Gerrard is not a holding midfielder. The system worked last year because our attack was so potent that other teams had to sit 10-15 yards closer to their own goal and Gerrard was never put under the pressure he is now. There's none of that fear now (with good reason) so we're constantly pressed and Gerrard cannot cope. He should be moved up the pitch with Can or Lucas behind him. If his legs can't cope with a CM role he needs to play as a second striker or AM.
This is the crux of the problem for me. I'm far from anything that resembles a PhaseofPlay so I'll quite happily accept if I'm wrong, but we are incredibly easy to beat at the moment if the opposition just has a go at us - and the root of the problem is the position of Gerrard, to my eyes. His position made sense last year when we had the 'SaS' partnership who loved nothing more than penning opposition CB's back because they had pace and skill - they could destroy in the blink of an eye. Gerrard was therefore afforded the luxury of having more time on the ball and was able to ping about those fantastic passes that he no doubt possesses with gay abandon. Without that (or *any*) threat up front, opposition teams are now free to worry less about our attack and push up, crowd around Gerrard and cause us massive problems.
This may be too simplistic but I've seen the same pattern in a number of our games this season. It was obvious before we even kicked a ball on Sunday that if Gerrard played where he usually does, ahead of Lucas and/or Can, then Warnock's team would relish nothing more than bullying and harrassing our midfield and defence into a mistake. It doesn't seem difficult to see for the fans or for opposition managers, so why can't our management? Do they think we'll cope or that we're better/should be better (either tactically or in personnel)?
There've been numerous mentions of Bolasie (even calls for us to sign him in the post-match thread) and yes, he had a decent game. But did he really do that much, other than chance his arm and run at our team!? The saying 'pace kills' is a favourite in football and it was never more apt than in this case - Bolasie is not Ronaldo, Bale or Robben yet he caused us massive problems simply by having the confidence to have a go and knowing his pace would make us, for want of a better phrase, shit ourselves.
It's utterly baffling why Rodgers is persisting with this formation when it seems so easy for the opposition to hurt us. Even if Henderson is fit and being 'Gerrard's legs' the problem remains, as when Henderson shuttles up and down at some point, Gerrard will be inevitably left exposed on the counter.
I'm struggling to recall positives from the match, but Lambert getting a goal was one. A sublime touch and cool finish after he was found brilliantly by his ex-Southampton teammate Lallana and I suspect seeing something like that was what a number of us were hoping might happen if they were played together more regularly. He had a couple more chances with his head and you'd expect him to do better, but with the lack of game time it's understandable he's not quite razor sharp. Coutinho was always trying but I think he finds it very difficult without either a fast and/or tricky forward to feed those through/revers passes in to. It must be very frustrating possessing his vision and ability but being unable to fully realise it at the moment. Manquillo was fairly solid, again. If only he had a little more composure in the final third - but hopefully that can come with his development. There was a moment where Gerrard sprayed a
glorious fading pass out to him and he took it first time to cross on the volley, but I don't think there was anyone in the box to aim at (or maybe only Rickie was in there, meaning the pass had to be almost perfect). Joe Allen was good but unfortunately for the second time in a week or so took an elbow to the head. Not really sure what happened with his shirt but whatever it was, we lost a goal without him on the field. Bit of a cock up, that one.
Our best performance in the last while, by some distance, was in Madrid with a second string side. We looked like all the things we used to but don't any more. Confident in defence, snappy in midfield, calm and precise on the ball. The players on the pitch today did not measure up to those standards and haven't for a while. So it isn't a silly observation to say, hey, what about that selection? That's the manager's fault.
This is a very valid and for me somewhat worrying point. There are players who are in the side who just aren't doing enough. After the Madrid game and then the side picked for Chelsea, the comments Rodgers made about picking players on merit look a little like lies. I can understand that there would have been some tired legs from that team because they put in a massive shift in Madrid, and can also maybe go along with wanting some more 'senior heads' in the side - but to keep on picking these players when week after week they aren't doing the business is bordering on the ridiculous now. The starting eleven for Ludogorets (and then Stoke) will speak volumes for me.
I'm 100% in the 'support the team and manager' camp and always will be, but it's starting to really feel like the continuing decisions to play some players over others or to stick with a formation that doesn't work is eroding support in sections of the fanbase - and once that starts to swell it's a very slippery slope, as we know all too well from recent history.
