How the 3-4-3 formation could rejuvenate Liverpool's season
March 27th, 2025by Ayo Anibaba
Brendan Rodgers' Liverpool of last season has always been associated with high pressing and a "fast and furious" style of play. Quick counter-attacks and penetrative passes allowed Liverpool to thrash teams, the most notable being the 5-1 beating that they dished out to Arsenal at Anfield last season. This high press is arguably the fundamental reason to Liverpool's push for the how Brendan Rodgers stumbled onto this tactic is interesting. At Swansea and during his early days at Liverpool, Rodgers was always known for patient build up play and liked to keep possession of the ball. His purchase of Joe Allen after his move to Liverpool is proves as evidence to this.
Many people like to think that Brendan Rodgers stumbled across this tactic of a high press, because of Luis Suarez. Suarez defended from the front by pressing the opposition back-line and not allowing them time on the ball. This became a feature of Liverpool's game and the energetic trio of Raheem Sterling, Daniel Sturridge and Luis Suarez chased down back passes and would hassle defenders.
Midfielders Jordan Henderson, Phillipe Coutinho and at times, Joe Allen would also press very high up the pitch. Brendan Rodgers took advantage of the energy used to press whilst defending as well, planning to counter-attack as soon as the ball was won.
Once Liverpool had possession in their own half, Sterling would move laterally to help pick up the ball, whilst the other attacking players pushed forward, shown by the picture below.
Liverpool's counter-attacking runs last season.
With Suarez' departure and Sturridge's injury this season, Brendan Rodgers has found it difficult to use the tactics that took Liverpool so close last season.
However, if you sign players like Rickie Lambert and Mario Balotelli – who have been slow and lethargic and not the most energetic – you should expect that you cannot play the same kind of football. This brings to question Rodgers' judgements and his ability to sign the right players.
Recently, due to injury and a run of bad results, Rodgers has been playing without a recognizable striker in a 3-4-3 formation. I believe that if Brendan Rodgers plays this right, he could turn around Liverpool's season. This is because the 3-4-3 formation is a counter-attacking formation by nature.
When Liverpool broke with the ball last season, midfielder made penetrative runs into the opposition half, whilst the forwards stretched the back line with their runs, often into the wide areas. With the 3-4-3 formation, Liverpool can easily overload these wide areas and the opposition full-backs and cause confusion amongst centre-backs and full-backs as to who is marking who.
The 3-4-3 also offers pressing. The front three could press the centre-backs whilst the wide men of the midfield
Related Posts
Manchester United 0-3 Liverpool | Michael Cox- Team Focus: Rodgers Has Struck The Right Attacking Balance With Front Three
- Player Focus: Sturridge Return Keeps Liverpool's Champions League Aspirations Alive
- Liverpool's unsung hero – Simon Mignolet
- Mighty Red!! Much ado about Something
- Arsenal 2-1 Liverpool: Arsenal more disciplined despite a rotated side