FIFA World Cup 2013: Early Favourites – Part 1 – Italy

Thursday, June 12, 2014 – The biggest carnival in the world kicks off in the land of carnivals. There are only 346 days to go the World Cup in Brazil, so we take a look at the early favourites for the biggest prize in world football. We will be covering different countries in this SIX part series. The performances of the teams over the last decade have been taken into account and we will take a look at their respective squads. It is the author’s own opinion as to which teams make it to this list. (:P)
ITALY –
The Nerazzuri have had a tumultuous few years on the international as well as the domestic scene. But in the typical Italian fashion of “Eseguiamo quando le spalle sono contro il muro” – “We perform when our backs are against the wall”, the Italians have had some eventful international tournaments since 2006.
It all started at the fag end of 2005 when several Italian clubs were accused of rigging games by selecting favourable referees. The ‘Calciopoli’ tarnished the reputation of Italian football and left the morale of the team at an all-time low. But what followed, was one of the greatest responses by a football team culminating in the lifting of the World Cup in Berlin. Sadly, the days to follow would push Italian football to its nadir.
A similar situation erupted in early 2012 and again the Italian team rose like a phoenix to reach the finals of Euro 2012, consigning the ignominious 1st round exit at the 2010 World Cup to history. Add to that, the recent performance of the team in the just concluded Confederations Cup, one senses the team is on the rise, just about to peak.
Squad –
Cesare Prandelli has fashioned a tactically tight Italian outfit which relies on discipline and a little bit of flair to win games. Pirlo, Buffon and De Rossi form the core of his squad, which has been supplemented with the right mix of youth and experience.
Defense –
The Italians no longer employ the famed ‘Catenaccio’, but are difficult to score against nonetheless. A backline featuring Barzagli, Chiellini, Astori, Ogbonna, Bonucci offers consistency and experience. The presence of Mattia De Sciglio, aged 20, is a breath of fresh air among the usually old Italians, offers offensive threat while still being a fullback. While Gianluigi Buffon isn’t getting any younger, he commands the penalty area and the backline in front of him. The foundations of all good teams are laid on a good defense. Hence, the presence of this stable backline in next year’s world cup is crucial, if the Italians have any hopes of winning the world cup, as it is the bedrock of their recent resurgence.

Midfield –
Cesare Prandelli has built his midfield with Andrea Pirlo as its pivot. He is the playmaker and heart and soul of the team. Every good move for the Italy team goes through him. The player being 34, looks set for his last hurrah at next year’s tournament and may well have the sort of impact Zidane had in 2006. Its not often you get world class footballers playing just like they are in their prime at 34! Claudio Marchisio offers tenacity, Daniel De Rossi, Ricardo Montolivo, Alberto Aquilani play around Pirlo and keep the game ticking whilst, at the same time creating chances for themselves. Alessandro Diamanti is a very good option who can play anywhere across the front three if needed. This midfield possesses great prowess in set piece situations with Pirlo, Aquilani, Montolivo and Diamanti capable of finding the back of the net in these situations. The only drawback this midfield has is its lack of pace. Hence, the forwards have to drop deep sometimes to link up the play and the fullbacks have to push forward due to the absence of genuine wingers apart from El-Shaarawy. But, what this midfield lacks in pace, it overcomes in positional awareness and skill. With players such as Marco Verratti, Lorenzo Insigne knocking on the doors of the senior team, there are good times ahead for the Azzuris.
Attack –
It’s one area of the squad where the Italians have more than enough quality. They are blessed with the talents of the highly volatile Mario Balotelli, Stephan El-Shaarawy, Sebastian Giovinco and Alebrto Gilardino. If he is fit, Antonio Cassano will surely make the squad for the World Cup. Fabio Borini is another player on the fringes of the senior team who has a realistic chance to go to Brazil. This forwardline has pace in abundance. Balotelli, on his day can absolutely destroy any opposition. Giovinco offers the kind of guile needed to play up front. If Cassano plays, he will bring deceptive movement to this Italian attack dragging defenders everywhere. Italy has the kind of forwardline which will deliver in any game in the World Cup.
Verdict –
This Italy team has the right blend of youth and experience. It has an experience of losing a final, which usually drives on the players to go one step further. In Pirlo, Buffon and Balotelli, they have players who add that little bit of stardust and can change games on their own. They also have veterans who have been there and won it, wanting to have a last hurrah. Italy is a team on the up with something to prove. In my opinion, they are the most underrated of the big teams. Italy are the dark horses for next year’s World Cup. What happens, we will wait and see. But don’t be surprised if Italy do end up going all the way.

Assessing the Liverpool squad, Potential transfers & Transfer targets… (Part2)

In Part1 of this article, I went about assessing the Liverpool Squad. In this part, I will be assessing the potential departures from the Liverpool squad and their transfer targets.  This piece has turned out to be a tad long, so please bear with me. :P

And so I begin without further ado.


POTENTIAL DEPARTURES:        

Oussama Assaidi: Assaidi’s Liverpool career is as good as over. To say the winger has failed to make any impact would be an understatement. The player was brought essentially as a squad cover, but even that is not justification enough for so few appearances, 3 in the league and 11 in total, with majority of those coming as a substitute.  At £2.3m Assaidi was a no risk buy. He was never expected to have any real impact on starting XI, but whenever he has been allowed to play, the winger has shown an ability to beat the man. Liverpool would cash-in, should they receive a suitable offer.
Possibility: 9/10 (He’s a goner!)


Martin Skrtel: Skrtel’s form has dropped spectacularly this season. From playing every minute of the league campaign 2 seasons ago, he has been dropped in the last 4 out of 5 games, starting the away leg tie against Zenit due to the unavailability of Agger. Question marks on his attitude have been circulating, with Brendan Rodgers openly criticizing the player. Zenit St. Petersburg seem interested in their former player at the same time. Skrtel is 29 right now, and by FSG’s calculations at present, he is at his highest sell-on value. Hence, Liverpool will definitely sell him if they get an offer in the region of £12 - 13m.
Possibility: 9/10 (I’d be surprised if this didn’t happen.)


Sebastian Coates: Coates hasn’t been able to kick on in his 2^nd season in English football. He was a player brought with high expectations having impressed in the Copa America. Coates has only managed 10 appearances this season with last coming in the game against Oldham, where he was bullied off the park by a striker who was playing university football just a year ago. The defender still has potential though, whether he will realize that at Liverpool is uncertain. At his age, Coates needs to playing regularly. Juventus have been mentioned as a possible destination. Liverpool should loan him out first, with an option to sell.
Possibility: 9/10 (The player himself has expressed a desire to leave in order to gain regular first team football.)


Pepe Reina: Pepe Reina has time and again reiterated his desire to remain at Anfield and see his current contract through. But the wheels have been set in motion with his agent jetting to Anfield to discuss his future in the January transfer window. It is hard to ignore if Barcelona come calling, but just about impossible if you were their academy product. Reina is 31 years old. He shouldn’t be criticized for his desire to leave for the biggest prizes, something which Liverpool cannot offer at the moment. There aren’t many keepers out there of Reina’s ilk. In my opinion, Liverpool should try to hang on to him. If they are to sell, it would at the least take an amount of £15m+ to prize him.
Possibility: 7/10 (It all depends on the player, whether he wants to stay or leave?)


Jonjo Shelvey: Shelvey is promising player who is only 20 years old and can develop so much over the next few years. An England international at 20, he is too good for the Championship but not good enough for Liverpool right now. The player has an eye for a pass, shows good movement but certainly lacks technique in the final third. He also shows an infuriating lack of discipline, much like Rafael during his initial days with United. Despite this, I rate the player. Right now Shelvey is not good enough to challenge either Henderson or Allen for a starting spot and neither is he going to displace Coutinho or Downing. He should be loaned out next season to get games under his belt. A loan move to the likes of Norwich, Aston Villa (if they survive!), West Brom or any of the Premiership new boys would be good for him.
Possibility: 6/10 (I want this to happen, but its upto Brendan.)


Suso: As I mentioned in Part1, Suso is a great prospect and definitely not the finished article by any means. He can be one of the biggest players in club football in the coming years, but for that he needs to be playing games week-in week out. Look what a difference playing regularly at Wigan made to Cleverly. You know where I’m going with this. Suso needs to be loaned out next season (preferably to Swansea).
Possibility: 8/10 (I know Brendan rates the player, but he is behind even Shelvey in the pecking order!)


John Flannagan: When given a chance, Flannagan has shown promise despite some mistakes. A no-nonsense defender who likes to go forward, he still has to work on his positional sense. One thing the fullback is definitely shown is that he is not afraid to go into challenges and can lunge into crunching tackles as evidenced by his displays. Andre Wisdom has seized his opportunity with both hands to leave Flanno further distanced from a starting spot. Not to mention, the return of Martin Kelly would leave even Wisdom behind. A loan move to a Championship side similar to Robinson would be good. It would iron out his mistakes as well as make him physically equipped for scrappy affairs.
Possibility: 8/10


TRANSFER TARGETS:

Goalkeepers:


Asmir Begovic: If Reina leaves in the summer, Liverpool need to find a solid replacement. As I said earlier, there aren’t many keepers out there of Reina’s ilk. Begovic is not certainly in Reina’s class but he is a very solid keeper and a very good shot stopper. Furthermore, he is only 25 years old and has been playing in the Premier League for 3 seasons now. He won’t come cheap though, with Stoke having purchased Jack Butland, they are in a hard bargaing position. Stoke would demand at least £15m+ for their man. But it would be money well spent as Liverpool would be getting a goalkeeper who has plenty of PL experience with his best years ahead of him, and crucially fits into the mold of players FSG want to sign.
Possibility: 7/10 (If and only if Reina leaves!)


Ali Al-Habsi: Al-Habsi has been fantastic for Wigan for the past two seasons. He has been one of the main reasons the Lactics have survived the drop. If Wigan get relegated, he would be available for a comparatively less figure of £5-7m. Though he is 31, he would be a good investment in the short term. But there is a low chance of this transfer happening, judging by his age and no sell on value, FSG wouldn’t be very keen to sign him.
Possibility: 4/10 (You never know, if any other club out bid Liverpool for Begovic.)


Other notable mentions: Marc-Andre ter Stegen (Borussia Monchengladbach), Guillermo Ochoa (Ajaccio)


Defense:


Ashley Williams: In recent weeks, Rodgers has been linked with another one of his formers players in Ashley Williams. Williams is having a fine season, his performances in both the Pl & the League Cup would have increased his value. He is at the peak of his powers at 29. Williams is someone who would slot straight in the staring XI at Liverpool and be one of the experienced players in the squad. In addition, his leadership qualities on the field could prove invaluable. At the same time, a step up to Liverpool could be too much for him. It’s one thing doing it for Swansea but completely different doing it at Liverpool where the spotlight and pressure is immense. Also, he would not come cheap. Liverpool would be wiser from their previous experience in the Joe Allen transfer, that Swansea usually sell only if the offer meets their valuations. In this case, they might again hold out for £15m.
Possibility: 6/10 (The player is 29, he doesn’t fit the FSG criteria and Rodgers would have some convincing to do as his two former player signings haven’t exactly set the world alight.)


Stefan De Vrij: It’s time for the big fish! De Vrij has alerted several clubs across Europe after refusing to sign a new contract.  De Vrij is one of the best young Centre Backs in the Netherlands and the player has already become the first choice CB for his country along with his team mate Bruno Martins Indi. The player is used to dealing with pressure as he has been Feyenoord since the age of 19 and just recently turned 21! He certainly fits FSG’s criteria, but all the other top clubs are also hovering around. It would be quite a coup to sign him! Liverpool would have to pay top dollar to sign such a talent. Rodgers’s scouting to watch the game between Feyenoord & PSV has only added fuel to the fire.
Possiblity: 5/10 (The player would command a transfer fee of atleast £12-15m!)


Bruno Martins Indi: If I were Brendan Rodgers, I would personally be scouting Bruno Martins Indi. With several clubs in pursuit of De Vrij, Indi might just go unnoticed. Indi is equally good if not better than De Vrij and both are of the same age. He is also the preferred CB partner with De Vrij for Louis Van Gaal. He can also play as Left Back. This versatility should appeal Liverpool because, if they sign him they would be getting a very talented young player and they also wouldn’t have to worry about signing a Left Back as competition for Enrique. He would also come in the same price range as De Vrij or he might come just a little cheaper.
Possibility: 6/10 (There is one more reason for none of the above two transfers happening-“EXPERIENCE”, both players are not much experienced and Rodgers is clearly targeting experience. But, you never know!)


Inigo Martinez: Not a very familiar name on the list here. Most youtube scouters would remember him as the defender who has scored 2 goals from his own half and one 30 yard backheel Own Goal, the finish a striker would be proud of. But Martinez has come on leaps and bounds and is having a fine season for Real Sociedad. La Real themselves are having a very good season with a new look team. The cultured centre half has a belter of a left foot and has very good technique. He is one of the best ball playing centre halves in the La Liga. With him in the side, Real Sociedad have the 5^th best defensive record in La Liga conceding only 31 goals so far. The young defender is only 21 and he might come cheap as Real Sociedad’s financial situation is not that good.
Possibility: 7/10 (Spain is the market to find value for money.)


Other notable mentions: Modibo Diakite (Lazio)


Midfield:

Benat Extebarria: A player Liverpool should try their utmost to sign. Liverpool have a lacked a true deep lying playmaker since Xabi Alonso left. Gerrard has adjusted in that role this season, but he will not be around for much longer, as he turns 33 in the summer. Signing Benat could help free up Gerrard and could lead to him playing further up front in a classic No.10 role. Gerrard could also become the utility man at Liverpool playing in a variety of positions with success. Benat primarily plays in that deep lying playmaker role for Real Betis. He has good variety of passing and distribution of the ball. A testament to his quality is that he is one of the only few players not playing for Real & Barcelona in La Liga to have been capped by Spain. At 26, he is about the peak of his career, would be available for around £15m. Liverpool can lure the player with the promise of a starting berth, something which other top clubs won’t be able to guarantee.
Possibility: 7/10

Lucas Biglia: He is playmaker who can play anywhere across the central midfield area. He is clearly not a defensive midfielder as his wiki profile suggests. Biglia possesses a good range of passing with an eye for a pass. He is a full international for Argentina with 7 caps and at 27, he is about to enter the peak of his career. His price tag of €5-6m makes him an attractive proposition for Liverpool. The only worry is, he has played consistently well in the Belgian Super League, a league not known for its competitiveness. Liverpool would be wary of signing him, considering the failure of their last Belgian import, Milan Jovanovic.
Possibility:  6/10 (It would either be Benat or Biglia.)

Other notable mentions: Steven Defour (FC Porto)


Forward Line:

Tom Ince: The ex-liverpool academy player has lit up the Championship with his performances. Liverpool will most likely sign him, as the player has expressed a desire to move back and they have a 35% sell-on clause in the transfer agreement with Blackpool, which will reduce the transfer value. Tom Ince with Wilfred Zaha, has been the player of the Championship so far. His ability to score goals and to play anywhere across the front three would appeal to Brendan Rodgers.
Possibility: 8/10 (Karl Oyston is a hard bargainer! Ince might still end up with someone who pays more.)


Any Backup Striker: Liverpool should be looking to sign a decent backup striker to compete with Sturridge, Suarez and Borini. They should be looking at getting the likes of Kevin Gameiro, Jose Callejon on loan.
Possiblity: 8/10 (Be prepared for an unexpected striker on-loan signing!)


Other notable mentions: Markel Susaeta (Right Winger, Athletic Club de Bilbao), Gary Hooper (Striker, Celtic)

THE VERDICT: I reckon Liverpool would at least get a new CB, one midfielder and a striker on-loan. Martin Kelly might be groomed for the CB role. In addition, we might see some much unexpected out of the box signings. Liverpool need atleast one very good winger apart from Stewart Downing. Will they get one? I don’t think so.

Assessing the Liverpool squad, Potential transfers & Transfer targets… (Part1)

Let’s get one fact clear! I’m not supporting Utd in any way, but you have to give them begrudging respect when it comes to their success. And no, I’m not talking about their success with trophies but their academy. For me, the success of the academy is a direct indicator of the success of the club. Manchester Utd have achieved that in abundance. I would say the no. of academy players who haven’t made it at the club and yet are playing at the highest level (read Premier League or Primera Liga) tell everything you want to know, about the club. Just try to remember & count the no. of ex-utd players plying their trade in the BPL & La Liga right now, and you know what I’m talking about! At the same time, do the same for Liverpool and the difference is as stark as you can get. The reason I’m stating this fact is because, the players who then survive at Utd are the ones who are best equipped to handle playing for one of the biggest clubs in the world & compete for trophies day-in, day-out. This observation perfectly highlights the importance of the academy in the success of the club.

Anyway, I strayed off the track for this article. Let’s get to the point straight away. All the observations stated below are my own personal opinion and based on all the matches which have happened till date.  :P

The Squad-

Defence:

Pepe Reina: We all know Reina is not having the best of seasons. But, his loss of form has been exaggerated. If you compare the no. of mistakes he has made for the past three seasons to that of Cech’s, then you’ll realize he is not that bad. Reina is still a commanding presence in the box but I have a nagging feeling he will leave for Barcelona in the summer to compete for the biggest prizes.

Rating: 6.5/10

Glenn Johnson: Johnson is having a dream season! He has been the player of the season for Liverpool apart from Suarez. Defensively, he looks solid apart from one or two mistakes and attacking-wise he is a contributing a lot.

Rating: 8/10

Jose Enrique: His form has been rather patchy. But he is coming into his own as the season has progressed. Enrique was excellent against Swansea & Zenit. He is also offering a creative outlet up front with his long balls. His defending also looks to have improved.

Rating: 7/10

Daniel Agger:  Agger committed two match costing errors against Man City & West Brom, but apart from that he has been solid this season. He was a rock at the back against Zenit. More importantly, he looks to have put his injury problems behind him (touchwood). He is the best ball playing CB in the league.

Rating: 7/10

Martin Skrtel: Skrtel’s fall from grace has been dramatic. Since the performance against Oldham, he has been replaced by the soon-to-be-retiring Carragher in the team. Accused of lacking the proper attitude, commitment to the cause, it looks like the defender would be sold to make way for new signings.

Rating: 5/10

Jamie Carragher: He has been a warrior at the back whenever called upon. His error ultimately cost Liverpool the tie against Zenit but, even the greatest are spared one mistake! His leadership at the back has been one of the reasons for Liverpool’s recent upturn in form.

Rating: 7.5/10

Sebastian Coates: Coates has featured in only 10 games this season so far, with only three coming in the league. The performance against Oldham was his worst in a red shirt. He is still a great prospect though. Where will he fulfill that potential, I don’t know. Rodgers doesn’t seem to rate him. Instead of selling him, a loan move would do him a world of good. Juventus has been mentioned as a possible destination. Atleast, if he comes good in the loan move, Liverpool can sell him for a sizeable sum.

Rating: 4.5/10

Andre Wisdom: The youngster has come on leaps and bounds in this season for Liverpool. He has made the most of his opportunity in the absence of Martin Kelly. He has excelled for Liverpool in the RB role despite his natural CB position. He will become even better as gains more experience. He looks to a first team player for Liverpool for years to come.

Rating: 7.5/10

Martin Kelly: It’s unfortunate that Martin Kelly got injured when he could have become a staple fixture in the playing XI. He can play both as RB and CB. However, just like Carragher, I see him becoming a CB for Liverpool in the coming years, due to his excellent reading of the game.

Rating: 5/10 (It’s just due to him being injured.)

Jack Robinson: He needs to buckle down and start improving his game. Robinson still has time on his side though, as he is just 19yrs old. The loan to Wolves would give him game time and help his development.

Rating: 5/10

Midfield:

Steven Gerrard: Gerrard has got better and better as the season has progressed. He has excelled in that deep lying playmaker role. The fact that he has played every minute of every league game this season is a testament to his fitness.  Liverpool haven’t really had a Deep Lying Playmaker since Xabi Alonso left, until Gerrard adjusted into this role this season. However, Gerrard is not getting any younger, he will turn 33 in the summer. Liverpool have to start finding a successor to him asap! Still, Gerrard will be in the team for atleast 2 more years.

Rating: 8/10

Jordan Henderson: Henderson is getting better and better as the season has progressed. Like Lucas, he has begun to prove his critics wrong. He offers tireless workrate, energy, dynamism to Liverpool in midfield. His improvement has been such that he is one of the first names on the teamsheet.

Rating: 7/10

Joe Allen: At the start of the season, he was one of Liverpool’s best players. He was living up to his moniker of the Welsh Xavi. But the 2^nd half of the season hasn’t quite panned out for him as he expected. A loss in form coupled with Henderson’s emergence has seen Allen lose his place in the playing XI. He was however excellent against Zenit and took his goal well. Hopefully he has turned the corner with this performance.

Rating: 6.5/10

Lucas:  An injury at the start of this season hampered his comeback, but his comeback at the start of this year has been good. Lucas is still not back to his best yet, but is getting ever closer. He was immense against Zenit. Liverpool look a much team with him in the side as the pivot.

Rating: 7/10

Jonjo Shelvey: Shelvey started the season in great form but has petered out. His lack of technique, discipline isn’t doing him any favours. At the moment he looks too good for the Championship, but not good enough for Liverpool. A loan move to the likes of Norwich, West Brom next season would do him a world of good. Shelvey is still only 20, he does lack some amount of technique but he has good vision, is usually in the right places at the right times and has good movement. He is still a great prospect for Liverpool.

Rating: 6/10

Suso: Suso burst on to the scene along with Raheem Sterling, but has faded out as the season has progressed. He was used as the inside forward from the right in the earlier games, but his talents make him suited for a much central role for Liverpool in the future. Suso already looks one of the most accomplished members of the Liverpool squad in terms of technique. He is very easy on the eye. A graceful footballer with lazy arrogance on the ball, we all know Brendan loves those type of players. It’s clear he would be in the mould of Silva or a Mata in some years. A loan move to Swansea (preferrably) next season would be best for him. Suso needs games, if he is given those, he might just become the next big thing not just at Liverpool, but in football in general.

Rating: 6.5/10

Stewart Downing: Downing’s performances at the start of the season didn’t do him any favours. He was told in no uncertain terms that he was free to find a new club. Since then his performances have been markedly improved. His improvement has been such that he looks a completely different player.

Rating: 7/10

Raheem Sterling: Sterling broke through the first team and began to start every game. He was hailed as the next big thing in English football. He still is, but his performances have declined due to exhaustion and pressure. He has all the tools to become become a big star. He should add goals to his game.

Rating: 7/10

Oussama Assaidi: The winger was bought without much fanfare and expectations. He was bought likely as squad player. He has no real future in the first team, and most likely would be sold in the summer to make way for new signings.

Rating: 5.5/10

Forwards:

Luis Suarez: Suarez is having a phenomenal season. Having scored 25 goals in all competitions, he has been Liverpool’s best player this season. He is the one who has been single handedly carrying the team this season. His link up with Sturridge has been promising and the two of them complement each other.

Rating: 8.5/10

Daniel Sturridge: Sturridge has taken to Liverpool like a fish to water. With 5 goals (already!) in 7 games, he looks a shrewd buy. His link up with Suarez has been almost telepathic. Sturridge offers pace, holdup play, clever movement to Liverpool (something which they have lacked). He relieves the burden on Suarez.

Rating: 8/10

Fabio Borini: Borini hasn’t really had a chance to shine with two injuries effectively ending his season. He has only one goal to show, that too in the Europa League Qualification. Borini, has however shown very clever movement off the  ball in creating opportunities for others. He looks more like the next Dirk Kuyt than the next Torres.

Rating: 6/10

The Verdict: It’s clear, there has been progress this season. Brendan Rodgers has removed much of the deadwood and rejuvenated the careers of several underperforming players. Liverpool look good on the eye, though they still have to sort out their defence issues. This team has goals in them, they have already score 1 goal more that the defending champions Manchester City and 2 goals more than the whole of last season combined (with 11 games still to go!).

Liverpool don’t have a trophy to play for, but can give a real go at the top-6 or possibly top-4 with 11 games to go. The equation is simple, Liverpool have to try to win every game from now on to have any outside chance for the top-4. It’s unlikely but still possible!

In Part2 , I will assess the potential transfers & transfer targets for Liverpool who realistically fall in their range. 

LIV vs. WEST BROM: ANALYSIS & OTHER STUFF OVER TEA

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And there bursts the bubble…

Any lingering hopes of Liverpool finishing in the top four were laid to rest in a typical ‘smash-and-grab’ affair by West Bromwich Albion to give Liverpool, a bad start to a crucial week in which they play 3 games in 6 days. This game again highlighted the fact that Liverpool are consistently inconsistent & they do turn up against the Big Boys. The familiar statistic that Liverpool have yet to beat a team in the top half – continues the theme so far, to the point of infuriation for any Reds fan.

And we jump straight to the viewpoints before my bashing becomes repetitive.

PRE-MATCH:

Liverpool were expected to beat West Brom after their impressive upturn in form and their recent performances against the Champions and Arsenal. The baggies on their part didn’t help their cause either, with only one draw in their last six outings. This was exactly the kind of game where Liverpool were expected to get the job done (much like Spurs have been doing) to have any faint hope of reaching the top 4.

Brendan Rodgers did Steve Clarke a huge favour when announcing his team sheet without Sturridge, who is nurisng a thigh strain. Steve Clarke had selected his strongest XI for the game. The only thing more negative for West Brom apart from their recent form, was the presence of Peter Odemwingie on the bench.

THE MATCH:

Liverpool started with a 4-4-1-1 with Shelvey playing in just behind Suarez. Carragher retained his place ahead of Martin Skrtel. The match started with Liverpool in control and fashioning the first opportunity on 8 minutes when Shelvey put the rebound in the net from a dipping Johnson shot, which was correctly ruled off-side.

West Brom then set their stall up. It was evident they came here to defend with Liverpool enjoying majority of the possession and the game being played in West Brom’s half. As the half wore on, Liverpool missed two glaring opportunities, both via Daniel Agger, who should have scored with both of his chances. With half time approaching, West Brom became more confident and tried to counter-attack. Glen Johnson was not having a good game so far, losing possession 4 times while trying to nutmeg Liam Ridgewell and failing to provide any sort of tangible output to his forward runs. Downing, meanwhile, was the best player on the pitch producing some classy touches, neat flicks, one-twos and having a go at the West Brom defence. With the HT whistle, Steve Clarke, obviously the happier of the two managers went in the dressing room, with Brendan Rodgers looking poker faced on the touchlines.

The 2^nd half started pretty much in the same vein as the 1^st, but Liverpool had upped their tempo and seemed much more of a threat. However, as the time passed, the game began to resemble more and more like the one against Aston Villa with Liverpool Full Backs roaming forward without any end product. One moment in the 2^nd half on 60 mins summed up Liverpool’s night with Jose Enrique demonstrating on the pitch that there should be more movement further up the pitch, to enable him to come up and pass the ball.

The crowd began to get anxious and that transmitted through to the team. Rodgers sent on sent on Borini and Sterling for Shelvey and Henderson in search of a goal. In the 70^th min, Downing played a raking diagonal 60 yard ball to Sterling on the left flank, who unselfishly passed the ball to the oncoming Gerrard, whose crisp & perfectly timed shot was saved incredibly by Ben Foster. That was the save of the match and showed why Ben Foster was rated so highly at United. Now, Liverpool looked the more likely to get a goal.

Steve Clarke sent on Romelu Lukaku in search of a winner, believing Liverpool would slip up at the back. Liverpool patience finally hoped to be paying rewards, when on 75 mins, they were awarded a penalty, only their 2^nd of the season, for a nudge on Suarez by Olsson. Steven Gerrard stepped up to take the penalty and his shot was saved by Foster, who guessed correctly diving to his lower left.

The game then changed from that moment on, as Gerrard was left to rue his missed opportunity as West Brom scored from their next attack via a corner. Twice in two games Agger let his man pass by, as McAuley leapt unmarked in the 6 yrd box to head home an unstoppable shot on 81 mins. West Brom fans jumped in rapturous joy, while The Kop stood stunned harking back memories of the Villa game. West Brom had scored from their second shot of the match while Liverpool had more than 20 attempts to show for nothing.

Just before the goal, Brendan Rodgers sent on Coutinho in place of Downing to give him his debut. The substitution was harsh on Downing, with him having his best game in a red shirt. Liverpool tried to up their tempo after the goal as Clarke sent on Marc Antoine-Fortune to crowd the midfield. West Brom broke forward on the counter with Lukaku and scored their 2^nd with just their 3^rd shot on 90 mins. It was a classic blitzkrieg with the West Brom players performing their roles to perfection.

In stoppage time, Suarez was booked for venting his frustration at the referee, as he felt he should have had another penalty. The FT whistle brought an end to Liverpool’s misery, but it was a thoroughly deserving victory for West Brom as they bagged their first league double over Liverpool for 46 years. And the fact that it came over his old employers, made the victory even sweeter for Steve Clarke.

POST MATCH:

Liverpool now trail 4^th placed Tottenham Hotspurs by 12 points with 12 league games to go. It is impossible to see Spurs dropping 12 pts so that Liverpool could catch up. With the kind of form spurs are enjoying, Liverpool need to win all of their remaining games and hope Spurs get 24pts or less from their remaining 12 games, to even have a chance of finishing 4^th, especially with Arsenal and Everton also hovering. Realistically, 6^th position would be an achievement for Liverpool with this squad.

TACTICAL ANALYSIS:

Liverpool started the game with a standard 4-4-1-1 with Suarez as the lone striker and Shelvey in a No. 10 role behind him. Steve Clarke second guessed Liverpool’s tactics and started with a rigid 4-5-1 with Shane Long as the lone striker.

West Brom came to defend and were organized brilliantly. They negated the threat of the Liverpool fullbacks by having an extra man for both Johnson and Enrique. At the same time, having an extra man in midfield allowed the Baggies the breakdown Liverpool’s play. Yusuf Mulumbu and Claudio yacob did their job to perfection against Gerrard, Henderson & Co. Coupled with Liverpool’s unusual sloppiness in possession and the work rate of Shane Long and the Baggies midfield, it was very difficult for Liverpool to up the tempo. Glen Johnson had a game to forget, while Jonjo Shelvey won’t be starting another league game anytime soon as he was wasteful in possession and was caught off-side more often than not. Everything good about Liverpool seemed to go through Downing. He played like a man possessed, showing good vision, a bit of trickery and class.

Too often it looked like Liverpool are controlling the game, but it’s was the other way round. With West Brom packing the central midfield area and not allowing Liverpool to slice through the centre, Liverpool ended up using fullbacks to cross the ball with no one in the box to aim at. This was the same tactic used by Paul Lambert in the Villa game.

Oh! How they missed Daniel Sturridge! His absence rendered Liverpool lacking in pace, movement and unpredictability in the final third. This link explains the above two observations in further detail - (http://www.eplindex.com/24927/daniel-sturridge-solves-liverpools-tactical-problems.html)

As Liverpool tried to look for a goal, Rodgers sent on Sterling and Borini, substituting Downing and Henderson. This effectively disturbed the balance of the side. While Liverpool looked threatning, the Baggies were comfortable in defending as they allowed the reds only long range shots with no real penetration.

Clarke decided to gamble for high stakes, sending on Lukaku, hoping that Liverpool will somehow slip up to concede. It happened exactly as he had hoped, with Agger failing to mark McAuley for the goal. Now, I’m not against zonal marking but someone needs to be alert to thwart any potential danger. Zonal marking, despite being a successful system, has its flaws. Liverpool in the space of two games conceded 3 goals due to defensive individual errors. They need to address this issue quickly, or whatever is left of the season is quickly in danger of slipping.

The following pic perfectly describes the way the game went –

All in all, Steve Clarke set up his side with the perfect way to play against Liverpool and got the deserved reward, with Lukaku’s goal, the icing on the cake. His side won despite being thouroughly outplayed. Meanwhile, Liverpool were left to reflect on another game of what might have been!

WINNERS & LOSERS:

WINNERS:

Steve Clarke

Got his tactics spot on. Even his substitutions were perfectly timed. Gave a flawless tutorial on “How to play against Liverpool?”

Ben Foster

Had an excellent game in goal. It’s a pity he is not keen on international football.

Stewart Downing

Downing was the best player on the pitch by miles. Probably had his best game in a red shirt. If he keeps this up, then Roy Hodgson would be forced to consider for an England call-up.

Romelu Lukaku

Its easy to forget that the striker is still only 19! Yet he has scored 10 Premier League Goals! Chelsea have a real gem on their hands.

Daniel Sturridge

Before his arrival at Liverpool, popular conception about Sturridge was “Even if Sturridge is half as good as he thinks he is, then he is twice as good as he actually is.” Pundits opined that “Sturridge thinks he has a divine right to shoot at will!”

May be that’s what Liverpool have lacked, as this game showed. To say they missed him sorely is an understatement. Sturridge has taken to Liverpool like a fish to water. He offers terrific pace, movement, hold-up play plus an ability to shoot at will in the final third, everything which Liverpool have lacked.

It is becoming increasingly impossible to see a Liverpool team without Sturridge now-a-days, such has been his impact.

LOSERS:

Jonjo Shelvey

The player must have recognized why he has’t started a game since the defeat to Stoke. After this performance, he won’t be starting a game anytime soon. If he keeps playing this way, he might even be shipped out.

Glenn Johnson

Had an absolute shocker of a game! That’s it…nothing else to say.

Brendan Rodgers

He has to figure out a way of playing against such systems, otherwise Liverpool risk continuing their theme of not scoring despite dominating. A manager is hired to make such decisions.

Daniel Agger

Twice in two games, he has let his man pass by! He must concentrate more.

The Liverpool Defence

Why do they fall asleep in the most crucial circumstances?

THE VERDICT:

Liverpool need to buckle down and start finishing the chances they create. They still need to sort out their defensive issues. There are signs of improvement, but progress must be shown in terms of points. 4^th place is mostly out of reach now, but the Europa League places are still to play for. Not everything is doom and gloom, as Liverpool still play in the Europa League this season. Winning the Europa League or doing well in the tournament might just be the start of something special!