Is this ordering fair…?
Last night’s performance, despite the fact we couldn’t win, highlighted just how right Brendan Rodgers was to switch to a 3-4-3 wing-back formation back in mid-December.
These five especially should be knocking at his door in thanks, and probably, vice-versa!
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5) Martin Skrtel
Throughout the first months of the season, Skrtel formed one half of a consistently laughed at centre-back partnership.
Next to Dejan Lovren, we were conceding goals from crosses and set-pieces at will, and the communication between the pair and Simon Mignolet (who’s since improved) was seemingly non-existent.
In a back-three however, the 30-year-old Slovakian plays a central, pivotal defensive role – charged with organising the ball-playing defenders (Emre Can & Mamadou Sakho) either side of him.
He’s done it very, very well. In fact, since the 0-3 loss to Manchester United, we’ve only conceded six goals in eight games – which is decent by anyone’s standards.
What’s more, Skrtel seems to have taken up more of a leadership role now, and is visibly more vocal in his direction of teammates. Alongside Lovren, neither would deliver defensive instructions, and we’re delighted Skrtel is now doing his job properly, and some.
4) Mamadou Sakho
The giant Frenchman had the first half of his season curtailed with injury, and when he returned, fans were bemoaning the fact Brendan Rodgers was automatically picking Dejan Lovren instead.
The Croat picked up an injury of his own though, and Sakho has taken advantage…
Due to his left-footedness, the back-three suits him perfectly, as he can always turn towards the touchline and pick a forward pass in the left-hand berth. His passes, despite their unnerving aesthetics, are very accurate. Physically, he’s a wonderful defender, and is ability both aerially and at shielding the ball is as good as anything in the top flight.
It seems he never really needed replacing in the summer after all.
3) Lazar Markovic
The £20m Serbian couldn’t get into our side in his natural attacking midfield position earlier in the season, but now he’s thriving in a right wing-back role he’s never played at any point during his career.
At only 20-years-old, this deserves huge congratulations.
A man-of-the-match performance versus Sunderland earlier in January highlighted his best attributes: dribbling, unbelievable acceleration, and cultured technique – but its his defensive work-rate and mature positioning which has enabled us to rely on him at wing-back.
So long as we continue deploying the 3-4-3, this spot is his own.
2) Coutinho
Perhaps just one has enjoyed the 3-4-3 more than Coutinho, the mercurial Brazilian who’s been granted the pivotal creative role since the switch.
Drifting in from the left, Coutinho’s been allowed a mostly free role when we’re in possession – given licence to roam around the final third simply in search of space. When he’s found it, he’s been excellent – and if he could just add goals to an already developed game, we could feasibly be describing a world-class playmaker already. In combination with Raheem Sterling behind the returning Daniel Sturridge, our attack could be devastating once again.
“This formation has improved things not only for me but also for the whole team,” Coutinho told the official website just yesterday.
“Everyone is finding their feet now. I really enjoy playing in that central role where I can try to make things happen.
“I know I need to improve the number of goals I score. It’s a personal target of mine and I also need to do it to help the team.
“I know if I score more goals then I’ll be able to make a bigger contribution to the team and that’s something I’m really working on.”
1) Lucas
Lucas’s return to the side has been directly proportionate to our change in fortunes, and considering he was practically deemed surplus to requirements earlier in the season, fans and management should be on their hands and knees, begging for forgiveness.
In fact, we’ve lost just one of the 17 matches this term where he’s played over 45 minutes – and that was away to Real Madrid…
His discipline, his work-rate, his positioning, and his ability to tackle and intercept has created us a wonderful platform in the centre, which sadly Steven Gerrard was simply failing to earlier in the campaign.
Jamie Carragher actually outlined his influence recently on Monday Night Football, reported here in the Echo.
“He’s always thinking defensively and is aware of what’s going on around him, telling players to fill in for him when he vacates an area. He hasn’t got the passing ability or range of Gerrard but he breaks up play, makes simple passes forward and initiates counter attacks.
“He was in midfield every time and, in the first half, Liverpool should have scored three or four goals on the break at Villa.
“That is what he has brought into the team, and the results have improved massively since his inclusion.”
