Talking tactics: How Rodgers masterminded Liverpool’s demolition of Arsenal

Relentless Pressing & Tight Marking

Intense pressing usually goes hand in hand with a high defensive line, restricting space, condensing lines and limiting the available passing options on the pitch. However, like Barcelona (the link with the Catalan club is ever-present), Rodgers implements a mixed pressing system – pressing intensely for a brief spell, before backing off into the defensive third.

Intense pressing from the front.

Winning the ball higher up the pitch allows for quick turnovers and a shorter distance to the opposition’s goal, but it’s very hard for a side to press relentlessly for the duration of the match, hence why Rodgers instructs his team to retreat and defend as a unit when the quick burst of pressing has ended.

Liverpool’s game plan was evident in as little as the fourth minute (see above), with Suárez harassing Laurent Koscielny while strike partner Sturridge hounded the cumbersome Per Mertesacker. There was little to no backup in the above example, but the diagram serves to highlight Liverpool’s intense early press in the hope of unsettling Arsenal and disrupting their preferred short passing game.

Suárez, Sturridge and Sterling pursued Arsenal’s players ruthlessly all afternoon like three supercharged Duracell Bunnies fitted with a seemingly limitless supply of rechargeable batteries – sold separately of course. The harassment and sheer physicality also brought Liverpool’s third goal, as Jordan Henderson joined in the action, outmuscling Mesut Özil on the halfway line, leaving the German playmaker on his backside, looking to the stars for answers.

Suarez shuts off easy pass to Monreal while Henderson pounces.

Make no mistake about it, Rodgers had the Reds wound up like a swarm of wasps around a pot of jam. In doing so, Liverpool won 30 tackles against Arsenal; their highest tally of any Premier League game this season.

Flanagan sticks close to his opposite man.

Fused with the hunting-in-packs mentality, Liverpool utilised an extreme tight zonal marking (almost man marking) approach from the back four.

Likewise, so does Skrtel.

In the example above, Flanagan has moved directly from the full-back position to meet Arsenal’s attacker. While in the following diagram, Martin Škrtel, aware of the pressure being asserted in front of him, sticks rigidly to the back of Olivier Giroud like a pair of lovers performing the foxtrot.

Closing passing options from Arsenal’s throw-in.

Once again, the press is instigated from Arsenal’s throw-in.

And finally, if the unrelenting pressing, tight marking and general harassment wasn’t enough, Rodgers also instructed his team to crowd Arsenal’s throw-ins (see above and below) so that, once again, available passing options were limited – albeit this time via the hand.

The final scoreline didn’t flatter the home side. Liverpool have crushed their opponents at Anfield on a regular basis, causing each and every team to become dishevelled and flustered as the red swarm repeatedly aim for the jugular. If the Reds can maintain a run of impressive performances from here until the end of the season, taking points off Chelsea and Manchester City in April, they could surprise a few people in the race for the title.

They have, after all, only lost one home game this season.