Theres alot that can be said about the way Bolton have played over the past 7 years or so, but he fact is that Sam Allardyce at the time, built a side, knew exactly how he wanted it to play and had the right tools to make it work to the extent it did. He played a massive percentage game with big lads and set pieces. That team was designed to win its tackles, headers be a solid outfit and thats exactly what he achieved. Lets face it, football is a game of numbers in all reality, stats are measured in percentages and obviously goals that win you games...
Playing to your strengths and being able to nullyfy the opposition are obviously major factors, I find it laughable when people sit there and think that if you play to your strengths and ignore the opposition they will roll over and die. At Sunday league level you have to take the opposition into consideration, to not do it at professional level is a rediculous statement and something that would end up seeing you take a team as good as Manchester United and finishing 8th or 9th.
Its equally frustrating when people talk about how you have to play "attractive" football to win titles. Its about quality and playing to your strengths, if you have Dean Ashton and Luca Toni upfront then obviously you aren't going to try and play on the counter attack and hit teams on the break all the time. The same if you have Torres and Henry, you aren't going to pump long balls upto them to win knock downs, flicks and hold the ball up.
Now there are alot of common factors that make up good sides. Again its all based on numbers, the better sides all generally have more possession, more shots, more complete tackles, passes, headers won, goals scored, less conceeded. Obviously these aren't rules, but they are in general the way the game goes.
All this sounds obvious people may think... It is. Thats where I think the alot is lost on Benitez as he over complicates to much. I also think we have to many players who don't realise these things and understand the basics of football.
I've always been brought up to play the game as you see it. Granted, I'm not the best player around but I watch professional's at times doing things that I don't think I'd even do. I see players with space infront of them playing square passes or backwards ones instead of trying to turn and run into the space, I see players shooting when they have players infront of them and it being blocked, you can't kick a ball through someone, players who fail to give the ball even when they see the pass or fail to make the run even when the run is there to be made, they pass, then stand and watch.
Now in football, the number one thing for me is possession. Thats the first ingredient into building a great side. Reading the season before last were built on this and it helped them with an astonishing season after being promoted. Now obviously, this isnt' the be all and end all. Obviously quality of possession is a big factor, but first and foremost, if you have the ball, the other team can't score (unless someone does something rediculous). Now, possession starts from the goalkeeper. Liverpool have the best keeper on the planet in this aspect, the lads excellent and thinks like an outfield player with his passing and distribution. Its quick, sharp and accurate.
Another thing that helps is continuos movement. The amount of times I see Arbeloa or Kuyt play a pass then stand still is beyond a joke. When a full back plays a pass, he should instandly over lap. Doing this he will give a positive option for a pass or he will occupy another opposition player. Even if he's not going to get the ball he can create space for another player such as a centre back or a striker so that the easy pass or backwards pass is still an option.
Other aspects of possession I feel Liverpool are awful with is quick free kicks, throw ins and corners. Now, playing Sunday league all my life, quick throw ins are the way forward, you can get it back in play early, which gives "dave donkey touch" one hour to get the ball under control and give it back, or he could turn etc etc. Liverpool however seem to take all day. Only Alonso and Torres seem to have the brain to do things quickly, even Gerrard
it up when he tries it. Again, worrying. Quick plays like that can buy you extra possession which can only benefit your team.The thing with possession is, as I say if you have the ball, you can't be hurt. By starving teams of possession you can tire them out aswell. Also, I believe the more players you have who constantly pass the ball properly the more likely they are to find someone in space.
Alot of moves at Liverpool break down through Kuyt, Babel or Arbeloa and it frustrates team mates greatly. They become demoralised and it filters through a side. Its all well and good having players who can dribble, do this and that, but the fact is if they can't pass a ball then they aren't really much "kop".
Steve Finnan was an example of good possession for Liverpool, not the best player around, but he never wasted the ball which allowed a pretty average player to help fit into a good side without looking out of place. The fact is, some players (like Gerrard) don't always have the ability to open teams up with two or three passes but on the fourth they might have that skill in their locker, if the move breaks down the pass before they get it, then obviously they won't create the chance.
Something else I was once told by a person who knows what he's talking about was, some players are only as good as the ones he's giving the ball to or the ones giving them the ball back. The example I received was Jimmy Bullard which made me realise how good a player that lad was. For example, if you have a player who likes a one-two, tries it and the other player loses possession near his own goal and they then conceed from that who do people blame?
I remember watching Woodgate for Spurs the other week against Chelsea with a mate, Woodgate won the ball, then played an eight yard pass to Lennon, Carragher would have twated the ball out or upfield (which is fine) but Woodgate chose the pass, Lennon the dilly dallied on the ball, took four touches, he had time for two then lost the ball to Essien, he then proceeded to have a go at Woodgate, when the fact was, had Woodgate been passing the ball to Gerrard and not Lennon, then Gerrard would have simply played the pass or held the man off and played a pass, which you would have then gained possession from, now at Sunday league Level, I'd have bollocked Woodgate for that aswell if am honest, but the fact is, in the premier league you shouldn't need to think about passing the ball to someone, you should just be able to it. You shouldn't have to think whether the player you are passing the ball to is good enough to find a man when he receives it.
Moving on to headers. Unfortunately, the stanard of the game is falling in alot of ways and the game is becoming more athletic now than ever so this part of the game seems to be of increasing importance. Long balls and headers are coming more to the front of the game and its something Liverpool are quite poor at. Obviously knock downs can win you possession in area's, you can get lose balls in the box which can create chances. At the other end its not only important to win headers but to direct them. Over the years people don't realise how good Sami was at this. Jamie can win a header but it often falls to the opposition, but Sami's didn't. Again, when Sami used to win his headers, they'd go to a team mate if possible, which started my favourate word again, possession.
Now obviously all this add's up as I say.
What I like is possession football thats not to gung ho but the movement has to be good from all players. I like full backs to overlap after every pass, I like one striker to drop deep and face up, I like a quick striker upfront who has the intelligence to hold the ball up when needed. I like wide players who have quality. One who beats players, but uses the ball well and has patience and intelligence, the other who can cross, pass and keep the ball. I like crosses, but I think they don't represent the best chance of scoring a goal, from the byline though, just inside the area and I believe you then stand a great chance.
I like centre halfs with composure who will pick a pass and make sure a team mate has the ball and most importantly I like central midfielders who can pass with intelligence and give the ball to great players in great positions.
I'd love to go into more detail, but I don't have a tactics board so I'll stop there...
I would like to know what everyone else wants us to do, where we can improve, how we should play and what players would improve us and why...??
, I would play with a higher line at the back. When we had Hyypia and Henchoz in their pomp, we could afford to play deep as they won the aerial duels comfortably and by playing with a deep back line it reduced the gaps for forwards to exploit. 
