Liverpool and manager Kenny Dalglish have been widely praised for their tactical master class against Chelsea on Sunday, which successfully snuffed out a Chelsea frontline including former Red Fernando Torres for the first time.
His formation though was a throwback to the mid 90s and the early boom of the Premier League.
Formations come and go out of fashion - 4-5-1 has been a favourite in recent years - But 3-5-2 with two wing-backs was the favourite in the mid to late 90s. Aston Villa were a regular exponent of it, with Gary Charles and Alan Wright in the right and left wing back positions.
It is a difficult role as you are required in rampage down either flank, effectively operating the role of both winger and full back depending on whether your side is attacking or defending.
Former Blackburn player Graeme Le Saux was also an expert component of the role – though it needs to be pointed out that Kenny Dalglish employed a strict 4-4-2 formation when he won the Premier League title with Rovers, with winger Stuart Ripley and Jason Wilcox supplying the ammunition for Alan Shearer and Chris Sutton.
It isn't then a formation Dalglish always uses. He and his assistant Steve Clarke must have assessed what players they had at their disposal before choosing this way of playing.
They lack an out-and-out winger, that much is obvious, but are strong in the centre of defence and have two attacking full-backs in Glenn Johnson and the impressive young Martin Kelly.
It perhaps makes sense to play players in their natural positions rather than trying to shoe-horn someone into a position they are not used too (though I admit the right-footed Johnson on the left is a bit or a risk, even with 'inverted wingers' being another current tactic trend). Fernando Torres' awkward looking display alongside Anelka and Drogba was evidence enough that a plan is needed even with the most expensive of footballers. The football odds suggested Chelsea would win the game, but tactical superiority saw Liverpool emerge the victors.
Liverpool's plan worked perfectly on Sunday, adding to the growing evidence that Dalglish is still a boss at the forefront of the game and not a has-been, weakened by an extended spell out of the game, like many critics see him. The victory even saw Liverpool return to the list of odds for Premier League winner.
And as if to prove that, with managers no doubt sitting up and taking notice of their win at Stamford Bridge, he may resurrect the wide use of a formation long since abandoned by Premier League clubs.
1 comment:
great article. i was thinking the same thing! i thought wingbacks were extinct. what next, the return of the sweeper...? :P
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