----
Worthy of his place in the side for his free kicks, corners, and penalties alone. After failing to make much of an impact at one of the bigger clubs in his country during the start of his career, leaving to go on loan twice during his time there, it was while at an unfashionable "lesser" team that he made his mark in the top flight and was transferred to a European giant, destined to be the player to dictate play with long range passing from a deep "pivot" position. This is the story of Charlie Adam. This is the story of Andrea Pirlo.
The story of Andrea Pirlo is one twinned with Charlie Adam. While Pirlo had 2 seasons at Brescia during the beginning of his career before moving to Inter, Adam chose to leave his boyhood team, Dundee, almost immediately and headed for Rangers. While Pirlo made little impact at Inter, Adam initially suffered the same fate. Both players were sent on loan to develop (Pirlo to Reggina and Brescia, Adam to Ross County and St. Mirren) with the benefit of hindsight it can now be said both players were out of position. Charlie Adam was played multiple times at centre-back, Andrea Pirlo was in front of the central midfield.
After his loan spells Andrea Pirlo was transferred to A.C. Milan where he would eventually come under the tutelage of Carlo Ancelotti. In a move that would set the rhythm for AC Milan for the next 10 years Ancelotti moved Pirlo. Pirlo was moved deeper, in front of the back 4, he was to sit and use his accurate long range passing to start moves and to spread the ball across the pitch. A pivot was born. Where once there was a slow, methodical, Italian, style from Milan there was now a quick slinging catapult sitting in front of the back 4, winning the ball and propelling the team forward in an instant. The fact Pirlo was able to do this 10-20 yards further back than a regular central midfielder meant AC Milan were playing with, almost, an extra body in defence. This allowed a succession of Milan full backs to flow forward, Maldini, Cafu, Zambrotta all benefited from the security of an extra man covering their tracks, while Milan never sacrificed their attacking impetus. All the while holding in their pocket a deadly set-piece weapon.
During Andrea Pirlo's reign at Milan the position of the pivot was taken on by other teams and other players around the world. One of the teams that imported a pivot was Liverpool. In Xabi Alonso Liverpool had a player who could match Pirlo in his ability to pick a pass from any point on the pitch. The pair met in 2 Champions League finals over 3 seasons. From the very first minute the duel was on. Paolo Maldini headed in from Pirlo's free-kick, Alonso went on to score a penalty, Pirlo would miss in the penalty shoot-out but would go on to rectify his fault by again providing a free-kick assist in the 2007 final, in this final-sandwich Pirlo was reintroduced to the Italy side, having been frozen out by Trappatoni, and under Lippi Pirlo would go on to set up the equaliser in the World Cup final and score in the penalty shoot out.
Xabi Alonso went on to dictate Liverpool's play like Pirlo did at Milan. Liverpool's best period of play coincided with Alonso's. From a 2nd place finish Liverpool lost Alonso, encountered problems, and dropped down to 7th. With Barcelona sweeping all aside with their own long-ranger in Xavi the age of the Pivot is upon us. Losing Alonso meant a central partnership of Lucas and Mascherano, while both players are industrious excellent defensive players neither possesses the ability to regularly pick out passes over 20 yards. This meant Lucas and Mascherano were tripping over each other's feet, neither player was poor but with no balance in the side both began to look it. With Alonso Liverpool moved the ball forward with enough speed and accuracy that players such as Dirk Kuyt would receive the ball high enough up the pitch so as to neutralise pace and control frailties, with Lucas and Mascherano the ball got forward at a laborious pace. While Liverpool have tried to replicate what Alonso brought to the team with Gerrard, Aquilani, and Spearing nobody has been able to match the ability of staying deep while playing the ball accurate, long, at pace like Alonso did. The style of play changed under Dalglish but playing short pass and move football meant holes appearing in the midfield as players stepped up to help move the ball. Dalglish may finally have found the man to replace Alonso. Charlie Adam is the new pivot.
Like Pirlo before him Adam played out of position while on loan at "lesser" clubs, Adam seemed to be an adequate centre half with some good distribution. Like Pirlo Adam found a mentor at his new team, Ian Holloway would move Adam into the pivot role and the Scot would soon take over all set piece responsibilities. After impressing all who saw him Adam has finally got his dream move. The question now is can he live up to the role?
I asked John, who runs the excellent Tangerine Dreaming blog, back in March how Adam would fit into Liverpool, and if he could step into the "Pivot" role.
"This season he has played for us in a part of a 3 man mid. Vaughan holds deep and Grandin plays the more advanced attacking role. In effect this means he plays a link role between defence and attack. He can track back and will cover runners in behind the defensive line. He will also close down the opposition and make tackles. For this reason he can play the deeper role more than adequately. From the deeper role he can distribute effectively over short and long distance. The comparison to Alonso isn't too ludicrous. Basically he has the range of Alonso with his passing, but not the precision or the awareness of the fact that he can control game tempo like Alonso can. I think the fact Liverpool have better players will be to Charlie's advantage. He plays exquiste passes that our players just don't read and end up being wasted
Adam could stretch the play left and right and beyond the defence as well as balls to Carroll's head. He'd be able to give you great flexibility in approach
One thing to ponder which isn't widely known, is that Charlie feels his best position is at centre half, he often drops deep in to a sweeper role and might be more than useful as a modern day sweeper. He's taller than most people think he is, 6'' 1' and is excellent in the air both defensively and attacking."
From the sounds of somebody who watched Adam on a weekly basis he's been playing the pivot for 2 seasons now. The danger lies in Adam's temperament, can he keep the cool Pirlo-esque head or will his temper/leadership lead to indiscipline and a taste for the unnecessary Hollywood show? The answer to this question will come to define Adam's career.
Charlie Adam can become the Liverpool metronome for the next 10 years, his defensive abilities combined with his excellent distribution mean that, under Dalglish, Adam can become the next in the line of excellent pivots, allowing the players around him to advance while maintaining an almost defensive position. All the while the deadly set piece option remains in the back pocket. After a long search Xabi Alonso may finally become a distant memory.
----
a fairly balanced post I think, makes you feel a bit optimistic
