Liverpool have started the season just as they’d have liked, with maximum points taken from their first two games, giving them a platform to push on ahead of their huge clash with Manchester United this coming Sunday. Brendan Rodgers’ side have been good value for their 2 wins. Each of which have been against teams that play more direct/counter-attacking systems that Liverpool struggled against last season.
Stoke City and Aston Villa were exactly the type of teams that Liverpool didn’t take enough points off during the last campaign. Stoke took 4 from the Reds, with Aston Villa, and in particular Christian Benteke, bullying us to a 1-3 home defeat at Anfield. It was the more direct sides with big, bruising centre forwards that Liverpool struggled against. On these occasions though, it’s been different.
Kolo Toure and the presence he possesses at the back have been one reason for that. He handled Christian Benteke extremely well last Saturday, and many are starting to feel that Brendan Rodgers has made an extremely astute acquisition by bringing him in on a free transfer from Manchester City. Kolo is quickly becoming something of a cult hero at Anfield, and it’s a real shame that he picked up an injury against Notts County. Simon Mignolet is another signing that certainly deserves a mention. A lot would argue that he’s already won us 4 points this season, with fantastic last gasp saves to deny John Walters and Kenwyne Jones vs Stoke and Christian Benteke at Villa Park. His shot-stopping ability is fantastic, and he too is looking like a very good buy.
Brendan Rodgers stuck with the same team used against Stoke at Villa Park on Saturday. After Joe Allen’s impressive form in pre-season, a lot though that he’d be given the nod in the early stages of this season, but Rodgers has used Jordan Henderson’s energy and presence in the middle of the park instead. When the line-ups were released on the opening day, many thought that Henderson would be used centrally, with Iago Aspas and Philippe Coutinho deployed as wide forwards. Somewhat surprisingly though, Rodgers has stuck with the 4-2-3-1 that brought that side success in the second half of last season. Henderson has been based on the right side of the attack, with Coutinho cutting in from the left, and Aspas supporting the in-form Daniel Sturridge. The flexibility in the team has been noticeable, though, and you can see that the front four have been given the license to interchange.
This can sometimes be an issue for teams. Drifting in to different positions can sometimes lead to problems defensively, when the opposition have the ball. But one of the most encouraging things I’ve taken from the start of the season is the organisation and hard work in the team. Everyone is playing for each other. Each player knows their role, and Rodgers has clearly done a lot of work on installing a winning mentality. If a player drifts out of position, other players are more than happy to fill in for them to make sure that the shape and composition of the side stays the same. It’s just the same with the younger players. Raheem Sterling and Jordon Ibe are two players with incredible offensive abilities, but you can see that Rodgers has worked extremely hard with them to make sure that they are more than comfortable when having to defend. Raheem Sterling did an admirably good job at right back for the last 20 minutes of extra time against Notts County! If they can maintain that discipline then they’re going to have very big futures, and Rodgers, as well as U21 boss Alex Inglethorpe, are the perfect men to further develop their games.
It’s the discipline and organisation in the side that I find very encouraging. That doesn’t mean the team is defensive minded in any way, because they’re not. It just means that they are able to defend and organise themselves when they need to. Each team Rodgers has fielded has played in exactly the same way, with exactly the same intentions since the beginning of pre-season, and his philosophies as a manager are now shining through. A lot of people have said that Stoke (h) and Aston Villa (a) are games we would have lost in recent years. That’s something I would agree with.
There is a noticeable togetherness at the club, too. It was fantastic to see the players celebrate in the way they did after Simon Mignolet’s late penalty save against Stoke. It’s all this that could really work in our favour this year in the race to finish in the top four. Rodgers has said that the club don’t have the financial resources of other teams at the top, and that the club need to find ways other than splashing cash on star players to compete. Other contenders, such as Spurs, may have better playing squads at the moment, but Liverpool’s manager, their team spirit as well as their playing style could all be just as important. There’s also a certain Uruguayan to come back in to the side!
If Brendan Rodgers can further add to his squad in the final days of the transfer window, there are all the makings of a fantastic season at Anfield.
