Liverpool FC Forum

SouthCoastShankly wrote:I dismiss the argument that Hodgson's tactics have been the root cause of Torres' poor form because his tactics have been also identical to Rafa's in terms of mentality, formation and team selection.

maguskwt wrote:

SouthCoastShankly wrote:I dismiss the argument that Hodgson's tactics have been the root cause of Torres' poor form because his tactics have been also identical to Rafa's in terms of mentality, formation and team selection.

This is where you are wrong mate... Rafa's mentality or football philosophy and Roy's are as different as chalk and cheese.
On the surface yes both play 4-5-1, but Rafa's 4-5-1 and very different from Roy's. Roy's 4-5-1 is a poor imitation of Rafa's. Let me explain my point which I have been wanting to explain for quite some time but didn't want to write a long essay:


1. Rafa models his football philosophy on Arrigo Sacchi's. They play a very compact formation, close the the opponents very quickly and turns defense to attack very quickly... and that's how we have managed to beat so many good teams in the champions league. Roy uses 4-5-1 but the defense sits back, and tries to contain the opponents. But without the players being disciplined or has the tactical awareness to contain, this strategy doens't work. Also the gap between midfield and forwards (Torres) is very far, i.e. not as compact as Rafa's formation. It would have worked with players like Hyppia, Henchoz and Hamann but not with the current crop of players. But Roy doesn't care.

2. Rafa uses two defensive midfielders but one is to aggressively breakdown the opponents (Mascherano) and the other is very good at distribution (Alonso). This allows Gerrard to be at his destructive best in a free role and also give support to Torres. Torres is used as a lone striker but NOT as a target man. This is very similar to Germany's system, where Khedira is the more defensive midfielder and Schweinsteiger is the distributer/playmaker like Alonso. Ozil plays the Gerrard role. This system has been made ineffective when Alonso went and that's how Rafa struggled last season. In Roy's 4-5-1, we have Lucas or Poulsen playing defensive midfielders. Only they don't close down players very well. Gerrard is the other CM and because he has to keep on covering Lucas and Poulsen the link up with Torres is gone. Torres is also played more as a target man which is criminal.

3. In Rafa's 4-5-1, Dirk Kuyt closes down oponents which is according to Rafa's philosophy and also tracks back, this gives adequate cover for Johnson to bomb forward. On the left Riera was technically very good and rarely loses the ball which also allow Insua to bomb forward. In Rafa's system the full backs and the wingers work for each other. Not so in Roy's 4-5-1.

In short Roy is using 4-5-1 but he doesn't have a holistic system in place. Meireless is played out of position on the right. Cole doesn't seem to be able to handle the previous Gerrard's role. Gerrard is playing in CM and right now is terrible. Poulsen is pure sh1t. Johnson doesn't have enough cover and all his defensive frailties are exposed. Cole is now playing on the left but does not track back very well and Konchesky is always getting caught out of position. He hasn't shown that he is better than Insua so far. Last and by far the worst, Torres is played as target man, balls are hoofed to him and he's suppose to hold it up.

There you go... that's the difference between Rafa's system and Roy's... Chalk and Cheese...

The tactics and formation against Blackburn was very encouraging thought, I'll give him that. Meirelss and Lucas as CM's. Gerrard back to his old free role to support Torres. Maxi on the Right and Cole on the left. If I were Roy I would abandon his defensive philsophy of sitting back and play that formation. That is as close to Rafa's formation as possible. And viola Torres played very well and scored a goal. Coincidence? No.