By: Noel | May 2nd, 2011
Tweet
Pass and move, it’s the Liverpool groove. It sounds simple, and in some ways it is, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. And despite some wonderful passages of play under Kenny Dalglish, Liverpool hasn’t quite managed to make it click week in and week out like they might want to.
In the last two matches, however–against first Birmingham City and now Newcastle United–Liverpool’s quality movement in and around the opposition box has lead to a sudden uptick in goals as the season nears its end.
This, then, is how Liverpool’s movement against Newcastle–particularly from Maxi Rodriguez–and a heavy dose of attacking intent lead to the club’s two goals from open play on Sunday:
Below, Maxi(1) begins on the shoulder of the right back, while Kuyt’s central run drags Newcastle’s shielding midfielder Cheik Tiote(2) deep in the center.
Kuyt, Suarez, and Meireles flood the box, and as Kuyt drifts left Newcastle’s Tiote switches to cover Suarez(1), Liverpool’s most central attacker, while the right fullback has no choice but to now track Kuyt, the most dangerous man in his area. As Liverpool is attacking on the break, Newcastle’s own narrow outside midfielder–Joey Barton on their right side of the field–is ten yards away from being able to offer support(2). Liverpool’s three attackers drive Newcastle’s five defenders deep as the cross comes in, then, leaving a sizable gap between the back line and the rest of Newcastle’s returning midfielders.
As both Kuyt and Suarez React to the ball, Maxi(1) checks his run in the gap between the outnumbered backline and the returning midfielders, a space that might last for a second or two after the ball arrives ahead of him. As a desperate Mike Wiliamson(2) does all he can to get to the ball and deflect it away from Kuyt and Suarez, Maxi’s intellegent filling of vacated space immediately behind the attackers pays off.
For the second week in a row, Maxi is in the right place at the right time, largely because he recognised that the three nearest defenders were already occupied and so stopped in the uncovered space between the defensive lines. Though as much as the goal owes its existence to an intelligent checking of his run, it owes at least as much to Kuyt, Suarez, and Meireles in front of him. Without all three of them driving the Newcastle defensive line back, it is likely the right fullback would have switched to cover the fairly centrally trailing Maxi as Flanagan sent the ball into the box. As he couldn’t do so without leaving Kuyt uncovered, he chose what seemed the lesser of two evils and left Maxi unmarked.
One-nil to Liverpool.
***
Suarez receives the ball on the edge of the penalty area, and it appears as though he has two attacking options. Kuyt(1) is on his right and being played onside by the left back, and while it is directly in his line of sight the angles are tight. Meanwhile Maxi(2) is attacking the box from the left, and while a pass to him might be easier, it would be harder for Suarez to pick him out immediately after turning with the ball.
Suarez does see Maxi’s run, but it’s a split second too late–the Newcastle center backs have both closed on Liverpool’s striker, cutting off his lane to either run or pass straight towards goal.
However, Suarez still attempts to flick a pass to Maxi. It is blocked, but falls kindly to Kuyt(1) while Maxi(2) has continued his crossfield run, dragging along the right back who hadn’t been able to cover him on the first goal because of Newcastle’s back line being outnumbered and overrun on that occasion.
With the center backs flat-footed from their efforts to block his initial pass and the fullback rightly tracking Maxi’s dangerous run, Suarez(1) rounds the the defence’s helpless right flank and cooly finishes off a flicked pass from Dirk Kuyt. Another goal scored due to attacking the box with numbers, and with smart runs and movement around it, with Suarez this time being the beneficiary of Maxi’s run dragging the defenders.
With Dirk Kuyt’s conversion of the penalty earned by Suarez in between the two goals, that made it three-nil for Liverpool and the game comfortably won.
***
In neither case was Newcastle’s defense particularly out of position, with Liverpool even needing a bit of luck to help create the third goal. In fact, the defenders directly involved covered the men and passing lanes they were supposed to cover in both cases, and to not have acted as they did would have only left more obvious holes for Liverpool to exploit. In the end it was down to good movement and smart runs–with Maxi Rodriguez being the central component of that in both cases. And it was also down to Liverpool attacking the box with enough players to occupy all the defenders so that a smart run such as the ones Maxi made could lead to moments that made a difference and won Liverpool the match.
You need both that good movement and the numbers to make it effective in order to regularly beat an opponent with team brilliance instead of individual moments, and against Newcastle–as against Birmingham before them–Liverpool got just that.
Some Related Liverpool Posts:Pass and Move and the Andy Carroll GrooveMatchday: Liverpool v. Newcastle UnitedLiverpool 3, Newcastle 0: Up to Fifth. Wait, What?Match Preview: Liverpool v. Newcastle, 05.01.11Liverpool 3, Manchester United 1: Happy Birthday to You
Category: Match Recaps, Miscellaneous, Special Features, Team News
Tags: Birmingham City, Dirk Kuyt, Kenny Dalglish, Luis Suarez, Match Recaps, Maxi Rodriguez, Miscellaneous, Newcastle United, Pass And Move, Special Features, Tactical Analysis, Tactics, Team News, Victory Drinking, Video Highlights, Video Killed the Radio Star
Tweet « Liverpool 3, Newcastle 0: Up to Fifth. Wait, What? | Home | PradGreat read. Perfect analysis to show how good teams create their own 'luck'.
Yes, we were lucky at a couple if key moments, but we set ourselves up to get lucky, if that makes senseEdReally nice breakdown Noel. Watching Maxi over the past two matches has been great, but equally impressive is the continued understanding between Kuyt and Suarez. Impressed by how quickly Suarez found space for the third goal, but even moreso by the fact that Kuyt seemed to know he'd be there.
But nothing's more impressive than the fact that you uploaded that many pictures in one post with an admin setup that's about to force me into retirement.NoelI opened nine upload media tabs and played a game of FIFA while they spun up, then walked the dog while the pictures did their thing. Multitasking is the only possible way to make the current issues bearable, and even then it's barely.LucasLeiva21It's interesting how the typical complaint about Maxi, Kuyt, and/or Meireles on the wing is that they lack pace, clog things up inside, and don't provide real width, etc. Yet looking at this, it appears that a front four that collapses on and occupies the opposing back four frees up space for attacking fullbacks to do their thing. As in the first goal, when The Managan was completely unmolested while delivering a quality cross to the box, and the result of the cross was of course blissful stuff.
This sort of reinforces the idea that getting width from outside attacking mids is overrated, and also suggests that it is fullback play that really demands pace, width, and good crossing.cheekyfellowYou used "Managan" and "unmolested" in the same sentence...*like.KhaineNo. Wingers fast. Stay wide. Cross to big man's head. Backs stay back. 66. Glory. Also, derp.GrubbMate, very good analysis, as usual. Maxi has gone from peripheral figure to key component while Carroll has been out. I've always been a Maxi fan, but wondered if his best days were behind him. While he's not going to nutmeg 3 players on a mad slalom for goal, he has excellent team qualities and uses the ball neatly. He doesn't win matches by himself, but he makes the team tick along nicely.
Just as Maxi's clever movement is the common denominator in Liverpool's moves, its fair to say Joey Barton is the common denominator in Newcastle's breached defense. In the pictures above, he is either 10-15 yards from a loose player, or not on screen at all. This is of course due to his desire to get forward, however Gutierrez managed to get his arse back after each of his impressive forays in attack, so to expect the same from 'England's best midfielder' is only fair.
Lastly, and on Gutierrez. He must be Soto and Maxi's lovechild, surely?blog comments powered by Disqus
Follow Us
Harry Redknapp, England manager? (Awful writing) Is It Too Early to Get Excited About Sturridge? Denmark 1 - 2 England (Via Hamlet) more news...
Search The Offside
Related LinksLiverpool TicketsLiverpool Football ShirtsLiverpool Betting OddsHotels near Anfield Stadium, LiverpoolFernando TorresDirk KuytPremier League Fantasy Game
Categories Champions LeagueEuro 2012Europa LeagueFA CupHillsboroughInternational DutyLeague CupMatch PreviewsMatch RecapsMatchday PostsMiscellaneousPremier LeagueSeason ReviewSpecial FeaturesTeam NewsTransfer NewsWorld CupWorld Cup 2010
Send Your Tips! Found a great story, photo or video that's perfect for The Offside?
Email liverpool[at]theoffside[dot]com
Archives Select Archive Month May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006
About The Offside | Advertise on The Offside | Privacy Policy
Top Content: England Team Blog | The Hillsborough 96 | Joe Cole to Liverpool | EPL Match Tickets | Anfield Moments | 2009-10 Liverpool Goals
Related information: EPL Store | England Kits | Manchester United | Chelsea FC | Arsenal | England Travel Guide | Liverpool Night Life and Hotels | London Airfare | Champions League Prize Money
© BootsnAll Travel Network - All rights reserved
EuropeEngland: PremiershipEngland: ChampionshipEngland: League One England: League Two FranceGermanyGreeceHollandItalyPolandPortugalRussiaScotlandSpainTurkeyAfricaEgyptTunisiaAustraliaSouth AmericaArgentinaBrazilColombia North AmericaMexicoMLSNPSLUSLWomen's SoccerCup CompetitionsChampions LeagueEuropa LeagueCopa LibertadoresCopa SudamericanaPlayersDidier DrogbaLionel MessiMesut OzilArjen RobbenCristiano RonaldoLigue 1 ProspectsSoccer Betting | World Cup 2010
Plan Your Soccer Travels | Soccer TicketsClose X
Home
World
Europe
English Premier League
Liverpool
StoreTravelScores
England: PremiershipEngland: ChampionshipEngland: League OneEngland: League TwoEngland: ConferenceFranceGermanyGreeceHollandItaly PolandPortugalRomaniaRussiaScotlandSpainTurkeyUkraineChampions League | Europa LeagueClose X
Print Article
Email Article
