What do they need to do?

Well Liverpool is starting , just barely starting , to do what they need to, which is win games, ugly or otherwise. Perhaps they were lucky to win yesterday, but maybe, just maybe they are making their own luck,and forcing the play and creating more opportunities.

What is different? Well style of play is one, and adjustments to positions and personnel are significant as well. Martin Kelly as right back is not a true revelation, but he is more diligent than Johnson has been all season, and appears to want to attack AND defend as required.

Johnson appears to be finding himself as a left back. Is a change as good as a vacation, well not really, because Johnson seems to be keen on relearning the requirements of his position. So a working vacation.

PASS AND MOVE

This game isn't rocket science, and consists of, I believe two essential principles;

1. Pass

2. Move

Both of these elements have been missing in Liverpool's game this season, until very recently.

A good example of the power of pass and move is found on the video link posted on my blog. Barca are the current masters of this game.

How do we teach our players this technique. Train them how to pass!!! Secondly, train them how to pass!! And train them to move after each pass.

A simple game is to play a normal 5 aside, but the one restriction is that after the player passes the ball they must move forward, and can only move into a "back position" after the ball has been passed by someone else. If they don't move, free kick for the other squad. It is hard work, but it teaches and reinforces the power of movement.

Pass and move. Do it.

Hal White