Lallana Injury Gives Gerrard and Others Chance to Fill Liverpool Attacking Void

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers confirmed after his side's FA Cup win over Wimbledon, via the club's official website, that Adam Lallana will face "more or less [a month out]" with a thigh injury he picked up against Leicester City on New Year's Day.

It's another setback for the £25 million recruit from Southampton, just as he was finding form for his new club after injury in pre-season had delayed the start to his Liverpool career.

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The 26-year-old was one of the key men to benefit from Rodgers' recently implemented 3-4-2-1 formation, which saw both him and Philippe Coutinho line up behind Raheem Sterling for the games over the festive break.

Lallana found his first proper run in the side, starting six games in a row and scoring twice in his best performance for the club against Swansea City just before the turn of the year.

"I feel as if I'm getting to the form I want to be at," he told James Pearce of the Liverpool Echo.

Speaking of being played in a more central role, the England international admitted it's where he prefers to be:

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I do think a central role is where I am best. It's where I played most of my football last season. I can play a variety of roles but I do enjoy playing that position.

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I'm able to influence games more when I'm playing inside. I can get on the ball and twist and turn.

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This certainly seemed evident, with the trio of Lallana, Coutinho and Sterling key to Liverpool's improved form after a change in formation in mid-December.

Alas, just as Lallana was finally becoming more settled, he has suffered an injury setback.

 

Opportunity

One man's loss is another's gain in the modern era of big squads and there are certainly several options available to Rodgers in Lallana's absence.

Steven Gerrard was moved into a more advanced role, effectively taking Lallana's place alongside Coutinho, against Wimbledon. The influential captain rolled back the years to score twice in a man-of-the-match performance.

These were the kind of areas we wanted to see Gerrard playing in, and hopefully where Rodgers will continue to use him during the last months of his Liverpool career, whether as a starter or from the bench.

The question, of course, is whether Gerrard can play that role every game, with the added physical requirements of pressing high up the pitch, especially in the Premier League.

Gerrard isn't the only option available to Rodgers, though.

Lazar Markovic has looked far more effective in the last month, even when used predominantly on the wide left of the midfield. He's a player who is certainly capable of occupying Lallana's role more centrally, so it could be just the opportunity the 20-year-old needs.

Alberto Moreno, another who has shown signs of improvement of late, would then slot in nicely on the left of midfield.

There is also the possibility that Daniel Sturridge could return during the next month while Lallana is sidelined. That would mean Raheem Sterling could be given the chance to drop into the attacking midfield role behind Sturridge, creating an exciting triangle of Sturridge-Coutinho-Sterling in attack.

Alternatively, Rodgers could give Mario Balotelli a chance as the main attacker, with Sterling and Coutinho behind.

A final possibility is the potential return of youngster Jordon Ibe from his loan spell at Derby County—something Rodgers has admitted he is contemplating this January, as per Pearce. The 19-year-old has impressed in the Championship and could slot in on the left of a front three should Rodgers look to change shape slightly in Lallana's absence.

Hopefully Lallana can then return in a month (or so) to continue where he left off and finish his first season at Anfield on a positive note.