Liverpool Tactical Analysis

Sharpening the Flat 3-4-3 into a Diamond | Liverpool FC

“All good things must come to an end.” That’s in reference to Liverpool’s 13-game unbeaten streak in 2015 of course, which began with a loss to fierce rivals Manchester United and also ended in a similar fashion against the same opposition within the space of a little over 3 months. The feat started after Brendan...

Liverpool’s 3-4-3 – Just how ‘radical’ is it?

Liverpool’s ‘new’ 3-4-2-1 formation has been widely acclaimed by pundits, fans and the media alike. Brendan Rodgers has been, rightly, praised for his brave decision to make such a ‘radical’ change at such an important stage in Liverpool’s season. There have been a number of articles focusing on the new formation; recently the excellent...

Tactically Outclassing Louis Van Gaal

It feels like we've been saying this for weeks now, but Sunday is a must win. Not only will it propel us into the top 4, it also dents the challenge of a rival. Not just any rival though; the rival. United. For the first time in a while a top 4 finish would...

Analysing the Perks of a False 9 Against Man City

A magnificent Liverpool team performance against Manchester City saw The Reds cement themselves as a genuine challenger for the top 4. Wonder goals from the ever irrepressible Phillipe Coutinho and the energetic Jordan Henderson rightly got the plaudits, but one player that impressed me immensely yesterday was Raheem Sterling. Leading the line for Liverpool, the...

The Future of the 3-4-2-1: An Analysis

Having conquered Spain, Europe, and the eventually the World, Pep Guardiola was quick to shake things up with his Barcelona side. Once things become static, success slips away. Pass into the space, not the player's feet. Move the ball, move your team mate, move the opposition. The evolution of Barca's formation from 4-3-3 to 3-4-3 (with...

Pro Evolution: Where Next For Liverpool’s Tactics?

Liverpool’s 3-0 defeat at Old Trafford in December was a perfect illustration of the team’s regression this season. It was a direct reversal of the result in the same fixture last March, when a trident of Luis Suarez, Daniel Sturridge, and Raheem Sterling, saw Liverpool become an unstoppable attacking force. If the club could take...

Wide Box to Box Midfielder | Crucial To Liverpool

The term box to box is used to describe a midfielder who has no specialist role, they're primarily an engine tasked with helping both sides of the teams' game. They're also more commonly found in the centre of the pitch, but could the change of formation to the 3421 formation mean Liverpool could deploy...

Is ‘Box’ the New ‘Triangle’ for Liverpool? Part 2

In Part 1 of this article, we looked into the importance of the 3-4-2-1 formation and how successful it has been for Liverpool since its implementation. In the second part of the article, we are going to examine if there are any weaknesses in this system as Liverpool use it and how opposition teams...

Is ‘Box’ the New ‘Triangle’ for Liverpool? – Part 1

In the recent weeks we have seen Liverpool implement the 3-4-2-1 formation across competitions and the formation has proved to be successful. So what has made Brendan Rodgers use the 3-4-2-1 in the last few weeks? What options has it provided us pre-game and in-game? Are there weaknesses or more appropriately ways for the opposition...

Real Madrid v Liverpool Preview – The Impossible Possibilities

Just under two weeks ago we saw Real Madrid come to Anfield and give Liverpool a lesson in what it’s like to play at the top level of European football. With four seasons out of the Champions League, and a group of players and staff with little experience of the competition, we saw a...