Having been beaten by a beach ball and let down by fringe players, I am thinking now we need to go back to basics.
I would play diamond midfield 4-4-2, mainly so we have 2 up front and only 1 one ball dweller as a defensive midfield. The 2 up front will be Torres (fit of course) and Ngog. I’m really warming to the youngster. Since his first goal he has started to show some class and I think he could be good for Torres to play off. Then at the attacking point of the diamond we have Gerrard (fit), and Masc holding, which is common sense!
The new formation is a good one, and gives lots of variation, but our squad is not good enough, to reap the benefits. The main problem we have with the new 4-2-3-1, is how we line up when defending. Masc and Lucas do not seem to hold and get caught forward to much, in this formation. Therefore when the back 4 drift defense, and one wing or the other is free, one of Masc or Lucas should be filling that space, as the back four drift back into formation, and at the same time the other should be covering just outside the box, in front of the Central defenders, picking up runners from midfield down the center.
My other defense problem, is when we have eight behind the ball, where has the discipline of the two rows of four gone?! Last night and previous games, there is no real line across the pitch, I miss our Red walls it was so good to watch, as we snuffed out an attack without trying.
So come on Rafa, lets go back to basics.