The Soccer Blog: Raul Meireles is Still a Central Midfielder

Monday, 17 January 2011

Raul Meireles is Still a Central Midfielder

By: Noel | January 17th, 2011
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“I think you can see there’s a bit of belief now coming back into the players,” he said, and it’s nice that after six months of having a Liverpool manager manage to say one wrong thing after another to the press there’s finally a man in charge who isn’t quite so fond of putting his foot in his mouth and throwing players under the bus.

Dalglish may not always say exactly what fans and supporters are thinking, of course, but it isn’t his job to be a fan or supporter or to speak his mind as such. It’s his job to be a manager, and in his various interviews and press conferences throughout his first week back he’s done exactly that. Right now he’s the manager of a deflated, struggling club punching well below its weight, and that showed when he went out of his way to praise Raul Meireles’ goal and the boost in confidence it would provide following the derby draw on Sunday. Because right now, the entire team and just about every individual player more than anything needs a boost to their confidence, not public reminders of any possible shortcomings. For those not quite so worried about being the manager of Liverpool Football Club, on the other hand, it might have been more in order to offer a hesitant, “Well, sure, it was a nice goal, but…”

Which brings us around to one of Liverpool’s biggest problems in fully turning the corner since Dalglish’s return: As much as there has been the very real problem of overcoming a global lack of confidence to address, the sudden and precipitous drop in performance from the man who up until a week ago had been one of Liverpool’s few bright spots has made finding success that much harder. Even if Meireles’ well taken strike against Everton was just reward for all the hard work he has done this season, outside of that one moment of magic he was one of Liverpool’s worst players on the pitch, sloppy and slow to react, careless in possession and aimless in attack. Though much of the rest of the squad has been showing increasing signs of life, Meireles has appeared to do the exact opposite, though his plummeting form didn’t actually coincide with Dalglish’s return. Instead it went hand in hand with Steven Gerrard seing red against United. In the two an a half matches since then–most of Dalglish’s current tenure at the club, of course, though this seems as good a time as any to remember that correlation does not equal causation–Meireles has been forced to push higher up the pitch as the most attacking central player behind Torres in a one striker system, and that has increasingly placed him in positions to receive the ball with his back to goal, under pressure from defenders by the time he turns. It seems clearly a role as unfamiliar and uncomfortable as the wing for a player more used to facing forward and picking out a pass, and in that more advanced role against both Blackpool and then Everton he gave the ball away with distressing frequency while looking off the pace.

Against Blackpool, he and Lucas roughly shared responsibility for getting forward, and with more of his time spent slightly deeper he had a less wasteful showing against the Seasiders on the whole, even if it’s easy to recall the misplaced pass that led to Blackpool’s first. The further forward he moved, however, becoming an active part of attacking moves rather than a builder at the base responsible for starting them and switching play while occasionally joining late and from deep, the less effective he became. Then against Everton, an almost exclusively advanced role–playing as a second striker at times, while Lucas and Spearing largely sat back–saw him starved for touches, and when he did get the ball he was harried and slow in his decision making, leading to frequent giveaways.

Admittedly chalkboards, as interesting as they are, can be fairly vague and open to interpretation, but as an examination of a player–one of the only players–who has looked out of sorts almost since the moment Kenny Dalglish returned, they offer an interesting insight. It’s even more informative when you look back to one of his most productive days in a Liverpool shirt: the Aston Villa match before Chrsitmas. It’s not just about giveaways and his pass completion percentage, which goes from a high of 87.5% against Villa to 75.9% against Blackpool to 58.5% against Everton, it’s the way the total number of passes attempted reflects the number of touches he had and the corresponding role played in maintaining possession and helping to build a foundation–primarily alongside Lucas–from which the rest of the side could attack. While Meireles has personally looked below his best in the last two outings, such hobbled performances by one of the starting eleven also obviously hinders Liverpool’s ability to look as good as they otherwise might. Given that they’ve looked far better the last few games under Dalglish than at almost any time under Hodgson–at least against top competition– makes one wonder what could have been if only Meireles had been able to play from deeper, in the areas he has had the most success from so far this season.

It’s hard to believe that he has suddenly become a horrible player after being perhaps the only good thing to come from Roy Hodgson’s time with the club. As such it is less than a stretch to suggest that he has simply been deployed nearly as poorly by Dalglish against Blackpool and Everton as he was early on by Hodgson when he often found himself camped out on the right touchline. The problem this time around, however, isn’t a manager unwilling to play him in something like his best position–the midfield triangle of Lucas, Meireles, and Gerrard seen at the start of the United match seemed to signal a clear intent as to what Dalglish saw as his ideal starting midfield–it’s a lack of obvious options and an attempt to make the best of such paucity with Gerrard suspended. As clear as it is has become that Meireles is rather specifically suited to building play and arriving late as secondary support in the role of reserved midfielder, with Gerrard out for three matches pushing Meireles forward likely seemed the safest gamble. Joe Cole continues to work his way back slowly from yet another injury and hasn’t been “Joe Cole” for going on three years now; Shelvey has had some decent moments but hasn’t done enough to convince he’s ready for a full 90 in the derby; and Pacheco has hardly gotten any first team football, and for all that he’s shone with the reserves, expecting him to start against Everton would have been an even bigger ask than Shelvey. After that, one is faced with the option taken against Blackpool on Wednesday: bring on Poulsen and ask Lucas to take a larger share of the attacking duties. Meireles in an even more advanced role than he had played against Blackpool might never have seemed a great option, but in the circumstances the other options available seemed decidedly worse in all but retrospect.

Perhaps, with Gerrard still out, it will mean a chance to see one of Pacheco, Cole, or Shelvey start in front of he and Lucas against Wolverhampton next weekend. Certainly it would be a far easier game to start any of them in–or to move Maxi central and bring in Babel on the wing–than against Everton, and while Dalglish can be forgiven for thinking that Meireles was the best of his imperfect options for the role against Blackpool, the two subsequent performances suggest that he cannot be considered ideal back-up for Gerrard in that most attacking midfield role.

It’s not that he’s suddenly become a terrible player, unable to link play and create attacking moves. It’s just that he’s a central midfielder. It’s what he was when he was brought in from Porto only to be played on the right, and it’s what he was against Everton when he was forced by circumstance to play as a second striker. Maybe, with time, he could learn to excel in a new role, but Liverpool doesn’t have the luxury of time any more, and the sooner he moves back where he belongs the sooner the club will get back one of its few bright spots. There’s good reason to hope, too, that when he does move back into the center of the park it could help push Liverpool over the final hurdle on the hard road towards renewed confidence and success.

Some Related Liverpool Posts:Match Preview: Liverpool v. Blackpool, 01.12.11Matchday: Liverpool v. BlackburnMatchday: Liverpool v. BlackpoolMatchday: Liverpool v. Manchester UnitedMatchday: Liverpool v. Steaua

Category: Miscellaneous

Tags: Dani Pacheco, Joe Cole, Jonjo Shelvey, Kenny Dalglish, Lucas Leiva, Miscellaneous, Raúl Meireles, Roy Hodgson, Steven Gerrard, Tactics
Tweet « Liverpool 2, Everton 2: Waiting for the Results | Home | nateI am totally stealing your idea to copy/paste the successful/unsuccessful chart over the chalkboard itself. Don't know how I didn't think of that myself. Wish I had done it for the post I put up today.

Also, excellent as always, NoelJoelCompletely agree here. Slating Raul for being a shit player because he doesn't perform as well in the hole is unwarranted. While he certainly isn't bad there, it's pretty clear that he is much more comfortable deeper. Raul's excellent positional sense and interplay with Lucas are wasted up the pitch, as his strength is short passing and movement to work the ball out up the pitch. Additionally, he has a much better awareness of other players from deeper. He is much more comfortable when he can see all the players in front of him for passes, rather than have to hold up the ball or beat players 1v1, which is required up the pitch.

As for physicality, I don't think Raul being more physical or getting stuck in will help him all that much. If he is going to be converted to a roaming CAM, then it would, but in CM, I'd much rather have someone who stays on their feet and keeps proper positioning. Discipline is more important than making flashy tackles, as then you're in the proper position to make a simple tackle than having to recover to make a last ditch slide tackle.

Would love to see either Pacheco or Shelvey in the hole for the next game, or !!!Suarez!!!. Shelvey has looked excellent in his latest two cameos and Pacheco has been impressive in the last few reserve matches he's played in, so either would be excellent candidates there.

On Spearing, agree with your earlier comments that he's not bad as a squad player, but I don't think he'll ever really make it in this league due to size and lack of much else other than work rate. Definitely an upgrade on Poulsen.lfc4eternityYou're right I think he is a good addition and certainly the best thing Hodgson did and that's where I see him playing too (deeper).
But against teams who press when he is back a bit (and who isn't doing that to us right now?) he looks leisurely and lacking a bit of bite.
Seems a bit too easy to hassle him into an error.
And if his strength is the short pass (not managed it by those stats, by the way) why does he need to see all the players in front of him?....he just needs to see one or two who are in space and can use the ball???.
Pretty much Alonso to Gerrard, (or defender/Masch then to Alonso)
Fundamentally, Alonso would 7 out of 10 times, win or collect the ball deep give to SG, who would move it forward at pace, usually to Torres and we know where that used to end up..the oppositions net or at least an effort on goal.
So with Lucas in the Masch role, Raul in the Xabi role, some width and Suarez the title's ours!
Alonso also had a longer passing vision and did have a physical side to his game.SignalflashI believe Meireles will work out - probably as you say when he gets back to the position he knows. It's Pacheco that I wish they could figure out what to do with. Is he too small, or do they not really feel they have a place for him? Can he not be given a chance? I notice some commenters in here and in other blogs really liked Spearing, but he makes me nervous - he gave the ball away at the beginning of the game without even looking at what he was doing. He just seems cocky without the game to back it up. I believe Pacheco is a lot more talented, albeit they play different positions, but the best chance he gets is the bench.NoelI think Spearing has looked a competent squad player so far this season, but I also don't know that I'd disagree with you on the whole--while he looked, again, competent yesterday, I do think Meireles would have looked better playing in the role he did. As for Pacheco, size might be part of it--smaller players do at least seem to have a harder time getting that big break/opportunity, and a little less leeway when it comes to what they have to do to stay in the mix.lfc4eternitySize may be an issue, but don't think it is here...
Spearing, 1.68cms and 70kgs, age 23 in November
Pacheco, 1.68cms and 68kgs, age JUST 20.
A bag of sugar between them...
I'm not a fan of Spearing I have to say, combative, feisty, careless and he ain't a kid anymore.NoelGood point about the sizes, though to be fair, Spearing played better yesterday than Poulsen did on Wednesday. Not that that's setting the bar horribly high.lfc4eternitycan't believe i said hitsute....not Hirsute...Doh!
Lets just say hairy soap dodgers instead!NoelGet them looking like vikings, I say.Farhanhunk88play him in central midfield field and play pacheco behind torres and get suarez and also a winger maxi and kuyt were wasteful in frront of goal and also get a CB because skrtel is shit he was responsible for both the goals against blackpooland also everton give wilson a chanse and get a good CB the cheapest i can think of is david Weatherredtrev73Agree with your observations re. raul, noel. The lad struggled in the more advanced role but to be honest what worried me most about him from day one, still remains my primary concern...he's a bit windy as we say round these parts. Too easy to knock off the ball and not brave enough in the tackle, for all his undoubted quality in possession. This may come with acclimatisation, of course, but time is a luxury round Anfield way at the moment. Maybe he needs to grow a xabi-style face-rug which seemed to do wonders for our former star's ability to "look after himself".

On a related topic, much credit must go to Kenny for going with the impressive spearing in the centre. This showed the great man's understanding of what LFC is all about as he sensed the value of a local lad on a day when our two talismanic Liverpudlians were MIA for their biggest game of the year. Little jay can hold his head up after that showing as can most redmen...a new dawn indeed.lfc4eternityPoll idea?!
Hitsute...y or n
Slap-heads...y or n
You decideChrisflyerhe needs to improve on his fisicle side of his game and get stuck in more. this is one of the major diffrences in the PL to otherlfc4eternityAgreed Chris...Noel's stats seem to back this up to an extent aswell..
First Villa, they were so poor they afforded our midfield not just the luxury of a lack of challenges, but gave us time on the ball.
There's no doubt when Raul has time, his distribution and general effectiveness is good.
Against Blackpool and Everton he was given no such opportunity as he was hassled out of it and had to play too quickly and physically he was outmatched.
My point still is, against Man U he suddenly saw and recognised this (hence the reluctance to go into that tackle) and then what effect it had on the team.
You can't tell me that back in the dressing room, someone didn't say anything to him!lfc4eternityFor me his decline, and you're right, he has been dreadful, started in the Man U game....and can be traced to the exact moment he wussed out of the incoming (two footed) challenge with Raphael, had he risked himself by going in, and being clever... we may have seen Raphael red-carded.
As it is we saw Gerrard do his usual Mr Angry, 'protect my mates' (not knocking it!) and get sent off instead. (with the man U player being clever and his mates waving 'cards' at the ref).
Mentally I thing Raul knows this, he wasn't 'smart' and through his,well frankly and without calling him a chicken, pretty pathetic lack willingness to put himself on the line for his mates, has been below par from that moment on.
Hopefully the goal will start to put that right.BanoogWould you have gone through with the challenge if your opponent jumped at you with both pairs of studs showing?lfc4eternityYep...and I did, playing for Brighton Youth Team in the 70's...missed not one game, opponent sent off, we won. ( And that was when you could kick the shit out of each other!)
I notice that Carrick did'nt either with the Gerrard challenge, look what happened there...Carrick fine, Gerrard off and misses another 3 games...it's NOT about being just brave, it's about being clever.NoelTo an extent, though, I think you have to expect that from somebody who's spent his entire career in a less physical league. I know Alonso, for example, adjusted to it, but part of that adjustment was sitting deeper to give himself more time on the ball rather than pushing forward and trying to be Gerrard. Perhaps you're right, then, that the lack of physicality on his part is a big aspect of why he looks awkward pushing forward into such Gerrard territory, but again back to the lack of time thing, he's still a quality player and the answer would seem to remain to pull him back from the fray.blog comments powered by Disqus