Rory Fitzgerald continues his in-depth analysis of the opposition ahead of West Broms’s visit to Anfield on Saturday.
West Brom’s greatest quality is their willingness to work for each other and play as a team. Whilst the differences are subtle, I see their set up more as a 4-4-1-1 rather than a 4-2-3-1 based on the mandate of the wide midfielders and the role of Stephane Sessegnon as the link man between midfield and attack.
Steve Clarke has settled on his defence and 2 holding midfielders this season with the rotation happening at the other end of the pitch. The quartet of McAuley and Olsson in central defence and Mulumbu and Yacob holding the midfield ahead of them is one of the more robust & uncompromising in the league.
They are complimented by Billy Jones at right back and Liam Ridgewell at left back. In an age whereby full-backs are adding a lot more to the offensive side of the game, Jones and Ridgewell are full-backs of the more conventional variety. Neither is blessed with great pace but both are well disciplined defensively. As such, what the back 6 may lack in individual quality, they make up for by being a tight unit and seem to be have been well drilled under Steve Clarke’s tutelage.
Clarke has revealed that he worked hard with the players over the summer in a bid to tighten things up at the back going into the new campaign, “In pre-season we just focused on getting back to basics. If you’re solid and you don’t give too many goals away then you always give yourself the opportunity to create in games. If you give yourself the opportunity, we have shown in recent matches that we can score goals.” He added: “Am I pleased defensively? Absolutely! Defensively, as a team, we have been much better”.
Below are a couple of examples of how West Brom have managed to keep it tight against Man Utd and Arsenal. Unlike the Newcastle preview whereby Ben Arfa and Remy provided no support, Steve Clarke would seem to insist that his wide players drop back in to provide cover in the full back areas in order to allow the rest of the defence to remain tight and compact.
The following examples show what kind of obstacle West Brom can present when they aren’t countered and get time to get men behind the ball. This is an example from the Utd game of how Scott Sinclair’s position allows the rest of the defence to remain tight and not become stretched.
Here is another example of the wide players coming deep. With Arsenal being a team that generally plays a narrower game than most, West Brom’s 2 banks of 4 are able to squeeze in field.
In the screen shot below, similar to those above, West Brom have enough men back to ensure that Olsson and McAuley are not pulled from the centre of the box.
One notable observation from West Brom’s defensive positioning is that they start deep. That is their regular game plan.
With Mulumbu and Yacob ahead and the wide players putting in a shift of work, Clarke seems to have taken the approach that if there is going to be space on the pitch when the opposition have the ball then its better for the space to be ahead of the defence rather than between/behind it. A
Against United and Arsenal, Carrick saw plenty of the ball and attempted a staggering 103 passes with a 91% pass completion rate. Similarly, Arsenal’s two deep midfielders (Flamini and Arteta) were able to get on the ball and attempted 134 passes between them with a 97% pass completion rate each. None of this matters much to WBA, their defenders are not the quickest and as seen above, the midfield seems more intent on providing support when play enters the final 3rd to allow the back line to keep their shape and remain compact (as opposed to contesting possession much higher up the pitch like Southampton do).
As such, Liverpool’s midfield could see a lot of the ball in non-threatening areas. The following graphic perhaps gives some credence to this observation with WBA being the team that rank 2nd last in terms of tackles per game this season – which may indicate 2 things;
(a) that team don’t contest the midfield area as much as other teams, and
(b) when the opposition are retaining possession the focus is on getting into position and creating a tough unit to penetrate rather than defending on the front foot and proactively trying to win the ball back.
Here is a graphic which seems to suggest that teams find it hard to create many good opportunities against WBA. In the 1st graphic, they are the team that have conceded the fewest shots within the 6 yard box – perhaps due to the doggedness of McAuley and Olsson not being caught out of position too much. Ideally teams will look to restrict the opposition to shooting from range and WBA have been 4th best team at his so far this season – perhaps due to the limited space/gaps in the box that opponents try their luck from range.
Whilst the defensive positions are nailed down with the back 4 and defensive midfield duo, Steve Clarke has alot of options going forward and regularly rotates the players in the attacking 4 positions. Here is a quick look at the players that the manager can pick from;
Centre forwards: Anelka, Long, Sessegnon, Anichebe, Rosenberg
Attacking/Wide midfield: Morrison, Amalfitano, Dorrans, Berahino, Sinclair, Brunt.
Of those 4 positions, Sessegnon and Amalfitano are the 2 that seem more assured of their place. Despite only being at West Brom for a few games, Sessegnon has become a key player in Clarke’s set-up. He will play as the deeper of the 2 strikers and with his direct running and confidence to dribble past players, he can cover alot of ground and help turn defence into attack quickly on the counter-attack. He ranks 3rd when it comes to dribbles per game so far this season. As he is one of the go-to guys for West Brom given his ability to carry the ball, he has averaged the highest amounts of fouls won per game this season.
As for Amalfitano, he generally plays on the right of midfield. In his short time at West Brom he has made some key contributions and looks a fine footballer. Here is a recap of his involvement so far and looks to have a very useful delivery from out wide;
- Fantastic solo goal against Man Utd
- Beautiful touch to lay off the ball for Berahino’s winner at Old Trafford
- De Gea claws out his free kick from the top corner
- Crosses for Yacob’s goal against Arsenal
- Swings in 2 crosses at Old Trafford, one which Berahino heads narrowly wide and the other which Olsson heads off the bar.
Additionally, he has the 3rd most key passes so far in the league which is defined as ‘the final pass to a team mate who then shoots at goal’. I include this stat to give a flavor as to the type of player that he is as No.1 and 2 is David Silva and Mesut Ozil. However, I reckon some of these key passes are crosses and not all threaded through balls as the stats show he has averaged the most successful crosses per game this season in the league.
Below is an example of the contribution of each player at Old Trafford and how Sessegnon can attack open spaces with his speed and direct running. Its certainly an area to be wary of as Gerrard & Lucas would find it difficult to catch him if he gets some space behind them on the counter-attack.
In recent games against Utd and Arsenal, Steve Clarke encouraged his team to attack and try to win the game. The key to finding opportunities against this team is when they loose possession. From the games so far, Mulumbu is not shy about joining the attack and Yacob, who generally is the deeper of the two, not far behind in backing up the play.
When they loose possession at Anfield, expect to see the 4 midfielders work back fast to become more organised and allow the defensive quartet to tighten up in central areas. This is the moment when we are likely to find the most space, whilst it may sound like a crude form of attack at Anfield – looking immediately for Sturridge and Suarez when we re-gain possession could yield some chances.
Olsson and McAuley are weaker when back peddling against skillful players and as such, giving our attackers opportunities to drive at their back 4 without the protection of the midfielders could produce some good chances. To give a flavour of the willingness of the midfield duo to push up, I include the following 2 moments during the Arsenal game. I don’t want to give the impression that Mulumbu and Yacob just baby sit the back line, they will back up the attack high up the pitch and it was Mulumbu that drove into the box at Stoke and should have had a penalty when Charlie Adam stood on his ankle.
In circumstances whereby we find ourselves up against a compact defence, one thing I noticed when other teams got down the line to cross the ball was that their defenders run back to get as close to goal as possible and that opportunities were created when the cross was cut back between the 6 yard line and the penalty spot as there was some space in that area. Something like our opener against Wigan at home last season when Sterling got near the goal-line and Suarez spun off his defender for the cut back.
What we are likely to face on Saturday is a team that works well together as unit. Mulumbu and Yacob will put in a lot of work to back up the attack and cover the defence. When possession is lost, Steve Clarke has them well-drilled when it comes to getting back fast to become re-organised and cut down the space behind them. Below is a look at the goal they concede to Arsenal, the point of this graphic is to show that soon after losing possession, the back 4 has managed to become compact with 2 midfielders also behind the ball and effectively out-numbering the Arsenal players 2-to-1.
When West Brom threaten, the chances are that it will involve the pace of Sessegnon and, if he starts Berahino, especially on the counter attack. However, Amalfitano delivers a good cross and with Olsson and McAuley strong attackers of a high ball, they will be very dangerous at set pieces.
McAuley scored from a corner vs Fulham, Yacob scored a header from an Amalfitano cross against Arsenal when they failed to clear a corner and Olsson hit the bar from a corner at Old Trafford which Amalfitano also took. That said, West Brom have failed to score in 4 of 8 games this season and scored 3 of their 7 goals against Sunderland, so they have not been the most prolific this season – in part due to the fact that they average only 45% possession this season.
Essentially, this game could see Liverpool with alot of possession in non-threatening areas and find it difficult to create any clear cut chances against a defence that is likely to be compact. This could be a game whereby we are relying on a piece of opportunism to convert half chances as West Brom seem to be successful at forcing teams into shooting from distance.
Liverpool have lost the last 3 League games against West Brom 2-0, 3-0 and 1-0 thus evidencing our recent struggle to score against them. Don’t be surprised if Saturday turns out to be a frustrating afternoon in front of goal as West Brom have the 4th best defensive record in the league.
Perhaps Liverpool’s recent change in style in trying to go forward more quickly can help us find spaces after their attacks break down as giving Suarez & Sturridge early ball when their defence is not protected by midfield could produce some better opportunities than we might otherwise create when their defence falls back into shape.
Rory Fitzgerald continues his in-depth analysis of the opposition ahead of West Broms’s visit to Anfield on Saturday.
West Brom’s greatest quality is their willingness to work for each other and play as a team. Whilst the differences are subtle, I see their set up more as a 4-4-1-1 rather than a 4-2-3-1 based on the mandate of the wide midfielders and the role of Stephane Sessegnon as the link man between midfield and attack.
Steve Clarke has settled on his defence and 2 holding midfielders this season with the rotation happening at the other end of the pitch. The quartet of McAuley and Olsson in central defence and Mulumbu and Yacob holding the midfield ahead of them is one of the more robust & uncompromising in the league.
They are complimented by Billy Jones at right back and Liam Ridgewell at left back. In an age whereby full-backs are adding a lot more to the offensive side of the game, Jones and Ridgewell are full-backs of the more conventional variety. Neither is blessed with great pace but both are well disciplined defensively. As such, what the back 6 may lack in individual quality, they make up for by being a tight unit and seem to be have been well drilled under Steve Clarke’s tutelage.
Clarke has revealed that he worked hard with the players over the summer in a bid to tighten things up at the back going into the new campaign, “In pre-season we just focused on getting back to basics. If you’re solid and you don’t give too many goals away then you always give yourself the opportunity to create in games. If you give yourself the opportunity, we have shown in recent matches that we can score goals.” He added: “Am I pleased defensively? Absolutely! Defensively, as a team, we have been much better”.
Below are a couple of examples of how West Brom have managed to keep it tight against Man Utd and Arsenal. Unlike the Newcastle preview whereby Ben Arfa and Remy provided no support, Steve Clarke would seem to insist that his wide players drop back in to provide cover in the full back areas in order to allow the rest of the defence to remain tight and compact.
The following examples show what kind of obstacle West Brom can present when they aren’t countered and get time to get men behind the ball. This is an example from the Utd game of how Scott Sinclair’s position allows the rest of the defence to remain tight and not become stretched.
Here is another example of the wide players coming deep. With Arsenal being a team that generally plays a narrower game than most, West Brom’s 2 banks of 4 are able to squeeze in field.
In the screen shot below, similar to those above, West Brom have enough men back to ensure that Olsson and McAuley are not pulled from the centre of the box.
One notable observation from West Brom’s defensive positioning is that they start deep. That is their regular game plan.
With Mulumbu and Yacob ahead and the wide players putting in a shift of work, Clarke seems to have taken the approach that if there is going to be space on the pitch when the opposition have the ball then its better for the space to be ahead of the defence rather than between/behind it. A
Against United and Arsenal, Carrick saw plenty of the ball and attempted a staggering 103 passes with a 91% pass completion rate. Similarly, Arsenal’s two deep midfielders (Flamini and Arteta) were able to get on the ball and attempted 134 passes between them with a 97% pass completion rate each. None of this matters much to WBA, their defenders are not the quickest and as seen above, the midfield seems more intent on providing support when play enters the final 3rd to allow the back line to keep their shape and remain compact (as opposed to contesting possession much higher up the pitch like Southampton do).
As such, Liverpool’s midfield could see a lot of the ball in non-threatening areas. The following graphic perhaps gives some credence to this observation with WBA being the team that rank 2nd last in terms of tackles per game this season – which may indicate 2 things;
(a) that team don’t contest the midfield area as much as other teams, and
(b) when the opposition are retaining possession the focus is on getting into position and creating a tough unit to penetrate rather than defending on the front foot and proactively trying to win the ball back.
Here is a graphic which seems to suggest that teams find it hard to create many good opportunities against WBA. In the 1st graphic, they are the team that have conceded the fewest shots within the 6 yard box – perhaps due to the doggedness of McAuley and Olsson not being caught out of position too much. Ideally teams will look to restrict the opposition to shooting from range and WBA have been 4th best team at his so far this season – perhaps due to the limited space/gaps in the box that opponents try their luck from range.
Whilst the defensive positions are nailed down with the back 4 and defensive midfield duo, Steve Clarke has alot of options going forward and regularly rotates the players in the attacking 4 positions. Here is a quick look at the players that the manager can pick from;
Centre forwards: Anelka, Long, Sessegnon, Anichebe, Rosenberg
Attacking/Wide midfield: Morrison, Amalfitano, Dorrans, Berahino, Sinclair, Brunt.
Of those 4 positions, Sessegnon and Amalfitano are the 2 that seem more assured of their place. Despite only being at West Brom for a few games, Sessegnon has become a key player in Clarke’s set-up. He will play as the deeper of the 2 strikers and with his direct running and confidence to dribble past players, he can cover alot of ground and help turn defence into attack quickly on the counter-attack. He ranks 3rd when it comes to dribbles per game so far this season. As he is one of the go-to guys for West Brom given his ability to carry the ball, he has averaged the highest amounts of fouls won per game this season.
As for Amalfitano, he generally plays on the right of midfield. In his short time at West Brom he has made some key contributions and looks a fine footballer. Here is a recap of his involvement so far and looks to have a very useful delivery from out wide;
- Fantastic solo goal against Man Utd
- Beautiful touch to lay off the ball for Berahino’s winner at Old Trafford
- De Gea claws out his free kick from the top corner
- Crosses for Yacob’s goal against Arsenal
- Swings in 2 crosses at Old Trafford, one which Berahino heads narrowly wide and the other which Olsson heads off the bar.
Additionally, he has the 3rd most key passes so far in the league which is defined as ‘the final pass to a team mate who then shoots at goal’. I include this stat to give a flavor as to the type of player that he is as No.1 and 2 is David Silva and Mesut Ozil. However, I reckon some of these key passes are crosses and not all threaded through balls as the stats show he has averaged the most successful crosses per game this season in the league.
Below is an example of the contribution of each player at Old Trafford and how Sessegnon can attack open spaces with his speed and direct running. Its certainly an area to be wary of as Gerrard & Lucas would find it difficult to catch him if he gets some space behind them on the counter-attack.
In recent games against Utd and Arsenal, Steve Clarke encouraged his team to attack and try to win the game. The key to finding opportunities against this team is when they loose possession. From the games so far, Mulumbu is not shy about joining the attack and Yacob, who generally is the deeper of the two, not far behind in backing up the play.
When they loose possession at Anfield, expect to see the 4 midfielders work back fast to become more organised and allow the defensive quartet to tighten up in central areas. This is the moment when we are likely to find the most space, whilst it may sound like a crude form of attack at Anfield – looking immediately for Sturridge and Suarez when we re-gain possession could yield some chances.
Olsson and McAuley are weaker when back peddling against skillful players and as such, giving our attackers opportunities to drive at their back 4 without the protection of the midfielders could produce some good chances. To give a flavour of the willingness of the midfield duo to push up, I include the following 2 moments during the Arsenal game. I don’t want to give the impression that Mulumbu and Yacob just baby sit the back line, they will back up the attack high up the pitch and it was Mulumbu that drove into the box at Stoke and should have had a penalty when Charlie Adam stood on his ankle.
In circumstances whereby we find ourselves up against a compact defence, one thing I noticed when other teams got down the line to cross the ball was that their defenders run back to get as close to goal as possible and that opportunities were created when the cross was cut back between the 6 yard line and the penalty spot as there was some space in that area. Something like our opener against Wigan at home last season when Sterling got near the goal-line and Suarez spun off his defender for the cut back.
What we are likely to face on Saturday is a team that works well together as unit. Mulumbu and Yacob will put in a lot of work to back up the attack and cover the defence. When possession is lost, Steve Clarke has them well-drilled when it comes to getting back fast to become re-organised and cut down the space behind them. Below is a look at the goal they concede to Arsenal, the point of this graphic is to show that soon after losing possession, the back 4 has managed to become compact with 2 midfielders also behind the ball and effectively out-numbering the Arsenal players 2-to-1.
When West Brom threaten, the chances are that it will involve the pace of Sessegnon and, if he starts Berahino, especially on the counter attack. However, Amalfitano delivers a good cross and with Olsson and McAuley strong attackers of a high ball, they will be very dangerous at set pieces.
McAuley scored from a corner vs Fulham, Yacob scored a header from an Amalfitano cross against Arsenal when they failed to clear a corner and Olsson hit the bar from a corner at Old Trafford which Amalfitano also took. That said, West Brom have failed to score in 4 of 8 games this season and scored 3 of their 7 goals against Sunderland, so they have not been the most prolific this season – in part due to the fact that they average only 45% possession this season.
Essentially, this game could see Liverpool with alot of possession in non-threatening areas and find it difficult to create any clear cut chances against a defence that is likely to be compact. This could be a game whereby we are relying on a piece of opportunism to convert half chances as West Brom seem to be successful at forcing teams into shooting from distance.
Liverpool have lost the last 3 League games against West Brom 2-0, 3-0 and 1-0 thus evidencing our recent struggle to score against them. Don’t be surprised if Saturday turns out to be a frustrating afternoon in front of goal as West Brom have the 4th best defensive record in the league.
Perhaps Liverpool’s recent change in style in trying to go forward more quickly can help us find spaces after their attacks break down as giving Suarez & Sturridge early ball when their defence is not protected by midfield could produce some better opportunities than we might otherwise create when their defence falls back into shape.
Rebecca Parry looks at the imminent return of Philippe Coutinho and ponders whether the Brazilian magician’s comeback will spark some consistency for Liverpool.
It’s no secret that since the shoulder injury to Philippe Coutinho, Liverpool’s flow of play has stuttered and stumbled. Aside from the obvious star asset of Luis Suarez and the magic that comes with him, the Liverpool side of recent games have struggled to find that aggressive flair.
One of the main reasons why Liverpool’s highly impressive start of the season came to a halt is the omission of Glen Johnson and Coutinho himself. With Stuart Downing being sold in the Summer, the lack of width needed to be covered by Glen, even more so than previous seasons.
But in the middle, even though Henderson took over the role for powering forward from Steven Gerrard, it was evident that the creativity of the Brazilian was missing. The one touch football was instead replaced by the glory balls that end up in a loss of possession. Alternatively, the “overpassing” was the other end of the spectrum; being worked too much into making the perfect moves, and running ourselves into trouble at the back. In Rodgers’ eyes, these losses of possession would be the nightmare that keeps him up in the early hours, and is exactly why he bought Coutinho in the first place.
Philippe Coutinho is one of the best up and coming midfield talents. Young, fresh and with plenty of skill, it’s what the Liverpool side of the last few seasons desperately needed, and so far is what he’s proven to be. The words on every fans lips at the end of last season, and the beginning of this, is how and why Inter Milan were willing to let him go for only £8.5 million? By some, a fee for someone of just 20 years of age at the time may be a little optimistic and over the odds, but game by game he’s looking more of a steal.
He’s been tipped as “the one to watch” by many a professional this season, and although statistically he hasn’t had much to contribute so far, the signs are that he’s going to be extremely important. Still a young and exciting prospect in terms of development, the Brazilian may need to gain strength along the way. The traditional and cliché criticism that these foreigners need to bed into the “rough and tumble” of the Premier League does actually have to be taken into consideration sometimes. Recently with Raheem Sterling in his last few cameo appearances, this has definitely shown to be the case, and that no matter how skilful you can be, losing a vital aerial battle can determine those 1-1 draw from the 2-1 wins. However, in cases such as Luis Suarez, this excuse can be proved brilliantly wrong.
What Coutihno gave us at the end of last season was the first step into what looks like a sustainable and consistent side. Now that Johnson returns, and Coutinho’s is imminent, it’s looking more likely that the overall jigsaw of Brendan Rodgers’ Liverpool may finally come together. Whether it will be effective or not is another matter, but we haven’t yet seen the full picture with Suarez’s absence being so long.
Although Victor Moses has been a handy asset to assist the ‘SAS’ as they’re now known, the two strikers will be relishing the chance to be involved with the creative master himself. The little dinks, smooth moves, and opening dummies will only need the likes of Sturridge to be waiting in the box and slot it home. Well, that’s what we’re all hoping the dream end product will form.
Rebecca Parry looks at the imminent return of Philippe Coutinho and ponders whether the Brazilian magician’s comeback will spark some consistency for Liverpool.
It’s no secret that since the shoulder injury to Philippe Coutinho, Liverpool’s flow of play has stuttered and stumbled. Aside from the obvious star asset of Luis Suarez and the magic that comes with him, the Liverpool side of recent games have struggled to find that aggressive flair.
One of the main reasons why Liverpool’s highly impressive start of the season came to a halt is the omission of Glen Johnson and Coutinho himself. With Stuart Downing being sold in the Summer, the lack of width needed to be covered by Glen, even more so than previous seasons.
But in the middle, even though Henderson took over the role for powering forward from Steven Gerrard, it was evident that the creativity of the Brazilian was missing. The one touch football was instead replaced by the glory balls that end up in a loss of possession. Alternatively, the “overpassing” was the other end of the spectrum; being worked too much into making the perfect moves, and running ourselves into trouble at the back. In Rodgers’ eyes, these losses of possession would be the nightmare that keeps him up in the early hours, and is exactly why he bought Coutinho in the first place.
Philippe Coutinho is one of the best up and coming midfield talents. Young, fresh and with plenty of skill, it’s what the Liverpool side of the last few seasons desperately needed, and so far is what he’s proven to be. The words on every fans lips at the end of last season, and the beginning of this, is how and why Inter Milan were willing to let him go for only £8.5 million? By some, a fee for someone of just 20 years of age at the time may be a little optimistic and over the odds, but game by game he’s looking more of a steal.
He’s been tipped as “the one to watch” by many a professional this season, and although statistically he hasn’t had much to contribute so far, the signs are that he’s going to be extremely important. Still a young and exciting prospect in terms of development, the Brazilian may need to gain strength along the way. The traditional and cliché criticism that these foreigners need to bed into the “rough and tumble” of the Premier League does actually have to be taken into consideration sometimes. Recently with Raheem Sterling in his last few cameo appearances, this has definitely shown to be the case, and that no matter how skilful you can be, losing a vital aerial battle can determine those 1-1 draw from the 2-1 wins. However, in cases such as Luis Suarez, this excuse can be proved brilliantly wrong.
What Coutihno gave us at the end of last season was the first step into what looks like a sustainable and consistent side. Now that Johnson returns, and Coutinho’s is imminent, it’s looking more likely that the overall jigsaw of Brendan Rodgers’ Liverpool may finally come together. Whether it will be effective or not is another matter, but we haven’t yet seen the full picture with Suarez’s absence being so long.
Although Victor Moses has been a handy asset to assist the ‘SAS’ as they’re now known, the two strikers will be relishing the chance to be involved with the creative master himself. The little dinks, smooth moves, and opening dummies will only need the likes of Sturridge to be waiting in the box and slot it home. Well, that’s what we’re all hoping the dream end product will form.
We got our hands on a copy of Simon Hughes’ new book on Liverpool players in the 1980s – ‘Red Machine’. And here’s what we thought…
Red Machine is available from Amazon in Hardcover and for Kindle.The first thing that struck me about Simon Hughes’ new Liverpool book ‘Red Machine’ when it arrived was how simple, but beautiful it was.
There’s no glossy pictures, fact files or endless statistic-based appendixes – this is not encyclopaedia.
Instead, ‘Red Machine’ is ultimately a collection of interviews with the stars of Liverpool Football Club in the 1980s.
Hughes has meticulously stitched these together to make a compelling and fascinating unraveling of an unprecedented era for both the club and in the history of English football.
Being born in the mid-‘80s myself, my Liverpool memories started quite some time after the end of this incredible decade of success for the club.
Hughes paints what seems an honest and detailed account of life at Liverpool during that time based on his findings with the likes of Howard Gayle and Steve Staunton.
For fans like myself, too young to remember these days, this book opens an exclusive back door to the rich tales and glories of the decade.
Also interviewed are Craig Johnson, Nigel Spackman, Kevin Sheedy, John Wark and Bruce Grobellaar amongst other icons of not only the club, but the city of Liverpool in the ‘80s.
Hughes doesn’t just cover football too. ‘Red Machine’ opens the door for the reader to the underworld of football in the 1980s – a time beyond Sky, the Premier League and the Spice Boys.
At times this open door seems over-nostalgic – maybe written slightly too much with the rose-tinted glasses effect. It’s easy to get carried away in the magic of these myths and legends which, until books such as Hughes’, were confined to unrevealing history books and glossy propaganda documentaries.
At other times in the book, the life of a footballer in the 1980s seems a darker place. It perhaps unravels not all is wrong with the modern game, despite what we want to believe.
Particularly fascinating is Hughes touching upon the subject of racism both back then and in modern day stadia with John Barnes and his attitude to the people who subject it.
Hughes begins the introduction for the book by saying it was born out of a frustration – “few of the active footballers that I have met since starting a career in journalism have anything that is genuinely interesting to say.”
He is right – today’s media is full of babbling quotes from players and managers who seem under a trance of carefully crafted PR quotes and media training to protect the “brand” of a club.
Hughes has captured some very open and frank interviews in ‘Red Machine’, which must be credited to his personal nature in a world where many players draw an untrusting skepticism towards journalists. Sometimes rightly so.
A testament to good football journalism and an open insight of Liverpool Football Club’s golden era through the eyes of the men who made it.
Red Machine is available from Amazon in Hardcover and for Kindle.
We got our hands on a copy of Simon Hughes’ new book on Liverpool players in the 1980s – ‘Red Machine’. And here’s what we thought…
Red Machine is available from Amazon in Hardcover and for Kindle.The first thing that struck me about Simon Hughes’ new Liverpool book ‘Red Machine’ when it arrived was how simple, but beautiful it was.
There’s no glossy pictures, fact files or endless statistic-based appendixes – this is not encyclopaedia.
Instead, ‘Red Machine’ is ultimately a collection of interviews with the stars of Liverpool Football Club in the 1980s.
Hughes has meticulously stitched these together to make a compelling and fascinating unraveling of an unprecedented era for both the club and in the history of English football.
Being born in the mid-‘80s myself, my Liverpool memories started quite some time after the end of this incredible decade of success for the club.
Hughes paints what seems an honest and detailed account of life at Liverpool during that time based on his findings with the likes of Howard Gayle and Steve Staunton.
For fans like myself, too young to remember these days, this book opens an exclusive back door to the rich tales and glories of the decade.
Also interviewed are Craig Johnson, Nigel Spackman, Kevin Sheedy, John Wark and Bruce Grobellaar amongst other icons of not only the club, but the city of Liverpool in the ‘80s.
Hughes doesn’t just cover football too. ‘Red Machine’ opens the door for the reader to the underworld of football in the 1980s – a time beyond Sky, the Premier League and the Spice Boys.
At times this open door seems over-nostalgic – maybe written slightly too much with the rose-tinted glasses effect. It’s easy to get carried away in the magic of these myths and legends which, until books such as Hughes’, were confined to unrevealing history books and glossy propaganda documentaries.
At other times in the book, the life of a footballer in the 1980s seems a darker place. It perhaps unravels not all is wrong with the modern game, despite what we want to believe.
Particularly fascinating is Hughes touching upon the subject of racism both back then and in modern day stadia with John Barnes and his attitude to the people who subject it.
Hughes begins the introduction for the book by saying it was born out of a frustration – “few of the active footballers that I have met since starting a career in journalism have anything that is genuinely interesting to say.”
He is right – today’s media is full of babbling quotes from players and managers who seem under a trance of carefully crafted PR quotes and media training to protect the “brand” of a club.
Hughes has captured some very open and frank interviews in ‘Red Machine’, which must be credited to his personal nature in a world where many players draw an untrusting skepticism towards journalists. Sometimes rightly so.
A testament to good football journalism and an open insight of Liverpool Football Club’s golden era through the eyes of the men who made it.
Red Machine is available from Amazon in Hardcover and for Kindle.
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