People like to think of change as a series of bold – era defining – moments, with virtually nothing in between. In actuality they happen far more gradually over the course of time, by a series of events that may not seem like very much but collectively push things forward. Ultimately it all depends on how and when things come together. Alteration occurs beneath the surface before anything of any real note can happen. After all, the difference between the lead in a pencil and a diamond is simply a matter of arrangement. In football nobody has everything. No pattern of play will triumph every week and no amount of skill will frequently bail out inferior tactics. Teams that lack natural talent will find a competitive edge any way they can and harness that to it’s fullest potential, just for the sake of having some kind of threat. One way of playing isn't enough for those who want to win consistently. There has to be a variety.
For all that we are undeniably similar, it is the ways in which we are not that make everyone unique and separate the great from the good. They may be tiny or exaggerated but new people bring with them fresh ideas, regardless of how suited or similar they are to what is already established. Differences in personality, even with a common goal in mind, sometimes lead to unexpected consequences. Things can be found that were once lost while new avenues of opportunity may open up.
With all the variations that Liverpool now possess in and around the final third, the problems defensively have highlighted the one thing that is missing in that regard; a physical presence. Sturridge has more of that than he’s been given credit for and in addition to his pace make him a very difficult prospect to handle, not least factoring in the perpetual movement of Suarez and Henderson around him. If there were even a modicum of that in the middle of the park (or should that be Momo-dicum) then the team would be much better balanced. That’s not to say someone – even the aforementioned Sissoko – could or should have been signed based on his strength alone. While it is true that more authority is needed in this aspect, there’s no point putting anyone in there for the sake of it. As with the issue with creativity and the forward line at the end of September after Carroll moved to West Ham and the way that appears to have been addressed, those at the club now what there is a need for and have a period of time between now and the end of the season to locate it.
One strange benefit of the transfers that were recently made is that over the next couple of weeks – pending results it could be more – both Coutinho and Sturridge will have a clear defined role to play in the Premier League. Certainly the burgeoning partnership between Suarez and Sturridge will need as much time as ever to flourish but with the balance between climbing the table and the final chance of a trophy Brendan Rodgers is helped in having his resources split. Whether or not he’ll be fully unleashed on Monday against West Brom, the games against Zenit St Petersburg and how much of a spectacle European nights at Anfield are, he might just slip under the radar.
As with the transfer window having just closed, it is the acquisition of new players into the squad that affect it’s diversity. Players develop and grow within that dynamic but usually at such a pace that teams equally learn to adapt to them as they mature. The new partnerships that then form are usually comprised of players who aren’t alike in terms of their style but their understanding and approach to the game is similar. It’s that which then helps the team, not simply having someone new to try different things with.
Having such diametrically opposed lines of offence can be counter productive. It may not have worked out but the transfer of Andy Carroll and Liverpool is a clear example of trying to dramatically change the way a side is capable of attacking. On a much larger scale, the same could be said of Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s transfer to Barcelona. The theory was simple, add a dimension to the team that they don’t already possess, which is fine but there still needs to be some kind of balance. Regardless of quality, if the main thrust of the attack is so diverse, the supply will be mixed, as will the end result. What you need is something similar and different.
At the time it turned out to be nothing more than scant consolation. A goal – and a route back into a game Liverpool had been second best in for long periods – that saw Daniel Sturridge do something no Liverpool player has shown the ability to do for far too long. He followed up. It may just be coincidence that Gerrard has since then started displaying his talents from long range but maybe the realization that someone will actually be there to pick up the pieces allows him to concentrate on simply hitting the target and as such making it easier for his natural talent to take over.
In terms of the less complex routes to goal (long balls, crosses, long shots) Liverpool have a range of players who are gifted in one area. So much so is the extent to which technique is preferred over physique, you only have to look at set plays, where a number are hung out to the edge of the box for Johnson or Gerrard. In addition to that both Suarez and Sturridge are more than capable of putting one away from distance, Daniel Agger has a powerful shot on him and the hope will be that Henderson’s effort against Norwich wasn’t a one off. Either way, opposition players can ill afford to give them the kind of room in front of the back four. That in turn potentially leaves room in behind. Defenders will quite literally not know which way to turn.
Both individually and collectively, the final part of this season will all come down to reactions. Whether that be reacting to an injury or to the realization that a storied career is coming to an end. Some will have to come back from criticism and possibly even play for their place within the future of the club. The whole team will face be tested with it’s ability to consistently and ruthlessly put away those at the lower end of the table. At the end of the season it may be something completely minuscule that separates Liverpool from where they are from where they want to be. They might even get there by the smallest of margins. Even the most subtle of differences could change everything.
