I love it when a plan comes together…
Posted by Akzoony in Fulham, Liverpool, Newcastle | 21 March 2006
Well it looks like our goal scoring issues have gone away again. Two great wins against Fulham and Newcastle in the space of a week seem to have made our recent woes disappear.
If I’m honest the Fulham score did somewhat flatter the performance at 5-1, however I suspect you wont find too many Reds fans complaining. After more matches than I can remember where after 30+ chances we have only converted the odd one, I can categorically say that we were due a bit of luck.
The Newcastle game was a very interesting match. It was vital that we won this one to keep the pressure up on United for second, however as much as Rafa loves to ‘only think about the next game’ a watchful eye had to be kept on the FA Cup tie with Birmingham two days later. The solution that he came up with was totally unexpected.
We set up shop with a highly imaginative and untested 5-3-2 or 5-4-1 formation, with Daniel Agger playing a big part in the centre of defence with Hyypia and Carragher, and Finnan, Fowler, Alonso, Morientes and Garcia all rested (below):
.............................................Crouch..........................................
.........................Kewell.........Gerrard..........Cisse............................
...........................................Hamann...........................................
............. Warnock....................................... Kromkamp............
...............................Hyypia....Agger....Carragher............................
.............................................Reina............................................
As usual under Rafa this formation was very fluid, with Kewell spending much of the game playing a support role to Crouch, with Warnock taking on more or a Left Wing role.
Agger also spend a lot of the match out of position, playing as a holding midfielder alongside Didi Hamann.
It was great to see Hamann clearly coaching him in this role throughout the game, showing how versatile this Liverpool squad is and how strong the team spirit despite recent results.
The game was very comfortably won in the end, and at no point did Newcastle really look like they were going to get back involved despite all of their possession.
Now its Tuesday, and we are facing Birmingham tonight. I’m very much looking forwards to seeing how Rafa deals with this one, and fully expect to see a few surprises in the starting XI.
Bring it on!!
Comments
What a score line last night. Can't quite believe it !
You're not wrong, i havent seen a score like that for a few years! (the last time i can remember was against Southampton at Anfield about 4 years or so ago when it finished 7-1!!).
15 in 3! Striker crisis? what Striker crisis?!?