Liverpool: Setting out Brendan Rodgers' Best Midfield for the Rest of the Season
Praise and critique of Brendan Rodgers' Liverpool is often levelled at his defence and attack, respectively, but just as it often is critically, the manager's midfield is regularly glossed over by the Reds' opposition.
So how should Rodgers set up his midfield for the rest of 2014/15?
The manager still harbours ambition of finishing in the Premier League's top four this season, recently claiming, per Phil McNulty of BBC Sport: "Can we now challenge for the top four? Yes. Absolutely. The most important thing is that we are moving in the right direction again."
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To do so, Rodgers needs to shore up a midfield that has seen five different tactical layouts this season.
A return to a consistent setup will benefit Liverpool, and here, we explore Rodgers' best midfield layout for the rest of the season.
In the interest of longevity, this midfield is set up assuming star striker Daniel Sturridge is fit—when the England man is in the side, Rodgers' tactical layout is complete.
The best way to highlight Rodgers' most outstanding midfield selection is to begin with its current deficiencies.
Deficiencies
One main issue with Rodgers' midfield this season has been a failure to harness the potential of midfield stars Raheem Sterling and Philippe Coutinho.
Sterling has been used in seven different starting positions in the Premier League and Champions League this season.
Coutinho has been deployed in five different starting positions.
Often given wide roles, this has seen the pair's effectiveness suffer, particularly in Coutinho's case, with his creative abilities diminished to 0.7 key passes and 0.1 through balls on average per league game.
Last season, the pair thrived in central roles, with Coutinho averaging two key passes and 0.4 through balls per game, and this must return in Rodgers' future midfield setup.
Another glaring deficiency this season has been the static nature of a 34-year-old Steven Gerrard in central midfield.
As shown in Liverpool's recent 2-2 draw with Arsenal at Anfield, Gerrard is incapable of playing consistently on such a regular basis—the midfielder played 90 minutes in the side's two previous fixtures, too.
Olivier Giroud's goal saw the striker ghost past a flagging Gerrard and into the Liverpool penalty area, with the captain's lack of mobility losing him his man.
This is particularly damaging when Gerrard is deployed in a deep-lying role and even more so when operating as part of a midfield two alongside Lucas Leiva.
Their partnership has proved particularly immobile, as Liverpool's failure to keep up with Arsenal's midfield in that draw evidenced.
Gerrard was lauded for his transition into a regista role last season, as by Bleacher Report's Sam Tighe, who wrote: "His lack of pace or speed on the ball became a non-factor due to the increased time and space he received in deeper areas, and teams could only watch as he turned, looked up and picked a perfect pass."
However, as Tighe continued: "His lack of pace is still an issue at times, and Gerrard requires a defensive midfield partner."
Last season, this was Jordan Henderson—the boundlessly energetic midfielder so often compensated for his captain's lack of mobility.
This season, Henderson has often been marginalised in a right-wing or wing-back role, and both players have suffered; Henderson is more effective in a central area.
Overall, Liverpool need to keep Sterling and Coutinho in central positions, add Henderson to this area and introduce Gerrard in a bit-part midfield role.
To do so, Rodgers will need to renegotiate his midfield setup significantly.
Solutions
With a fully fit squad, Rodgers must return to the successful 4-4-2 midfield-diamond formation that thrived so abundantly last season.
The main conundrum here is providing a solid defensive base, and Liverpool have three options here: Lucas, Joe Allen and Emre Can.
Lucas has enjoyed a successful return to the first-team setup in recent weeks after being strongly linked to a move to Serie A side Napoli in the summer, per Ian Herbert of The Independent.
With four tackles and 2.3 interceptions per game in the league this season, Lucas is a strong defensive anchor.
However, the Brazilian's aforementioned lack of mobility, which could be seen as he was easily chased down by Arsenal midfielder Francis Coquelin in the dying minutes on Sunday, should hamper his long-term prospects.
Allen is strong defensively, making two tackles and 1.3 interceptions per game, and possesses a keen footballing intelligence but is arguably more effective in an advanced role.
A more interesting long-term option would be summer signing Can.
As explored at This is Anfield in September, Can's imperious performance for Germany U21s in a 2-0 victory over Republic of Ireland U21s when deployed at centre-back outlined how the 20-year-old can dominate defensive areas in terms of tackles, interceptions and in aerial duels.
This can translate into this deep-lying role, and for this, Can would make a capable replacement for Gerrard, with great scope for development.
With the base sorted, this midfield formation's pair of shuttling wide-central roles would ideally suit Coutinho and Henderson, utilising their strengths—Coutinho's creative vision and Henderson's energetic pressing—in a more natural area.
Ahead of them, Sterling could assume the No. 10 role that made him so devastating in England's opening World Cup clash with Italy in the summer.
Without Daniel Sturridge?
Obviously, as the striker has previously theorised, per Simon Rice of The Independent, there is a strong chance Liverpool will be without Sturridge again in the future.
Sturridge told talkSPORT, via Rice: "I've been unfortunate this season to pick up injuries. Maybe it's my body type and hereditary. My uncle Dean had a lot of muscle problems when he played, uncle Simon the same, and my dad."
With this in mind, Rodgers may have to opt for a reshuffled formation at times in the second half of the season.
As evidenced by Mario Balotelli's impressive debut alongside Sturridge against Tottenham Hotspur, the Italian benefits from the movement of a strike partner—in this case, Sterling would move forward from the midfield as an auxiliary forward, such as recently against United, AFC Bournemouth and Arsenal.
This leaves a position available in Rodgers' midfield.
Rodgers has two main options here, with both Adam Lallana and Lazar Markovic in solid form for the Reds of late and both capable of playing a No. 10 role.
Both options, as well as the deep-lying midfield cover of Lucas and Allen, offer Rodgers a welcome rotational strength in this midfield setup when Sturridge is fit.
The quintet, along with Gerrard in his bit-part role, highlights a depth in Liverpool's central areas.
Liverpool's best midfield with Daniel Sturridge:
Liverpool's best midfield without Daniel Sturridge:
As last season's success with the midfield diamond 4-4-2 formation outlined, this is a tactical setup that can devastate Premier League opposition and is tailor-made to get the best out of Brendan Rodgers' many midfield maestros, such as Philippe Coutinho and Raheem Sterling.
With Emre Can, Lazar Markovic and Adam Lallana having joined the fold, too, in the summer, this is a midfield shape that has true strength and depth.
Statistics via WhoScored.com, line-up images via LineupBuilder.com.
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