After a string of poor performances and results, the pressure was mounting. We needed to play well and get back to winning ways and against our closest neighbours at Anfield, there isn’t a better game to do it in. Rodgers opted for a 4-2-3-1 formation with a back 5 of Mignolet, Manquillo, Skrtel, Lovren and Moreno. A midfield duo of Jordan Henderson and Steven Gerrard supported the attacking trio of Markovic, Lallana and Raheem Sterling, whilst Mario Balotelli led the line.
1) Our fullbacks
For the first time in a while we have two very good fullbacks. Alberto Moreno’s attacking prowess combined with Manquillo’s defensive solidity gives us great balance down the flanks. What’s even more promising is how young they both are! Once they start to understand the English game a little bit more and they develop physically and technically then we might have our fullback situation sorted for the next 10 years or so.
Adam Lallana had a brilliant game too, but for me the two Spaniards share the Man of the Match award. Two excellent signings that cost us about half of the transfer fee of England international Luke Shaw! All credit to Ian Ayre and the transfer committee, they’ve nailed it.
2) Adam Lallana is some player
It’s easy to forget that Lallana didn’t even have a pre-season at all; he’s settled into our side very quickly and looks a very tidy player indeed. His pressing is great to see and that’s something that will get even better as time goes by and his fitness levels catch up to everyone else in the squad.
For me what makes Adam Lallana such a shrewd signing is how versatile he is. He can play out on the right hand side, centrally behind the striker or part of a midfield three. For me I’d like to see him in the middle in the number 8 role in a 4-1-2-1-2 formation, this would allow him to get forward and score goals from midfield, something that we lack in the central positions and would improve our team greatly.
He embodies everything that Rodgers wants in a player too. Physically he’s very good, technically he’s excellent and he seems to understand the game and his role in the side. It’s obviously early days, but for me this could be a truly brilliant signing.
3) Rodgers has his favourites
For those who haven’t heard, after finding himself not even on the bench for the game, Sakho walked out of the stadium. He later apologised on Twitter but I’m sure this won’t be the end of it.
Some may argue that he’s had his chances, but has he really had a proper run in the team? I don’t think he has. Leaving him out of the squad completely behind Kolo Toure is an insult. Kolo is at the end of his career and he is no longer the player he used to be, Sakho is twice the player Toure is and then some.
Now for all Brendan Rodgers’ positive attributes, it worries me that he has his favourites and he sticks with them. At the World Cup he was one of the best centre backs in my opinion, he looked very solid and alongside Varane they made it hard for the opposition to score. Sakho is a very good defender being criminally underused, if we don’t play him he may well leave and we will regret it.
4) Gerrard
I’m sat on the fence when it comes to Steven Gerrard to be honest. One week I think we need to upgrade in the defensive midfield position, then he puts in a performance like he did yesterday and I’m not so sure we do.
Even if you take away his goal he still played very well. But what surprised me the most was his energy, he seemed to do a lot more running than he has done in previous weeks. Maybe he’s been told to put in more effort during the premier league games and that he’ll be rested during the Champions league. Or maybe the occasion dictated his performance; he always seems to lift his performances in the big games.
Who knows, but Gerrard was excellent. And dare I say, back to how he was playing towards the back end of last season.
Conclusion
It wasn’t the result we were looking for. 99 times out of 100 Jagielka’s shot flies over the cross bar and we win the game 1-0. But it wasn’t to be and we really need to get the points on the board. Thankfully the teams that will be battling for 3rd and 4th have been equally as inconsistent, so we haven’t too much ground yet.
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