A Time for Tactics — How Liverpool Will Deploy Against Stoke
Posted on 09. Sep, 2011 by Larry Butz in Blog, Fixtures & Results
Before playing Stoke at Anfield last season, people were just starting to get a hint of how silly it was to question Kenny Dalglish’s tactical ability. After Liverpool’s 2-0 victory, the critics and cynics were left kowtowing to the King. The cause of this was the masterful formation in which the manager deployed his side against Pulis’s battering ram of a team. While most remember that night as Suarez’s debut goal, the game was well won earlier by the choice to deploy a rare formation that would neutralize Stoke’s unique threat.
Dalglish’s 3-4-2-1 Formation and Tactics versus Stoke
Liverpool had proven vulnerable against set pieces already that season, provoking plenty of discussion about whether to man mark or deploy a zonal marking system. Dalglish’s answer to this question, against Stoke at least, was oblique and simple at the same time: play with more defenders.
Though you had hardly seen it in the Premier League era at all, King Kenny put out a true 3-man defense of Daniel Agger, Sotirios Kyrgiakos, and Martin Skrtel. At times these central defenders were augmented by wingbacks Glen Johnson on the left and Martin Kelly on the right. However, the fact that Stoke chose to switch to a 4-5-1 — with John Carew as the lone striker — rather than their normal 4-4-2, meant that Johnson spent most of his time attacking and Pennant most of his time tracking back and defending. Given that there were two defensive midfielders, Fabio Aurelio and Lucas Leiva, you might have been forgiven for thinking this was a negative formation. It wasn’t. The wingbacks attacked, with Aurelio moving wide left to protect against Pennant’s counter runs forward and either Skrtel moving up the pitch and covering the right, where Walters was well marked, or Lucas covering. Gerrard and Meireles alternated moving up to play off of Kuyt’s superb distribution from the front.
To be fair and to avoid building myths about Dalglish, the formation did risk preventing a solid passing game and preventing linkups higher up the pitch. However, Kuyt’s ability to hold up the ball and link with Steven and Raul meant there was time for others to get forward and join the attack.
The side might be called something like 3-4-2-1. When Suarez came on for Aurelio, it became more of a 3-4-1-2, with those above the defense playing higher than before but with Gerrard deeper.
Altogether, as one could tell by the scoreline and the dearth of chances from Stoke, the tactics were a success.
So will Liverpool march out the tunnel with the same formation?
Probably not. The Liverpool side then is not the same side as now. That’s a good thing!
For one, there is more physicality and height in the side. In fact, you could argue that the club made some of the purchases it did to avoid having to play three central defenders. Jose Enrique is very strong and good in the air, Carragher can play on the right side if Johnson isn’t fit, and Adam and Henderson are ready for any physical challenge.
For another, the confidence to pass and keep possession is much greater, meaning there will be fewer chances to concede from set pieces. Lucas is giving away far fewer fouls with Adam usually available deep to help him challenge defenders. In fact, while Lucas has gotten plaudits for his Premier League-best tackling, and rightly so, he has become one of the best intercepting midfielders in the world. He rarely is caught out of position and so does not have to make the reckless tackles of a Javier Mascherano, and can step in to take the pass from an attacker’s feet instead.
One more now. Liverpool have Andy Carroll in the side, who, if chosen, will be able to help defend against those set pieces.
Besides, Stoke look a bit defensively vulnerable to quick players, which Suarez and Downing — and Bellamy possibly — will look to exploit, while Palacios’s inclusion will make the crucial midfield battle for possession trickier if Liverpool use three at the back.
What about our 6’5 1/2” new central defender?
There has been some speculation that Sebastian Coates could come in and play right away. The club have even said that he is ready if they need him. Indeed, if Glen Johnson is lacking match fitness and the manager goes with a 3-man defense again, Carragher may have to play wingback since Flanagan is not adept going forward. It would seem that Coates would have to come into the side, but I wouldn’t bet on it. Perhaps he will feature from the bench at some point, but to throw him into a very physical match with only a week’s training and in a strange tactical formation to boot? It might be too much.
But if he is chosen, I wouldn’t count him out as a Man of the Match candidate. To do so would be to doubt Kenny’s judgment, and we all learned our lessons about that last season.
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14 Responses to “A Time for Tactics — How Liverpool Will Deploy Against Stoke”
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Cliff
09. Sep, 2011
You could come up with any formation, but at the end of the day it’s the way you approach the game that makes the difference. With a little luck, I think we can win this one.
red VENEZUELA
09. Sep, 2011
i think its gonna be 4-4-2 but
Reina
carra-sktrtel-agger-enrique
hendo-lucas-adam-downing
kuyt
suares
in set pieces would be 3 CBs and in open play enrique will attack more staying carra,skrtel and agger taking care of the back and of course no andy carroll so liv can play without long ball (favorite stoke game)
commonsense
09. Sep, 2011
i think the same team that played against bolton should play again,pressing high,playing@a level&speed that stoke cant match so giving em to much to worry about to even think about attacking!we have,carroll,bellamy,coates,flanagan&johno on the bench…
topscout
09. Sep, 2011
lets not worry abt stoke, let them worry abt us and how they r going to try n stop us.
………………………..reina
.carra…… skrtel ….. agger…… jose
downing….lucas….spearing….bellamy
………………….kuyt
………………………..saurez
sai
10. Sep, 2011
well, the likely formation wil be 4-3-2-1:-
———————————-reina——————————–
skertel———carra———————agger———enrique
———————————-lucas——————————–
kuyt————————————————————adam
————–downing———————-suarez—————–
———————————carrol———————————
carrol will be used as bait to distract defenses.!
Ashwin
10. Sep, 2011
WTF ! Some formations up here seem to come straight from Fantasy Football ! Get real please
liverbird
10. Sep, 2011
——————reina——————-
johnson – carra – agger – enrique
——————-lucas—————–
——–henderson – adam———-
bellamy———————-downing
——————suarez—————–
bench:
doni, coates, skrtel, flanagan, spearing, kuyt, carroll
coates on for agger
kuyt on for downing
carroll on for suarez
(provided no injury or red cards)
kuyt might start in place of bellamy, but i’d prefer bellamy’s fast pace. carroll on the bench again, poor form. gerrard will not feature. no more raul.
this formation gets the best out of every player,
sam charles - flushing meadows!!!!- come on federer
10. Sep, 2011
my team would be;
REINA
CARRAGHER SKRTEL AGGER ENRIQUE
KUYT ADAM LUCUS DOWNING
SUAREZ
CARROLL
suarez movement v team s like stoke is huge, while andy just has to trun up and start to put himself around while kuyt is so vital with his work rate and his ability to also play in the air.
Carragaher will be fine at the right back slot and if he just stays in, that is he must not go walk about – he has not the legs or the pace to do that and to add to that he has not got the pace, i think we have to play at least 3 tall players at the back with crouch and on other up top for stoke.
they are a tall side and while it will not just be about the game in the air, we do need that tall center backs to help out, skrtel needs to play their, while johnson has not played a game for months even though he is fit, flanno is just to small v teams like stoke so thats why i have gone for that back line.
i like lucus and adam they both have work ethic and for me henderson is not needed today in this team system or shape, you might disagree buts thats life….
While we know the odds on agger staying fit are very slim he has to play also, while he had a good game midweek, he needs game still because the lack of football he has played in 5 years is staggering, he cant be syaing he is knackerd,, so just lets keep playing him untill he breaks down whihc will happen.
coates is going to be huge but to early to throw him in just yet, but then we just do not know, he is huge in the air that might help, just think stoke away for his 1st game is to much.
id like to see us win, dont care how we play i would take any win and thats that.
but if selected id go for a 2- 1 away win, with maybe kuyt and carroll getting the goals
come on you redmen…………………….ynwa!!!
Money
10. Sep, 2011
@sam , u said hendo wasn’t needed due to your own comment and u said that’s life? stop being so full of yourself and stop commenting rubbish which we all KNEW AND UNDERSTAND LONG TIME AGO , gosh , “Carragaher will be fine at the right back slot and if he just stays in, that is he must not go walk about – he has not the legs or the pace to do that and to add to that he has not got the pace, i think we have to play at least 3 tall players at the back with crouch and on other up top for stoke.” LMFAO , WHO ARE YOU TO TALK ABOUT CARRA? FUCKING SWITCH ON YOUR TV AND WATCH THE GAME , JOKE.
Dave McQueen
10. Sep, 2011
Think Henderson is made for this game – plenty of energy, keeps it simple, also high on confidence following the Bolton game.
I’d go Reina, Johnson, Agger, Carra, Enrique, downing, Lucas, Adam, Henderson, Suarez and Carroll. Kuyt can have some rest having played for Holland. Bellamy to come on in 2nd half to stretch the Stoke defence with his pace and ability to stretch the game. Too early for Coates unless we find ourselves a couple up late on.
Andy mac
10. Sep, 2011
Reina
Kelly Carra agger Enrique
Lucas Adam
Kuyt Suarez downing
Carroll.
Carra wont play on the right anymore!
Anonymous
10. Sep, 2011
Tough luck. We had some open chances, didn’t take it. But its good to see the team press and not play sideways anymore. Just wasn’t meant to be today..
Money
10. Sep, 2011
stoke played 0-0-10 after they scored the penalty and referring was frustrating too. Blame ourself for not grabbing our chances. next game , tottenham ! #YNWA
vinoth
10. Sep, 2011
well .. the next match was man Utd vs Bolton and first 2 goals were of great finishing… that said and taking into account our lost changes mostly the final ball… are we going to draw or lose similar no of matches to lower league teams like last year….i sincerely hope my worries are falsified stoke played well.. but for the no of chances we had especially where hendo had 1-2 back to back opportunities and C Adam too…. i just think if we had a player who had that little bit more composure…. we would at-least have salvaged a point from this game…
b’cause ‘this is jut not our day’ thing woldnt help us….