3 Good, 3 Bad – Liverpool FC’s best and worst performers in September

After rounding off a hit-and-miss September with a 3-2 win over Aston Villa, who were Liverpool FC’s best and worst players of the month?

Liverpool’s September Form Guide: L-D-D-D-W

September proved a mixed bag for Brendan Rodgers‘ Liverpool, and with the manager clinging onto his position at Anfield he will be pleased to see his side address their poor form towards the end of the month.

Kicking off with a 3-1 loss away to Manchester United, the Reds returned from international break to register three successive 1-1 draws, against Bordeaux in the Europa League, Norwich City in the Premier League and Carlisle United in the League Cup—with the latter eventually defeated in a penalty shootout.

After a 3-2 victory over Aston Villa, Rodgers will be hoping to see the Reds maintain a higher standard of form in October and beyond.

But which players can he depend on to do so?

Here are the three best and three worst players from Liverpool’s September.

Good – Danny Ings

Danny Ings had to wait for his chance in Rodgers’ lineup, but when given the opportunity the former Burnley striker grabbed it with both hands.

Given his first start of the season in an uncomfortable wing-back role in the loss to United, Ings produced an understated performance of sheer endeavour, and was one of Liverpool’s best players.

Deployed in a more familiar attacking role against Norwich, Carlisle and Villa, Ings has quickly become a cult hero at Anfield, thanks to his work rate and quality in the attacking sector.

With two goals in three games as a centre-forward, Ings is proving his top-level credentials.

Ings has been so impressive that it is difficult to imagine Christian Benteke taking up a starting role alongside Daniel Sturridge on his return from injury.

Read more: Danny Ings: Liverpool’s shining light amidst Anfield’s negativity

Bad – Simon Mignolet

Is Rodgers experiencing the fallout of not having signed a goalkeeper capable of providing competition for Simon Mignolet as Liverpool’s first choice?

Despite Adam Bogdan‘s penalty-shootout heroics against Carlisle United, Mignolet has found himself under zero pressure in his role as Rodgers’ No. 1, and the Belgian’s nosediving form should be cause for concern at this stage.

After keeping three clean sheets out of four in August, Mignolet conceded in every game throughout September—letting in eight goals in four appearances.

His rollout into Juan Mata’s path against United and his fumbled punch to Russell Martin against Norwich are just two examples of Mignolet’s drop-off in quality over the last month.

With Victor Valdes dubiously linked with a move to Merseyside in January, Mignolet may find his position under threat if his form does not improve.

Read more: Simon Mignolet remains a concern that won’t go away for Liverpool

Good – Daniel Sturridge

Despite only making two appearances for Liverpool in September, after recovering from a long-term hip injury, Sturridge is a prime candidate for the Reds’ player of the month—though the impressive Lucas Leiva may feel aggrieved.

Rodgers can be criticised for rushing the 26-year-old back into a starting role against Norwich, but the manager’s move was justified.

Sturridge adds immeasurable class in the final third, and Liverpool were desperate for his intervention in September—his pace, movement and finisher’s instinct are invaluable.

Aiding Ings’ fine performance against the Canaries, Sturridge adopted a more focal role in Liverpool’s 3-2 win over Villa, scoring two and testing Brad Guzan throughout with a series of accomplished efforts on goal.

It may be premature, but Sturridge’s return could save Liverpool’s season.

Player Focus: Daniel Sturridge returns with encouraging display in Norwich draw

Bad – Emre Can

Emre Can spent three of his five appearances throughout September in an unnatural centre-back role, and the German has suffered for form as a result.

With Rodgers switching to a three-man defensive line at Bordeaux, Can has been tasked with the role he performed so valiantly during 2014/15—but having targeted a regular midfield role this season, the 21-year-old just doesn’t look interested in playing at centre-back, and perhaps rightly so.

Against Villa, Can was particularly culpable: regularly out of position and lacking intensity in the defensive sector.

Can’s best performance of September came in the loss to United, with his surging runs from midfield providing an isolated Christian Benteke with much-needed support.

Rodgers would be wise to take note of this, and move Can into a midfield role in the 3-4-1-2.

Player Focus: Emre Can presents an issue in centre-back role vs. Aston Villa

Good – Alberto Moreno

“I couldn’t feel more settled, I’m really happy—not just myself, but my family. We love the club and the city,” Alberto Moreno said at the end of September, gleefully assessing his return to Rodgers’ starting lineup.

That the 23-year-old is so enamoured with life on Merseyside should be a major positive to both club and supporters, as after being given his first start of the season against Bordeaux, Moreno has been in exceptional form.

Freed of the defensive responsibility of an orthodox left-back role, Moreno has been given the license to attack—and this has provided Liverpool another dimension in the final third.

The quality of Moreno’s delivery and his intelligent movement down the left flank highlights a supreme confidence and determination to hold down his starting spot.

A starring role against Norwich suggested Moreno could become a key playmaker for the Reds, with the Spaniard making six key passes—more than any other player—and assisting Ings’ opener.

Read more: Alberto Moreno impressing, but now overly relied upon with no cover at left wing-back

Bad – James Milner

Can a player who produced a goal-and-assist performance in the win over Villa be considered one of Liverpool’s worst players of September?

Heading into the final clash of the month against his former club, Milner was in worryingly poor form as Rodgers’ stand-in captain, with a lack of chemistry in midfield in the absence of Jordan Henderson hampering the Reds in the buildup.

Guilty of losing the ball too easily, and lacking any quality in his creative play, Milner was a dead weight in midfield alongside the more incisive Lucas.

Having picked up his form with a second-minute strike against Tim Sherwood’s side at Anfield, Milner will be hoping to see an improved run in the Liverpool midfield.

The 29-year-old was signed to add a winner’s mentality within the Reds’ squad—and Milner must start showing this more regularly.

Read more: Coutinho, Milner and Lucas all benefit from tweaked Liverpool midfield vs. Aston Villa

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James Milner wants Liverpool players to ignore dissenting voices

Liverpool’s James Milner has urged his team-mates to shut out dissenting voices from outside the club.

The England international is already an influential player after just nine matches in a red shirt, and captained the side and scored the opener in a 3-2 win over Aston Villa on Saturday.

That was just the tonic required after League Two Carlisle took Liverpool to penalties at Anfield in the Capital One Cup.

Reds boss Brendan Rodgers has since spoken about a number of his critics creating “hysteria” over his position, but Milner believes the team must ignore off-field opinions where possible.

“At times when things aren’t going well it’s important you stick together,” he told Liverpool TV.

“There have been a lot of things said outside the club at this moment. It’s down to us not to take any notice of that, stick together, stay together as a club and keep believing what we’re doing is right.

“We’re working very hard to keep improving, work on things and be the team we want to be. I’m sure if we continue the amount of work we’re putting in, it has to come good.”

Milner arrived on Merseyside from Manchester City and knows a thing or two about coping with expectation.

“I’ve been fortunate to play for big clubs throughout my career and that’s the pressure you get playing in the Premier League and at the top level,” he said.

“There’s always going to be that spotlight and pressure.

“When things aren’t going well, it’s going to come down on you; equally, when things are going well, people can get carried away. It’s important that we keep that level mindset and concentrate on our business.

“It’s when things aren’t going well that you see who wants it the most and who wants to stand up and be counted.

“We’ve got some big personalities and big players who want to stick together and put in performances. It was a big performance at the weekend – that’s a start for us and we need to move on from there.”

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Brazil, Germany, Bayern – Dispelling the myth that no team has ever won anything with 3 at the back

With media pundits often regurgitating the claim that no successful side has ever won anything with three at the back, we dispel this myth.

It seems to be the case now that every time Liverpool go through a period of poor form with one of Brendan Rodgers‘ favoured formations (4-3-3 and 4-2-3-1), the three-man defence is rolled out to provide stability.

But that this is widely perceived as a tactical stopgap—with a return to a 4-4-2 diamond formation long anticipated by supporters.

That a three-man defence is a poor foundation for tangible success—league titles; cup glory; international dominance—is a myth.

Here are three sides that have proven hugely successful with three at the back.

Germany, Euro 1996

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‘There are no stars, the team is the star,’ was Berti Vogts’ unofficial mantra during his time in charge of Germany from 1990 to 1998.

While this may have been the case overall, with a strong team spirit and work ethic pervading Vogts’ successful tenure—following his reign as manager of West Germany—one leading man emerged during the Germans’ triumph in the European Championships in 1996.

Matthias Sammer’s transition from defensive midfielder to Beckenbauer-aping libero underpinned Vogts’ success on English soil, despite early injury to one of his defensive partners, Jurgen Kohler.

Vogts fielded a 3-4-1-2 formation, with Sammer at the heart of defence, tasked with dictating play, breaking out from a sweeper’s position.

This allowed Germany to avoid fielding a specialist defensive midfielder, and provided an exceptional fluidity to their forward play, as well as a compact block in defence.

This density in the defensive line proved pivotal, with Germany conceding just three goals in six games throughout the tournament, vanquishing Terry Venables’ England in the semi-final.

The performances of Sammer, his flanking centre-backs and regular wing-backs Christian Ziege and later-to-be Liverpool man Markus Babbel provided Vogts’ side with the launchpad for a cohesive attacking system.

Sammer was named Player of the Tournament and eventually pipped Barcelona’s Ronaldo to the 1999 Ballon d’Or award, underlining just how effective a player he was—and this quality showed how a three-man defensive can be successfully utilised.

Brazil, World Cup 2002

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Six years after Germany’s Euro 1996 triumph, a Rudi Voller-led side were defeated 2-0 in the World Cup final, with Luiz Felipe Scolari’s Brazil, inspired by the brilliance of Ronaldo, rampaging to victory.

Perhaps taking inspiration from Vogts’ success, Scolari maximised the many talents of his Selecao with a similar formation.

Unlike the modern-day Brazil sides, Scolari was blessed with a clutch of genuine, world-class players in Lucio, Cafu, Roberto Carlos, Gilberto Silva, Ronaldinho, Rivaldo and Ronaldo.

What is the best way to utilise a pair of attack-happy full-backs, two sensational No. 10s and the best striker in world football? Scolari opted for a dynamic 3-4-2-1 formation.

The width achieved by deploying Carlos and Cafu as wing-backs provided ample support for the fluid inside duo of Ronaldinho and Rivaldo, who swarmed around the peerless Ronaldo, and Brazil washed away their opponents on the way to the final, scoring 16 goals in six games.

Despite fielding a subpar centre-back in Roque Junior, this three-man back line served as the foundation for an overwhelming attacking front: Edmilson stepped out into midfield, supported by Gilberto and Kleberson, while Lucio and Roque Junior were aided by Carlos and Cafu.

It was a well-worked, rotational balance that ensured defensive stability and the ability to overload the attacking areas.

Bayern Munich, the Pep Guardiola era

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Pep Guardiola is commonly regarded as one of the finest tactical minds in modern football, with his success with both Barcelona and Bayern Munich underlining his managerial pedigree—and a main factor behind this is his regular use of a three-man defence.

Beginning his Bayern tenure with a regular 4-3-3 formation, Guardiola quickly shifted to a 3-4-3, largely prompted by a change in roles for the masterful Philipp Lahm.

Lahm’s transition from world-class right-back to a master of the midfield has been remarkable, and one which Guardiola can be credited for, having noted the German’s tactical intelligence and robust, all-round game.

This move allowed Guardiola to field a number of formations for different tactical demands, with 2-3-2-3, 3-3-3-1, 3-3-4 and 2-3-3-2 all becoming features of his pre-match whiteboard.

Along with the transition of Lahm, the complementary talents of Jerome Boateng and David Alaba have allowed this system to flourish.

Boateng is one of few world-class centre-backs currently operating in world football, while Alaba is at the forefront of a new generation of full-backs as one of Bayern’s most important players.

In Bayern’s three-man defence, Alaba is given license to operate as a playmaking central midfielder, as well as supporting the attack as an orthodox full-back.

Alaba is one of many phenomenally talented—and, most importantly, vastly intelligent—players at Guardiola’s disposal at Bayern, and that is one of the reasons why the Spaniard’s three-at-the-back systems are successful.

Other Notable Three-Man Defences:
– Carlos Bilardo’s Argentina
– Fabio Capello’s Roma
– Marcelo Bielsa’s Chile
– Francesco Guidolin’s Udinese
– Walter Mazzarri’s Napoli
– Hassan Shehata’s Egypt

In his time at Bayern to date, Guardiola has won five major honours in two seasons, including back-to-back Bundesliga triumphs.

Though, as his swift move away from a three-man defence against Barcelona in last season’s 3-0 Champions League defeat proves, this system is not without its flaws—particularly when lining up directly against three of the world’s greatest attacking players.

For a three-man defensive system to be effective, a manager must know when and when not to utilise it—Rafa Benitez‘s switch to a back three of Jamie Carragher, Sami Hyypia and Djimi Traore midway through Liverpool’s 2005 Champions League final success is the perfect example of this.

As the success of Germany in ’96, Brazil in ’02 and Guardiola during his time at Bayern show, however, three at the back is by no means an indicator of impending doom.

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