It’s gameweek 5 of this season’s Premier League, and Liverpool travel down to East London to face Sam Allardyce’s side, West Ham United. Allardyce sides are always a tough team to break down, especially against the top teams, a challenge he seems to relish.
It’s safe to say that Liverpool’s start to the season hasn’t gone the way Brendan Rodgers would have wanted it to go. Four games played, two won, and two lost. Their most recent loss coming in their last league game, 1-0, against Aston Villa. Under Brendan Rodgers, Liverpool are always good at bouncing back from a loss, and they were as they beat Ludogorets on their return to the Champions League.
Liverpool’s win on Tuesday night seen them play a 4-3-3 formation. Adam Lallana started on the right hand side, with Raheem Sterling on the opposite flank. Mario Balotelli was the vocal point through the middle. Steven Gerrard anchored the midfield trio of Henderson and Coutinho, too. Mamadou Sakho and Dejan Lovren were the central defenders with young full-backs Javier Manquillo and Alberto Moreno supporting them.
It’s fair enough to say that it wasn’t a great performance, and a performance you wouldn’t usually associate with a Brendan Rodgers side. The 4-4-2 diamond was used in the late stages of the game, and that’s when Liverpool had their luck with two goals. So I wonder if Rodgers will chuck a striker to play up top with Balotelli this weekend. I certainly hope so.
Fabio Borini came on and did well, and offered something a bit different to a very static Liverpool attack. Sterling then moved to the tip of the diamond. Although he didn’t do too much in the late stages of the Ludogorets match, that is definitely his best and most effective position, in my opinion.
There are still a lot of injuries for Rodgers’ side. Martin Skrtel returns to the squad, however. The Slovakian defender is expected to come straight back into the starting eleven, for Mamadou Sakho, I suspect.
Glen Johnson, Joe Allen, Daniel Sturridge, Emre Can and Jon Flanagan are still out with their injury problems. Sturridge isn’t quite ready, but he has began light training, and is expected to be in contention for next weekends Merseyside derby.
This will most likely be Steven Gerrard’s third game in 7 days. For a 34 year-old, this could be seen as dangerous ground. I don’t actually think this would be the case if there were no injuries. But with Joe Allen and Emre Can both sidelined for however long, there isn’t really enough players to leave Gerrard out.
According to the ‘bib theory’ which was came up with after seeing all of the training pictures released on Friday. The changes from Wednesday’s side would be Lucas Leiva in for Philippe Coutinho, Fabio Borini in for Adam Lallana, and Martin Skrtel in for Mamadou Sakho. The ‘bib theory’ is usually quite reliable.
Via FansCorners.com
If this is the side, I’d imagine, and hope that it would be the 4-4-2 diamond. Borini partnering Balotelli up top, Sterling behind them two, Lucas and Henderson either side of Steven Gerrard. Skrtel moving to right centre back, and Lovren back to his favoured left hand side.
The only concern I have about this side is the inclusion of Lucas Leiva. But with all of the injuries, there isn’t much more of a choice. I also remember him doing brilliantly when he came on against West Ham last season, in a similar position to what he would be playing.
I think Borini would do well with Balotelli. I think Balotelli definitely needs a strike partner, prevent the Italian from becoming isolated. I do think Borini deserves his chance, too. Especially after an impressive substitute appearance in the Champions League.
At the moment, our two full-backs are fantastic. I absolutely love watching Moreno play. I think he’s tremendous now, and has the potential to be one of the best full-backs in the world. Manquillo has really impressed me, too. I didn’t know much about him when he signed from Atletico, but from what I’ve seen of him, he’s a solid defender and offers a lot going forward, too. He’s an extremely energetic full-back, one of the most energetic defenders I’ve seen.
I think Liverpool will edge this game. But it will be an extremely tight affair. 2-1, the same as last season’s score, I’m going for. I cannot see this Liverpool back line keeping a clean sheet, at the moment. I expect Balotelli to score and keep his momentum going. And it’d be extremely pleasing to see Borini grab himself a goal, too.
Bobby Vincent
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