Is it really Roy Hodgson who is responsible for the debacle of Liverpool FC? Or is it the players that have not performed to the mark? Has John Henry actually been able to lead the club in the right direction or is it Rafa Benitez’s undoings that are taking shape this season ? … Questions galore, lets find the answers.
Roy Hodson has beared a load of criticism this season, perhaps more than what he would have received collectively during his entire career! Liverpool have had a poor start under him and had it not been moments of brilliance from Fernando Torres, Roy Hodgson could well have become the first manager to be sacked in the Premier League this season. However, it would be grossly incorrect to discount the ideas and techniques that a man has practiced and believed in for more than 3 decades now, more than the period of time that the current Liverpool players have actually spent playing football. So whats wrong with Hodgson’s, tactics? Is he the only one who relies on passive football to fetch results? Or are we missing something in the jigsaw?
Here comes the sun…
“People dont remember how you played, they only remember that you won .. “- Jose Mourinho
The Mourinho revolution has changed the way football is perceived across the globe. The special One as they say, is infamous for his defensive tactics. Having been criticized around the world for taking the zeal out of the game at the cost of winning matches, Mourinho, right from Chelsea , to Inter and now at Real Madrid, is indifferent towards such criticism. Having won almost everything that could actually be won, he knows the art of winning matches and the fact that at the end of 90 mins, what matters is the result!
Considering the number of trophies they have at their display, it would be evil to even write the words ‘Mourinho’ and ‘Hodgson’ in the same sentence, forget contemplating any comparisons between the two managers. But taking a closer look at their methods at different junctures, it would not be inappropriate to suggest, that beneath lies a similar ideology for both the managers – We attack when we attack, We defend when we defend.
Jose Mourhinho made history at Nou Camp last season when he “parked an aeroplane’ around the 35 min mark in front of the Inter box, eventually forcing Barcelona out of the Champions League. It was not the first time he implied such a strategy to win a game, infact during his time at Chelsea he often chose to sit back and defend once his team were leading the game. Usually a two goal advantage was enough for the manager to restrict his players to their own half, relying heavily on counter attacks and set pieces to score goals. A greater attention was paid in maintaining a compact structure on the pitch rather than attacking the opposition pointlessly. Away from home, Chelsea under Mourinho sat back and defended tirelessly for most part of the 90 mins, the matches often ended in a 1-0 win or a draw at worst. Undoubtedly, Mourinho enjoyed the services of Makelele, Essien and Ballack at different junctures, the men that were actually responsible for allowing their manager to control the pace and momentum of the match. No wonder why he was so interested to have Steven Gerrard at the helm!
Interestingly, although Jose Mourinho won two Premier League trophies in his first two seasons with Chelsea, the system that he followed looked awfully boring, something that later cost him his job. But then, boring does not mean unsuccessfull, does it? Or should that be asked to Roy Hodgson instead!
Which part ?..
Roy Hodgson with his stint at Fullham and now at Liverpool shares similar principles with that of Mourinho. Defending in two banks of four, maintaing a compact structure, challenging the opposition to score if they can, Roy seldom asks his players to be adventurous. If at all the management at Liverpool FC contemplated the reasons behind Roy’s 16 away wins in 82 away fixtures , before offering him the position, times could have been a little different at Anfield Road right now.
When playing away from home, Roy Hodson likes his team to sit deep in their own half and defend the home team’s ‘waves of attacks’. If at all they do manage to score before the opponents, the instructions are pretty simple – See out the rest of the time! A glimpse of what we saw at Anfield in the second half against Chelsea, when Liverpool tirelessly defended the two goal cushion that it acquired in the first half. In fact the kind of football that Liverpool are made to play at the moment could be best described as ‘suffocating’.
But now comes the real question, Mourhino with similar principles has been largely successful with his tactics, while Liverpool under Hodgson are struggling to find any form and direction. While its not a hidden fact that Jose always had the time and money to help his style of football, whether it be Chelsea, Inter Milan or Real Madrid, Roy certainly does not have that luxury. At the age of 63, Hodgson, apparently lacks, the hunger to win, the aggression, the appetite for success and most importantly the willingness to compete, the key character traits that set Jose Mourinho apart from any other manager in the world.
However the manner in which Liverpool were battered by Everton, Blackpool, Sunderland, Wigan and Stroke, it would be deluding oneself to believe that Roy Hosdgson has the players backing him in the dressing room. Torres, Reina, Agger, Johnson, Pacheco have all come out with their frustration during his time at the office. There is certainly something that is not working in favor of the gaffer, perhaps something whose seeds were sown long before, while he was managing Fullham, at the time when Liverpool was manged by his predecessor, Rafael Benitez.
It’s case of mismatch, Andy…
Liverpool looked a different team under Rafael Benitez when they bettered Real Madrid at Saintiago Bernaebu and Barcelona at the Nou Camp. Unfortunately, almost the same set of players, now look ordinary against Stoke and Blackpool! Contrary to the popular belief amidst Liverpool fans , Rafa Benitez was not an attacking manager. Its just that he looked much better with his ‘difficult to comprehend’ facial gestures at the 80th min mark while the current manager chooses to comfort himself on the settee!
Rafa liked his team to maintain a high back-line, pressing the opposition midfielders. Any mistake from the opponents and Liverpool players quickly converted defense into attack. Rafa was defensively aggressive, as there was willingness to gain possession. Notably, all the players that Rafa bought or molded into the team had this purpose instilled in their game play. The Liverpool team that played under Rafael Benitez had a different DNA than what Roy Hodgson expects them to have. Of course that is not an excuse, and with time the palyers might just be able to adapt with Hodgson. But at what cost?
Liverpool under Roy is a complete contrast to that under Rafa. Torres, instead of taking on defenders, one-on-one, now plays a Boby Zamora for a midfield that stands as far as 100 yards behind him. Gerrard, having been lost in the banks of four, can no more break out and set Torres, in or around the opponents box; there are no one-two-one’s with the wingers either, Kuyt can no longer provide the lofted ‘peg’ into the box, the only time he did that, Chelsea were left spell bound. And yes, not to forget the player, that Liverpool fans were most excited to watch this season, Alberto Aquilani, incidentally is setting Seria A on fire!
The β
John .W .Henry when taking over Liverpool FC, insisted on the ‘long haul’ strategy that they were about to follow. Henry is actually a great admirer of the Arsenal model. The appointment of Damien Commoli only strengthens the fact that NESV would invest into young and talented players who could deliver commercial value over a period of time. Not that the idea is appalling, but it is difficult to figure out why the next Cesc Fabregas would like to be managed by Roy Hodgson, who actually is an admirer of Christian Poulsen !
What John Henry really needs to understand is that Arsene Wenger is not just about scouting a talent and selling it at a higher value down the lane. This actually is a by-product of the strategy that focuses on playing beautiful football. Hiring young players helps this cause as it builds an impeccable chemistry between the young players that eventually represent the club at the highest level. Can Hodgson do a Wenger?
Roy Hodgson is not a bad coach. His tactics might look out dated, but Mourinho completely defies the argument, winning trophies with similar principles. Besides, the legacy that Rafa left behind is clearly haunting Roy Hodgson as the players are not bale to respond to his methods. It might take long, really long time to resurrect the Liverpool team, playing the way Roy Hodgson wants them to. But is that what’s really required?
Did John Henry not talk about “Winning” and “Competing at the highest level”? And if that stands true, the contention does not lie with Hodgson’s tactics or whether or not the players support him. The real question is – Can Roy Hodgson win the Premier League title with Liverpool FC in next 2 years?