game when we were pushing for the equaliser, we had a free kick and lost possession momentarily.  When we got it back, we were too slow to push on and gave them time to get their defenders back into position and get their shape back.  I think we ended up playing the ball backwards and actually lost whatever attacking impetus we had.  We need to be more attacking minded and push forward even if there is a lack of support.

Hopefully this international break will give up some time to recharge and regroup.  All is not lost yet and we need to keep putting pressure on those above us.

[spider-neil]

Hopefully this international break will give up some time to recharge and regroup.  All is not lost yet and we need to keep putting pressure on those above us.

We've actually been playing better when the games were back to back. We've responded badly to week long breaks. The upside is the break give Lucas more recovery time and a slender chance Ibe will be fit for Arsenal.

[JackWard33]

Statistical nugget I found while wasting time - Daniel Sturridge has yet to record a single interception (that's ZERO) and only 1 tackle in 11 PL games this season  (last year he only recorded 4 and 6 in the whole season)
It's interesting that Rodgers criticised Balotelli for lack of effective pressing when Sturridge is so ineffective in terms of his output
I know PoP has argued Sturridge cuts off passing lanes well but it's pretty shocking how little he produces in terms of defensive footballing actions if that's the case
This isn't necessarily a problem in a striker depending on how you play but it's at least interesting given Rodgers comments on pressing in his teams

[QC]

But Lallana's our big money attacking signing, bought to win us these big games, the player who's taken Luis' place in the team, he's Premier League proven and at the peak of his career, of course he's got to play. Ahem.

I know this is tongue in cheek, but Lallana's performances do really warrant him only being an impact sub. Sterling and Coutinho are much better centrally and have more of an impact/presence despite being younger.

[Draex]

Statistical nugget I found while wasting time - Daniel Sturridge has yet to record a single interception (that's ZERO) and only 1 tackle in 11 PL games this season  (last year he only recorded 4 and 6 in the whole season)
It's interesting that Rodgers criticised Balotelli for lack of effective pressing when Sturridge is so ineffective in terms of his output
I know PoP has argued Sturridge cuts off passing lanes well but it's pretty shocking how little he produces in terms of defensive footballing actions if that's the case
This isn't necessarily a problem in a striker depending on how you play but it's at least interesting given Rodgers comments on pressing in his teams

The problem is we seem to be doing this half press - the attackers close down but because our wingbacks are so deep it's Coutinho and Sturridge on their own v's a back 3/4..

There was a huge gap between the attacking players and the midfield and defence, we seemed shit scared of sideshow bob and his knock downs we played right into their hands.

[spider-neil]

The problem is we seem to be doing this half press - the attackers close down but because our wingbacks are so deep it's Coutinho and Sturridge on their own v's a back 3/4..

There was a huge gap between the attacking players and the midfield and defence, we seemed shit scared of sideshow bob and his knock downs we played right into their hands.

Would have been difficult to press the Manu defenders because they have no qualms sending the ball long to Fallini.

[Chakan]

Would have been difficult to press the Manu defenders because they have no qualms sending the ball long to Fallini.

Who we let have the run of the park.

[Caston]

paul joyce @pjoyceexpress
Liverpool's Daniel Sturridge a doubt for England games with Lithuania and Italy. Hip. Assessed today.

Lallana has also pulled out of the squad with injury.

[Draex]

Would have been difficult to press the Manu defenders because they have no qualms sending the ball long to Fallini.

And? That is their gameplan, counter it.. Play Lucas against him and get him to man mark him out of the game.

Naivety, we played right into their hands.

[PhaseOfPlay]

Statistical nugget I found while wasting time - Daniel Sturridge has yet to record a single interception (that's ZERO) and only 1 tackle in 11 PL games this season  (last year he only recorded 4 and 6 in the whole season)
It's interesting that Rodgers criticised Balotelli for lack of effective pressing when Sturridge is so ineffective in terms of his output
I know PoP has argued Sturridge cuts off passing lanes well but it's pretty shocking how little he produces in terms of defensive footballing actions if that's the case
This isn't necessarily a problem in a striker depending on how you play but it's at least interesting given Rodgers comments on pressing in his teams

What actions is he going to produce, though, if the main part of his job is positioning?

[please, I have my reasons for it but...]

paul joyce @pjoyceexpress
Liverpool's Daniel Sturridge a doubt for England games with Lithuania and Italy. Hip. Assessed today.

Lallana has also pulled out of the squad with injury.

Seems to me Brendan is giving Roy a big fuck you as he isn't sure of the old owl's training methods.

[fowlermagic]

......Sturridge....Sterling
..........Coutinho

That should have been our attack from day 1 as why ask Sturridge by himself to run about like a headless chicken when he is most comfy / plays his best stuff with a Suarez type character alongside him. Its why we were after Sanchez and once that option collapsed then Sterling should have been given the role as he loves to drift, run amok btw the lines stretching the backline thus freeing up Sturridge. Yesterday Daniel was man marked by one, two sometime three defenders so if Coutinho or Lallana looked up all they saw was white shirts all over their one target in & around the box. Might as well have asked them to thread a needle while flying with the Red Arrows. We refuse to play a decent crossing system as again you are crossing into the White Sea and we seem to hit the first defender in sight anyway no matter who is crossing. Sort of makes the wide men attacking roles defunct as they are more there to aid the back three when required and to support the attack that goes down the middle portion of the pitch 75% of the time. Ibe was doing a fine job at it when brought in but love to see the lad play in an attacking role while getting supported by a 27 year old Johnson in his day.

Two strikers means there will have to be tweak in the system. I have not got a clue how Brendan will accommodate them, it may not happen anytime soon but surely be to god something has to be done if we want the best out of Sturridge and Sterling rots as a poor wingback when he could be a 10 league goal / 10 assist type player.

[Redman0151]

paul joyce @pjoyceexpress
Liverpool's Daniel Sturridge a doubt for England games with Lithuania and Italy. Hip. Assessed today.

Lallana has also pulled out of the squad with injury.

Anybody who thinks we don't need another top striker is deluded. We don't get enough goals as it is, and I don't trust Ings to carry our team for 4 months next season

[spider-neil]

Anybody who thinks we don't need another top striker is deluded. We don't get enough goals as it is, and I don't trust Ings to carry our team for 4 months next season

Getting a top class stiker with no CL will be very difficult.
It's a pity Sinclair is a couple of years off because he is the real deal.

[Kopenhagen]

Anybody who thinks we don't need another top striker is deluded. We don't get enough goals as it is, and I don't trust Ings to carry our team for 4 months next season

It's interesting that we sold Agger, for example, because he couldn't stay fit and we couldn't build a reliable unit around him, yet we're fine with our main forward being just as injury-prone. I know it's a bit more nuanced than that, but I have doubts about Sturridge being the main man. Ings won't cut it.

Getting a top class stiker with no CL will be very difficult.
It's a pity Sinclair is a couple of years off because he is the real deal.

We can get somebody young (21-23) on the cusp of being very good.

[Chakan]

We haven't gotten Ings yet, we do have Origi. Very young though.

We need another top class striker.

[Raaphael]

We need Vietto, Dybala or Lacazette. Or if it`s possible Benzema.

[spider-neil]

We need Vietto, Dybala or Lacazette. Or if it`s possible Benzema.

Don't see them moving to a team outside the CL. And almost certainly, teams in the CL will come in for them.
With no CL it may be more potential or journey men. If it's choice between the two I'd rather potential or blooding our own kids.

[killer-heels]

Don't see them moving to a team outside the CL. And almost certainly, teams in the CL will come in for them.

Might as well give up then.

[Haggis36]

If our striker shopping list was Balotelli, Lambert, Origi and Remy with Champions League, then I'm not sure I have much faith in our ability to land a top class forward without it. Certainly players like Lacazette, Vietto, etc are well beyond our reach (and price range I'd imagine).

[Redman0151]

Don't see them moving to a team outside the CL. And almost certainly, teams in the CL will come in for them.

They'll follow the money, Lacazette sounds like he may end up at Real or Arsenal, but I can easily see us offering Vietto or similar enough to come here

If our striker shopping list was Balotelli, Lambert, Origi and Remy with Champions League, then I'm not sure I have much faith in our ability to land a top class forward without it. Certainly players like Lacazette, Vietto, etc are well beyond our reach (and price range I'd imagine).

Vietto has a £14m release fee

[spider-neil]

Might as well give up then.

It just means we have to work harder to bring these players along rather than buying the finished article. The likes of Markovic will be a year older, used to the country and may kick on in the next campaign.