The Pundit: Liverpool learning to live without Xabi

Torres wasn't the only LFC player to struggle vs. Spurs

In a new weekly feature I hope to maintain every Monday, I’ll be taking a look at a game or two and the tactical nuances that serve as the difference between a win, loss or draw. After all, in a game of 90 minutes, it’s the little things that speak loudest.

ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE
Tottenham 2, Liverpool 1
The title-hopefuls from Anfield kicked off the season with a turgid, uninspired performance that rightly doomed them to defeat (though I swear that BAE shove was a penalty… but I digress. We didn’t deserve points). Spurs were superior for most of the game, controlling the pace and looking remarkably comfortable at the back for a team missing so many central defenders (a problem that Liverpool are now sure to face).

All summer we fretted and wondered about possibly losing Xabi Alonso, and once it finally happened, it became the biggest talking point. How can LFC thrive without his presence in the middle? Surely one player isn’t going to make or break a season (though, funnily enough, we’ve all been looking at Manchester United sans Ronaldo and wondering the same thing), is he?

Well, after our first real look at Rafa’s plans for this post-Alonso world, the writing on the wall isn’t particularly inspiring.
Over the course of the game, I found myself returning to two fundamental flaws in the lineup and formation put forth by Benitez and his braintrust. Though nothing discernible had changed in the approach from last season, with Rafa’s 4-2-3-1 in full effect again, it was clear that the personnel weren’t quite so snugly fitting into that system without Alonso.

The first issue concerns the obvious: no Xabi in the middle (a problem I still believe we’ll overcome, though it won’t be easy). His serenity and composure in the heart of the formation gave Liverpool a foundation upon which to thrive. Alongside him, Mascherano’s raw, unchecked kineticism was the perfect counterpoint; one could conduct matters while the other buzzed about and won him enough possession with which to do so.

With a Mascherano clone in Lucas in defensive midfield, Liverpool lacked direction in their attacking and were forced to play a much slower, less incisive style of play. In addition to performing the same basic functions in front of the defense, neither Lucas nor Mascherano possess the accuracy of Alonso in their long-range passing, compounding the problem with the Liverpool attack.

While Lucas had a much better completion percentage in his passing, his ball distribution lacked the scope, vision and adventure of Alonso’s efforts at WHL last season

This shallower passing game meant that the advanced midfield line of Babel, Kuyt and Gerrard were forced to sink deeper and deeper into midfield and their own half in search of possession, leaving Torres miles adrift up front. Even with a tremendous range of skill, Torres was easy pickings for the Tottenham back four. Both King and Bassong asserted themselves physically throughout the game, hustling Torres every time the ball came near him and further robbing him of any hope of being effective. It’s lonely up front when your midfield is trolling around the halfway line in search of scraps of possession.

(By comparison, Spurs had midfield balance in the rock-solid Palacios and the distribution of Huddlestone that helped Spurs keep their width and restrict Liverpool from flank to flank)

This sunken midfield aggravated a classic Liverpool problem, taking it to heights (or depths, depending on your perspective) never thought possible: a fundamental lack of width. We’ve struggled for years since McManaman’s farewell to really dominate proceedings via an out-and-out winger (though Riera had the idea last season, at least before Christmas) and tried several players on both flanks, but now, in Aurelio, Insua and Johnson, we have full-backs who can provide that flank threat. Yesterday, however, they were not given nearly enough opportunities to do so.

I lost count of the number of times Kuyt received possession in or around the center circle, and his continual desertion from the flank made Liverpool’s attacks woefully narrow while also hindering Johnson’s natural, attack-minded game. Kuyt’s disappearance from the flank gave Modric and Benoit Assou-Ekotto acres of room to exploit while also forcing Johnson to remain in the defensive line for virtually the entire game.

It speaks volumes of Johnson’s effectiveness moving upfield that one of his few forward advances directly led to Liverpool’s goal. Showing pace and speed in joining the attack, Johnson’s clever angled run was much too quick for Gomes, and the penalty was obvious.

On the other flank, Babel’s control problems led him to drift infield on the dribble every time he had the ball, keeping Insua contained against his will to deal with Aaron Lennon. Liverpool should be thankful that Corluka was more restrained than usual; with his presence on the overlap, things could have been a lot worse for Reina and co. in the middle.

These basic concerns would suggest to me that the 4-2-3-1, Rafa’s beloved pet project, isn’t going to work unless they can readjust and find vital midfield balance before Aquilani joins the first XI and fills Alonso’s shoes more snugly than Lucas. Aquilani should provide more creativity on the ball than either defensive midfielder, as well as the long-range passing required to make the attacking 4 a more legitimate threat.

Without Alonso’s steadying influence, Gerrard was forced to work a lot harder and with a lot less success

The lack of width was instantly addressed once Benayoun, and then Voronin, entered the game. Kuyt and Babel’s listless efforts were replaced with a more natural 4-4-2, and Benayoun thrived on the left flank. Gerrard, a ghost in attacking midfield, became a lot more involved coming in from the right wing and running from deep, while Benayoun’s runs gave Liverpool the cutting edge they’d lacked for the first hour.

Johnson and Insua, both wonderful crossers of the ball, were now able to come up and join in the attack, and the dynamism of the final 20 minutes will give Liverpool some hope looking at the season ahead, presupposing that Rafa sees fit to make these changes permanent. I’m sure if you asked Torres, he’d be happy to have the extra help upfront.

(Jonathan Wilson talked at length lately about the retro appeal and resurgence of the 4-4-2 in top-level soccer, and on today’s showing, Liverpool might well benefit)

I still believe that Liverpool can thrive without Alonso and that Lucas can be an effective midfielder for Liverpool, but he’s not quite ready yet. However, upon review it’s hardly his fault. The formation and tactics were dismal today when combined with the personnel available, and while there will be plenty of first-teamers returning to the squad over the coming weeks, a change is needed now before the Reds lose too much ground on the other title contenders.