The Liverpool midfield has borne the brunt of most of the criticism that has come the team’s way since their 2-0 defeat away to Fiorentina on Tuesday. The Times answers the five key questions about why the usually reliable Liverpool midfield failed to function so badly and what can be done to improve it.
Why was Fábio Aurélio paired with Lucas Leiva in central midfield against Fiorentina?
Rafael Benítez’s idea seemed to be to try to dominate possession, hence the selection of Aurélio, a gifted ball player, in the heart of his midfield. The problem came when Liverpool did not have the ball, because they lacked the energy and physicality to stop the Serie A side from cutting through their midfield, a failing that was most apparent when Cristiano Zanetti, the Fiorentina midfield player, was allowed to waltz through a couple of half-hearted challenges on the halfway line before creating the opening goal for Stevan Jovetic.
Would Benítez have been better off asking Steven Gerrard to revert to a midfield role?
In hindsight this would probably have been the solution, particularly given Gerrard’s athleticism. The problem is, the Liverpool manager is loath to split up the prolific attacking partnership Gerrard has forged with Fernando Torres. By filling one hole in midfield he would have created another in attack, a situation that can be resolved in the long term only by the replenishment of the Liverpool squad because Benítez is short of options.
Could these problems have been avoided had the services of Xabi Alonso been retained?
In a word, yes. But once Alonso had set his heart on a move to Real Madrid, all Benítez and Liverpool could do was ensure they received a large fee for his transfer and then move on. Another “if only” revolves around Gareth Barry, the Manchester City and England midfield player. His form for club and country suggests that, had he been attracted to Anfield in the summer, he would have given Liverpool the kind of midfield balance that was absent in Florence.
Is Alberto Aquilani the solution to Liverpool’s problems?
Not directly. The Italy player is not a holding midfield player; he is best deployed in a more advanced position, similar to that which Gerrard operates in. As a temporary measure, Aquilani, when fit, could support Torres in attack, allowing Gerrard to revert to central midfield, where he has spent most of his career. But the ideal long-term scenario for Benítez would be for his captain to remain in the position just off Torres in which he excels. For this to happen, though, it is likely that another midfield player will need to be recruited in January.
Do Liverpool’s problems in midfield on Tuesday highlight the importance of Javier Mascherano?
Undoubtedly. At his best, Mascherano protects his back four at least as effectively as any other player in world football. Having been ruled out because of a tight hamstring, his presence was sorely missed against Fiorentina. However, the 25-year-old has been a long way short of peak form this season and there is concern on Merseyside that he might have allowed himself to become distracted from the job in hand by a combination of interest from Barcelona and the worry of captaining an Argentina team who are struggling to qualify for next year’s World Cup finals.
Why was Fábio Aurélio paired with Lucas Leiva in central midfield against Fiorentina?
Rafael Benítez’s idea seemed to be to try to dominate possession, hence the selection of Aurélio, a gifted ball player, in the heart of his midfield. The problem came when Liverpool did not have the ball, because they lacked the energy and physicality to stop the Serie A side from cutting through their midfield, a failing that was most apparent when Cristiano Zanetti, the Fiorentina midfield player, was allowed to waltz through a couple of half-hearted challenges on the halfway line before creating the opening goal for Stevan Jovetic.
Would Benítez have been better off asking Steven Gerrard to revert to a midfield role?
In hindsight this would probably have been the solution, particularly given Gerrard’s athleticism. The problem is, the Liverpool manager is loath to split up the prolific attacking partnership Gerrard has forged with Fernando Torres. By filling one hole in midfield he would have created another in attack, a situation that can be resolved in the long term only by the replenishment of the Liverpool squad because Benítez is short of options.
Could these problems have been avoided had the services of Xabi Alonso been retained?
In a word, yes. But once Alonso had set his heart on a move to Real Madrid, all Benítez and Liverpool could do was ensure they received a large fee for his transfer and then move on. Another “if only” revolves around Gareth Barry, the Manchester City and England midfield player. His form for club and country suggests that, had he been attracted to Anfield in the summer, he would have given Liverpool the kind of midfield balance that was absent in Florence.
Is Alberto Aquilani the solution to Liverpool’s problems?
Not directly. The Italy player is not a holding midfield player; he is best deployed in a more advanced position, similar to that which Gerrard operates in. As a temporary measure, Aquilani, when fit, could support Torres in attack, allowing Gerrard to revert to central midfield, where he has spent most of his career. But the ideal long-term scenario for Benítez would be for his captain to remain in the position just off Torres in which he excels. For this to happen, though, it is likely that another midfield player will need to be recruited in January.
Do Liverpool’s problems in midfield on Tuesday highlight the importance of Javier Mascherano?
Undoubtedly. At his best, Mascherano protects his back four at least as effectively as any other player in world football. Having been ruled out because of a tight hamstring, his presence was sorely missed against Fiorentina. However, the 25-year-old has been a long way short of peak form this season and there is concern on Merseyside that he might have allowed himself to become distracted from the job in hand by a combination of interest from Barcelona and the worry of captaining an Argentina team who are struggling to qualify for next year’s World Cup finals.
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