Greenlizard0 Weekend Football Thread ** spoilers ** [14th - 19th August 2015]

[Trusty]

I'm not sure I agree with the idea of a single 11 being your best 11 for every match, not unless you're Barca anyway. Can would get into the best side for pretty much any opposition in my opinion.

I think if you need to have more defensive players on the pitch, he's sound. Youre best taking the game to the opposition though. That Benteke will prove to be a good buy in a few years. he obviously has talent. Arsenal is going to be a good test to where you actually are..

 

[BaZ87]

Like the idea of a single best 11, I don't like the idea that simply having more attack minded players on the pitch makes you a better attacking side. You need to have a balanced side in order to be able to attack properly.

Benitez used to get dogs abuse for playing Alonso and Mascherano in midfield together, it was too defensive according to some. The reality was that those 2 were pivotal to our attack. You need to have a foundation to build attacks from and by having players sitting slightly deeper, backing things up, you're able to pin the opposition back as they're there picking up the clearances etc and building the attack again.

You already have 2 defensive minded players with Milner and Henderson in the middle..

They're not which is the problem. Both look to break forward and any defensive work that they do is high up the pitch (when they're pressing the oppo's midfield/defence) leaving gaps in our midfield.

As I said in my last post, yesterday Bournemouth had a lot of joy early in the game down our right. With Coutinho playing in a free role from the right, Milner was caught between covering Clyne and supporting Henderson in midfield. With a more natural holding/defensive midfielder in Henderson's position, Milner's life would have been a lot easier.

 

[Trusty]

They're not which is the problem. Both look to break forward and any defensive work that they do is high up the pitch (when they're pressing the oppo's midfield/defence) leaving gaps in our midfield.

As I said in my last post, yesterday Bournemouth had a lot of joy early in the game down our right. With Coutinho playing in a free role from the right, Milner was caught between covering Clyne and supporting Henderson in midfield. With a more natural holding/defensive midfielder in Henderson's position, Milner's life would have been a lot easier.

I think Hendo and Milner both have the ability to adapt to the game, City were daft to let Milner go, wise move by him actually. You have Arsenal next, that'll be a great indicator as to how they might handle a situation like that. You might be right tho, Rodgers might feel he needs another body in the middle against them. I think Pool have definitely done the right thing with Stirling as well, that Ibe looks promising, can definitely do a job

 

[BaZ87]

Why get Milner or Henderson to adapt their game and be less effective as a result when you can just put Can in? And City didn't let Milner go, they offered him an awful lot of money but he didn't want to stay there.

I hope we'll see a Can, Milner & Henderson midfield but you never know with Rodgers. My biggest concern with him ever since he was appointed is that he reacts to poor results rather than performances and I can see him sticking with Henderson & Milner because we won our last 2 games.

It was actually a game away to Arsenal where this flaw Rodgers has was highlighted most - we played a 4-2-3-1 with Henderson behind Sturridge and Suarez wide on the left and Arsenal were murdering us down our left hand side but somehow we found ourselves 2-0 up. You'd have thought then that Rodgers would switch Suarez and Henderson to block things off down our left but no, he waited until it was 2-2 before he made the change.

 

[manic111]

The thing is, if we play three in midfield, where do Sturridge, Benteke and Coutinho fit in? In my opinion those three have to play when fit.

3 5 2?