Preview: Chelsea v/s Arsenal

Table toppers Chelsea host Arsenal at Stamford Bridge today afternoon with Cesc Fabregas facing his former employers for the first time in what could prove to be a fascinating midfield battle

Arsene Wenger celebrates yet another landmark in his long career by taking the short trip to cross-town rivals Chelsea still awaiting his first 3 points over opposite number Jose Mourinho. His side is the only one to remain undefeated along with their opponents of today, although that record might be under some major threat at Stamford Bridge.

The Gunners have recently switched over to a 4-1-4-1 with Mikel Arteta / Mathieu Flamini sitting deep to protect the defense, with Mesut Ozil, Alex Oxlade Chamberlain, Alexis Sanchez and Santi Cazorla mixing up play behind new boy Danny Welbeck.

Recent knocks to Arteta, Jack Wilshere (who might be available which could switch Arsenal's play to a 4-2-3-1 and subsequently bench either of Chamberlain or Ozil) and Aaron Ramsey have been a blow to Wenger’s plans while Olivier Giroud, Theo Walcott, Mathieu Debuchy are long term absentees.

Injuries to Aaron Ramsey and Mikel Arteta have left Wenger thin in midfield

Their opponents of the day will have to be tight at the back to contain the threats of Ozil, who might start on the left side of the midfield, tending to drift centrally whenever afforded space and time. The German’s talents come to the fore when he is positioned centrally but Wenger’s system requires him to start out on the left, switching positions with fellow midfielders to get away from their man markers and create space. Alexis Sanchez is another crucial player to their play, albeit a rather direct one. His dribbling and lethal finishing have seen him support Welbeck in the box while also involving with Chamberlain down the right hand side.


Although if the German does start centrally, his work rate will need to be higher considering he will have to track back to support his defense.

The hosts of the afternoon though are in good form, having dropped only 2 points all season that too at the home of champions Manchester City. Preferring a 4-2-3-1 currently, probably because of the lack of options in defensive midfield due to the injury to Brazilian Ramires, The Blues look well gelled two months into the campaign.

The goals are flowing courtesy of a certain Diego Costa, who has notched 8 in his 8 appearances in all competitions. Eden Hazard, Oscar and Willian should make the cut in behind Costa, with former Arsenal lynchpin Cesc Fabregas, who is facing his former team for the first time, pairing up with Nemanja Matic in front of the defense.

The key to stop the free flowing football from the Pensioners is surely to stop the supply to the lethal Costa, which looks difficult considering his ability to make those little runs in behind the central defenders. The lack of pace in the Arsenal backline will only help Chelsea’s cause.

Arsenal will have to quickly close down former player Cesc Fabregas every time he gets the ball

Tactically speaking, going in the game with just one defensive midfielder could be an error for Wenger’s side, considering the player (most likely to be Flamini) will have to deal with the rather mobile Oscar, not to mention the late runs of Fabregas. Man-marking either of these is difficult for Wenger’s men due to their ability to interchange positions and fill in for each other, which has made Chelsea a very dangerous proposition.

All in all, for Arsenal to get anything out of this fixture, Wenger needs to fix his defensive frailties, which could even mean playing a rather deeper line today to ensure a lack of space in behind, with front man Welbeck leading the charge from the off. Asking custodian Wojciech Szczesny to play just on the edge of the area to further reduce the space in behind might also help.

Playing on the counter at the Bridge, with a high tempo game off the ball, resulting into a lack of time on the ball for Chelsea’s creative players could be an ideal way to frustrate the hosts and in turn enhance their credentials as true title contenders.

Written by,

Aman Arora

Aman writes for 18 Yard Box and Goal India.

What do you think about the game? Discuss with the author at @aman_ghs or Drop in your comments below.

Premier League: Big Money Flops.

The Premier League is one of the most competitive leagues in the world which can sometimes prove to be a big test of a player’s patience and reputation. Be it the speed of the game or the sheer physicality the Premier League may not be every player’s cup of tea. No matter what the transfer fee, money never guarantees success.

With the transfer of Angel Di Maria to Manchester United, the PL transfer record was handsomely broken.  Today, on the deadline day, we, at 18 Yard Box, focus on some of the biggest names or big money signings who just couldn’t adapt to life in England. Here is a look at the bruised egos and questionable transfers that have raised eyebrows over the club's decision to buy these players.

Marouane Fellaini

An omen from the Moyes Era

The Belgian was a David Moyes favourite at Everton and had plenty of experience in the Premier League then what could possibly go wrong when he signed for the Old Trafford unit under his former boss. The answer: EVERYTHING. Starting from the deadline day transfer fees of 27.5 million pounds to the fact that he was used in the wrong position finally ending the season goalless Fellaini can aptly be labelled a ‘flop signing’. Fellaini was expected to add muscle to the United midfield instead his sloppy ball control and lack of genuine pace made him a liability in the center of the park. New United boss Louis Van Gaal doesn’t regard him too highly and any potential suitor would be unwilling to shell out more than 15 million pounds given his performances last season.

Fernando Torres

Half the striker he used to be

After establishing himself in the English game following a move to Anfield from Athletico Madrid, Fernando Torres shocked the football world when he handed a transfer request to complete a switch to London side Chelsea in the winter of 2010. Having left the club on bad terms for an undisclosed transfer fees which is reported to be in the 50 million pound range Torres looked a shadow of his former self and his stunning misses have been in the headlines far more than his goals. Unable to contribute to the scoring tally and justify the large transfer fees Torres has found it increasingly difficult to exert any sort of influence at Stamford Bridge. A suitable exit strategy for the former Premier League player of the season must be a priority following the arrival of Diego Costa.

Juan Sebastian Veron

England was just not for him

Legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson has had his fair share of flop signings but none bigger in terms of transfer fees than Argentine midfielder Juan Sebastian Veron. The summer of 2001 saw the arrival of the talismanic central midfielder from Lazio for a mind-boggling 28.1m pounds. Technically sublime, Veron had an armory of passes to unlock the opposition's midfield making him the fulcrum of his team. A typical ‘Rolls Royes’ midfielder who keeps the game moving Veron struggled to exert his influence in the English game due to sheer pace of the premier league which didn’t allow him time on the ball. Having called him a flop in the Premier League Veron showed his true ability in Europe. Eventually, Veron called it a day on his Old Trafford career by making a 15 million pound transfer to Chelsea just a few seasons later.

Steve Marlet                                  

The Curious Purchase of Steve Marlet

Steve Marlet’s arrival at Fulham from Lyon in 2001 for a staggering 11.5 million pounds raised several question marks and the Frenchman’s performances didn’t provide answers. Out of the 4 years at Fulham he spent a large amount of time on loan at Marseille and managed just 11 goals in his 40 odd appearances for the Cottagers. His poor performances led to charges of corruption against then manager, Jean Tigana, which were later dropped by the club chairman Al Fayed. The coach and the player were sacked by the club as measures to cut their losses.

Andy Carroll

Even Suarez came cheaper than him!!

If there was an award for ridiculous transfer fees Andy Carroll’s move from Newcastle to Liverpool would probably win it hands down. Following the departure of Fernando Torres, Liverpool were desperate to fill their forward line with a goal scoring talisman. Carroll, who had a brilliant season for Newcastle till then, was a good addition if not for the insane transfer fees of 35 million pounds. A typical number 9 player Carroll made his debut only in March after picking up an injury at St James’ Park. Plagued with injuries and goal scoring drought Carroll was an indictment of Kenny Dalglish’s laughable transfer policy which led to his sacking and eventual sale of Carroll to West Ham for a far more reasonable 17 million pounds.

Sergei Rebrov

What works in Ukraine doesn't (necessarily) in England

Sergei Rebrov was the star of the Dinamo Kiev side where he partnered fellow Ukranian Andriy Shevchenko. The pair terrorised defences not just in Ukrainian leagues but also in the Champions’ League in the late 90s. However, his 11 million pound move to Tottenham in the summer of 2000 was anything but a successful stint. He fared rather poorly during his time at Spurs unable to replicate his form in Ukraine. He managed to score just 15 goals in 75 appearances. Rebrov remains to be one of the worst signing by George Graham, a manager known for having an acute eye for talent.

Robbie Keane

What was Rafa thinking?

Acquired from White Hart Lane for 20 million pounds, Robbie Keane, seemed highly unsettled during his time at Anfield. Rafa Benitez was tempted to acquire Keane as a striking partner for Fernando Torres and Keane’s 100 plus goals for Tottenham would have given the Spaniard the confidence to go through with the deal. Unable to reproduce his fine goal scoring performances Keane managed just 7 goals in his 27 appearances for Liverpool. He eventually returned to Tottenham just 6 months later for a lower transfer fees.

Francis Jeffers

Jeffers looked lost at Arsenal.

Francis Jeffers burst on to the international scene when he hammered in 13 goals in 16 games for England U-21 side. He went on to sign for Arsenal in 2001 for 8 million pounds, a fee that made him one of Arsenal's most expensive buys at that time. From rivaling Michael Owen for a place in the England line-up to just end up being used for domestic games at Arsenal, Francis Jeffers' reputation of goals went from a flurry of goals to a lack of them. With Henry & Bergkamp leading the line, arguably two of the best players of the Wenger era, Jeffers could never really live up to his price tag & break into the starting XI. Plagued by injuries & disciplinary problems, one of England's premier hopes went down crashing. He left Arsenal for Charlton in 2004 for a paltry 2.4 million pounds and has been changing clubs ever since.


Alberto Aquiliani

Arrivederci Alberto!!

A player who was seen as the likely replacement for fan favourite Xabi Alonso, came to Merseyside in the summer of 2006 for a whopping 17 million pounds+bonuses. The then Liverpool manager, Rafa Benitez said that player had actually cost less than his worth,since, he was injured. He could never kick-off his career in England and was sent back to two Italy for two successive loan spells. After his dismal spell of 26 games for the Merseysiders, it was finally time to bid goodbye to the Italian who promised so much but failed to deliver.

Massimo Taibi

The Blind Venetian.

Peter Schmeicel, arguably one of Premier league's greatest & most successful goalkeepers called it a day in 1999. It was time for Sir Alex to find a new first-choice goalkeeper. The player who signed on the dotted line to be the next Manchester United golkeeper was Italian Massimo Taibi. Signed for 4.5 million pounds in 1999, Taibi managed just 4 appearances for the club. Taibi earned the moniker, "The Blind Venetian" for his howler against Southampton. His torrid time finally came to an end when he was bought by Reggina in 2002.

Andriy Shevchenko

(L-R): The fall & the rise of two of Europe's finest strikers.

No list of "Signings that went wrong" would be complete without the mention of Chelsea's 30 million pound signing of this Ukrainian. A player who was signed over Mourinho's head by Roman Abramovich, the player-manager relation never really took off. The fall of Shevchenko was contrasted with the rise of a Chelsea legend, Didier Drogba. Such was the prominence of the Ivorian that Shevchenko was on the bench for most of his Chelsea career used to pick up the bits after Drogba had won the 3 points fro his team. Recurring injuries only added to his misery. In 2009, Shevchenko left Chelsea for his hometown club in Kiev, his affair with Chelsea is one never to be forgotten.

All in all, big money buys doesn't necessarily buy success, does it? We'll wait & find out how the latest & biggest buys adapt to life in the Premier League. 

Written by,

Pranav Shenoy & Pranav Byatnal.

LvG's revolution: Dutchman's challenge of fitting Van Persie, Rooney, Kagawa, Mata and Herrera in the same team.

As the Premier League is all set to kick off, 18 Yard Box's contributor Aseem Gadgil takes a look at how van Gaal would line his team up to suit the quintet.

The 2013-14 season of the English Premier League, for Manchester United fans, proved to be a forgettable one. The giants of English football, who had never finished outside of the Top 3 positions in the Premier League era, found themselves languishing at an unexpected 7^th place. For the first time, in over two decades, Manchester United failed to qualify for European football. David Moyes, then Manager of MUFC, was unceremoniously shown the door even before the season ended. Ryan Giggs took command as Interim Manager and the hunt for a new Boss began.

United’s crosshairs finally zeroed in on Louis van Gaal, who has had an illustrious career managing some of Europe’s top teams like Bayern Munich, Ajax Amsterdam and FC Barcelona. 15 major trophies adorn his resume, as of now. After leading an average Netherlands side to a 3^rd place finish in the World Cup, Van Gaal’s tactics and his composure during the games were applauded the world over and United fans were relieved to see the club in seemingly able hands.

van Gaal's real test begins today

It would be an understatement to say that the Old Trafford faithful are curious and excited to see how their team will be approaching this coming season, especially after the clueless and disastrous brand of football played in the previous one. A quick study of van Gaal’s managerial career would be enough to show that his teams play attacking football and manage to grind out results, more often than not, even with average squads. Something which reminds one and all of the Sir Alex Ferguson era.

The van Gaal revoultion

Van Gaal has taken no time to impose his style of play. Where Sir Alex relied on the conventional 4-4-2, van Gaal’s side adopt a 3-5-2 with marauding wingbacks. The United side will need to adapt to this style of play quickly and going by their pre- season results, things seem quite under control. However, the biggest challenge which van Gaal faces is to the integrate the quintet of Mata, Kagawa, Herrera, Rooney And Van Persie and along with this, maintaining the defensive stability of the line-up.

Lvg's preferred XI

To solve the need of a Box to Box midfielder, ever since the departure of Roy Keane, saw the arrival of Ander Herrera from Athletic Bilbao for a fee of 29 million GBP. He is a complete midfielder. His ball distribution, composure on the ball and off-the-ball movements make him a threat going forward. Not only an impressive passing range and the ability to execute defense-splitting through balls, Herrera’s ability to read the opposition and a combination of above average defensive tackles and interceptions make him a sort of extra defensive cover in the centre of the park. His decent-to-high workrate allows him to switch between defense and attack as and when the situation demands. Herrera is tailor-made to remedy the current shambolic state of United’s midfield and is expected to be a regular in the centre. He will most likely be partnered by Michael Carrick or Darren Fletcher. With Carrick sidelined due to injury and Herrera needing a more solid player beside him, it looks like Darren Fletcher will be the preferred choice. Van Gaal has tried out Shinji Kagawa, a proper CAM, in a double-pivot too, during pre-season, and has hinted that we might see him in attacking as well as deeper roles under LvG. The Manager’s prime reason for this is that he wants his best passers (namely Mata, Kagawa and Herrera) to be on the pitch whenever possible. Mata will undoubtedly be the first choice central attacking midfielder (CAM) and will be deployed in the hole behind the two forwards. Adnan Januzaj is expected to be his cover, along with Kagawa, considering the 19-year old isn’t really cut-out for the wingback role. 

Integrating the trio in one team will be one of van Gaal's challenges

Other options which give depth to United’s midfield are Tom Cleverley and Maroaune Fellaini, both of whom will have to up their performances from last season to feature in the 3-5-2 of van Gaal. Both could partner Herrera depending upon the injuries to the squad.

After midfield, the striking department is probably the department that has got United fans excited the most. With Mata being the obvious first choice CAM and LvG’s formation having 2 forwards, one can expect Rooney and Robin van Persie to pair up at the head of United’s team sheet. Rooney’s striking talents being wasted by playing him in a deeper role is something that had many people disturbed. But now maybe we will see Rooney banging in those goals we all know he is capable of scoring, in tandem with van Persie. Van Persie had a pretty good World Cup and that coupled with his closeness to the Manager might mean that we get to see him in top form, scoring goals for fun. Both strikers also have an uncanny knack of dropping deep and picking out passes for the runners to get behind the opposition defense. However, the passing amongst them is one which needs to be worked at. Both strikers, while phenomenal when played alone, have not played as well together since the past 2 seasons as the United fans would have hoped for (both have never fired on all cylinders together). However, with these two leading the line and Mata and/or Kagawa behind them, it would be safe to assume that goals will flow and that we will get to see a lot of creativity, conviction and flair from the front 3. 

The new formation could see plenty of goals from this duo

Having 2 strikers also means more chances for Welbeck and Chicharito (assuming rumors of him leaving are untrue). Welbeck, heavily touted as one of England's best young strikers for the future, has to improve his finishing ability to get into the the starting XI. His workrate is phenomenal, however, his consistency needs to improve. Chicharito, too, needs to find his magic touch back which has eluded him since the past two seasons. 

Conclusion

All in all, the attacking department looks pretty set on paper and in theory. It is just a question of gelling quickly and adapting to the system, before we see the magic on field. Looking at the players at United’s disposal and the past exploits of the Manager, it wouldn’t be too much to expect a massively better season than the last one. The 7^th place finish must have hurt the players too and they will be rearing to go. Manchester United have always been known to get up and strike back every time they fall and the fans must be expecting the glory days to come back soon.

Written By,

Aseem Gadgil

Aseem is a contributor for 18 Yard Box.

Follow Us on Twitter @18YB06 and Facebook

Did you like Aseem's analysis? Comment below and let us know.

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Let your boys watch football! And live the game with them

Ever wondered why your son is locked up in his room infront of his TV on Saturday nights and refusing to go out for family get togethers? Ever wondered why your husband has cancelled a date with you on a weekend? Ever wondered why your brother is not available to take you shopping during weekend nights? The answer lies right here. Read on..

The trophy every team plays for

Come 16th August almost all boys (and alot of girls too) will not want to come out on weekends with family. Although we do not suggest it is the right thing to do, knowing the reason behind this behavior is a must. Your kid has been attacked by what is known as 'Football Mania'- a craze which has taken the nation by storm. Once infected, there is no cure to it. So it is rather pointless trying to maneuver his interest somewhere. Now the question arises is why the date 16th August? 

The very answer to that is that it is the inaugural day of the Barclays Premier League (English football's top flight League). No football fan wants to miss the starting day of the League as his heart is thumping with excitement and he is ready and raring to support his favorite team. So, instead of forcing them to come out with you on this special day, we, the team of 18 Yard Box have decided to enlighten you with the basic concepts of the game and the top five teams to look out for so that you too can enjoy his passion the way he does. 

A game that united millions

League Format

The League format is not very much different from the IPL (Indian Premier League). What follows in the IPL is a concept adopted from the English League (widely known as EPL). Where IPL consists of 8 teams, there are 20 teams in the EPL each having their own football stadium and owners. Each team will face the other 19 teams precisely twice, once at their home ground and once at the opponents' home ground, creating a football festival which spans over 9 months. However, the EPL format differs from the IPL one in many ways. Some basic differences are listed below :

• Each match is of 90 minutes divided into two halves of 45 minutes each. There is an interval of 15 minutes between the two. Each team consists of 11 players (10 outfield players + 1 goalkeeper).
• The team who scores the maximum goals in the match wins it.
• Each win gives you 3 points and not 2.
• Each draw gives you 1 point unlike IPL in which you have no draws.
• There are no play-off games or semi finals or finals. The team which finishes at the top wins the title for that season. 

Its not just a game. Its passion

Ok. So, now you are well equipped with the format. It is time to look at some basic rules of the game.

Rules

• None of the 10 outfield players can touch the ball with his hand. If he does that then the opposition team gets to take free kick.
• ONLY the goalkeeper can touch the ball with his hand but only when he is inside the D AREA marked near his goal. Outside it he cannot handle the ball.
• If a player DELIBERATELY pulls down the opposition player it is a 'FOUL' and results in a yellow card which means a warning. If he does it once more it results in red card which means he will have to leave the field of play and that team, to which the player belongs to, will have to play with 10 players instead of 11. In rare cases, where the fouls are very bad, the player gets a straight red card without a warning.
• A goal is counted only if the ball crosses the goal line (in air or physically). 
• Each team can use 3 substitutes, meaning by which it can replace 3 players playing with 3 new players should an injury take place or the player feels tired.

The most dreaded card

Alright. Now your are acquainted with the basic format and rules. I hope there is no confusion. If there is, then your son or your daughter will be more than happy to clear it out. 

Once you have understood this, you must realise that just like IPL, EPL teams too have fans. Almost 90% of fans follow the 'TOP 5' clubs (as they are known as). We will introduce you to each of these teams and also let you know their most famous player to look out for.

Teams to look out for

1. Manchester United (Nickname: Red Devils)

Manchester United crest

Football fans' favorite and England's most successful club, Manchester United was established in the year 1878 in the city of Manchester. The team has won a total of 20 League titles since its inception. Having had a disastrous season last year, Manchester United have appointed Louis van Gaal as their manager (the team coach) to bring the glory days back to the club. The club saw 24 terrific years under the guidance of Sir Alex Ferguson, who ultimately retired at the then of the 2012-13 season.

United, also called as the 'Red Devils' (nickname), have plenty of stars in their team but one person who has been with the team through most of their glory days has been their newly appointed captain Wayne Rooney. He plays as a striker (a term which denotes that he is the player responsible for scoring goals) in this famous club. He is the one player every team fears and one you must look out for.

Wayne Rooney

2. Liverpool (Nickname: The Reds) 

Liverpool crest

English football's second most successful club and bitter rivals of Manchester United, Liverpool, have a splendid history of their own. Established in 1892 in the city of Liverpool, Liverpool have won the League 18 times. Many these titles came under the managerial reign of the Liverpool great Kenny Dalglish. Intense competition followed between Liverpool's Dalglish and United's Sir Alex, where Sir Alex came out on tops every single time, hence making the rivalry all the more bitter. The current Liverpool manager is Brendan Rodgers who is a shrewd tactician and sets his team to play an attacking style of the game.

Having lost their best player, Luis Suarez, to Barcelona (just like IPL players change teams in EPL too. These are known as transfers.), one player to look out for is their captain Steven Gerrard. Leading from the front Gerrard plays in the middle of the field, thereby, controlling his team's play with his clever passes.

Steven Gerrard

3. Arsenal (Nickname: Gunners)

Arsenal crest

The third most successful team in the English League are the Arsenal football club. Established in 1886 in the north of London, Arsenal saw two famous eras, one, under their former manager George Graham and another, under their current manager Arsene Wenger ( No. The club is not named after the manager's name). The club have won the League 13 times. 

Arsenal's player to look out for is the German Mesut Ozil. Playing in an attacking goals, his passes are a key to create goal scoring chances for the strikers. 

Mesut Ozil

Fun Fact: Arsene Wenger has a majors (degree) in economics and Manuel Pellegrini is an engineer by education

4. Chelsea (Nickname: The Blues)

Chelsea crest

A relatively new entrant into the fray has been the London based club, Chelsea. Chelsea were not a force to reckon with until 2003 when Jose Mourinho took over and the ownership changed hands to land into a Russian Billionaire's (Roman Abramovich) hands. With lots of money given to them by their owner, Chelsea have bought some extraordinary talents in the past decade. Established in the year 1905, Chelsea have won just the League 4 times, twice under Jose Mourinho.

There are plenty of star players in Chelsea's team but one to look out for is Eden Hazard. The Beligan plays as an attacker, scoring goals and creating plenty for his team mates too.

Eden Hazard

5. Manchester City (Nickname: The Sky Blues)

Manchester City crest

Established in 1880 but coming into the competitive game since 2008, when Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan took the ownership of this club, Manchester City are the cross-town rivals of Manchester United. They are the defending champions of the League and are currently coached by Manuel Pellegrini. They, too, have won the League 4 times.

Their famous is the Ivory Coast international Yaya Toure. The midfield powerhouse brings a significant amount of strength to City side as he contributes not only with goals but also is responsible of winning the ball from the opposition players.

Yaya Toure

Now you all are equipped with sufficient knowledge to start watching the game. Its time for you to grab a bowl of popcorn and sit with you sons/daughters and enjoy with them their passion in their own way. We are very sure that by doing this, the bond between you and your son/daughter/husband will grow stronger. Enjoy the game.

Written By,

Rishabh Ghai

Rishabh is a writer for Goal.com India, International, contributor for Starsports India and a writer and editor for 18 Yard Box.

Follow Rishabh Ghai on Twitter @rish2610

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Lallana, Lambert, Lovren, Markovic and Can: What do Liverpool's signings bring to the team?

With the season just two days away, 18 Yard Box takes a look at the Kop's new signings and what they bring to the Liverpool side.

“Our criteria that we look for is players with strong technique and football intelligence. They need to mentally have the attitude and the capacity to learn and they have to be so hungry to fight for every ball on every day in training and in the game”, Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers was quoted as saying after his side beat Shamrock Rovers 4-0 in a low-key end-of-season friendly in May. 

“You'll get some players who are specialists and who need to play in particular positions, but if we can get players in who are multi-functional, and can play in different roles and are multi-dimensional in their work, it sets us up and gives me more options as a coach.”

True to his word, Liverpool have added highly versatile players who ooze pace and power and are equally comfortable playing in different positions with different roles.

Having already made seven signings this season, five of them have hogged the limelight. We take a look at these five players who will be turning out for the Anfield outfit next season and how they could have an effect on the Reds’ title challenge.

1. Dejan Lovren

Lovren adds the necessary stability to the Kop's defence

Rodgers’ team plays a high line which involves energetic closing down of the opposition as they hunt in packs. The fullbacks push forward and the defenders have to be quick as they are susceptible to counters and there are a lot of open spaces to be covered. Their role is expected to be that of ball playing defenders who are quick in 1 on 1 situations. In Lovren, they have found a player who is not only comfortable playing in both the centreback positions, but also is good on the ball and has a calm, dominating, vocal presence at the back, something that Liverpool have been missing since the days of Sami Hyypia who could organise the entire defense being a leader on the pitch.

Many eyebrows have been raised on the price tag of the former Saints man, however, Liverpool’s downfall last season had been their defence. With Lovren in their side, Liverpool have taken a giant stride to plug that hole.

2. Rickie Lambert

Lambert provides a plan B to Liverpool

At just £4m, Lambert is a shrewd signing and with his height and strength, he gives Liverpool the perfect Plan B which they sorely lacked last season. Despite being a capable targetman, he is perhaps more comfortable with the ball at his feet as he looks to drop deep to receive passes in between the lines and pick out the runs of wide players with his brilliant first touch and remarkable vision. His chemistry with Adam Lallana at Southampton should also bode well for the pair’s future in Merseyside.

His 10 assists with the 13 goals he bagged in the League are testament to the fact that he is as much of a provider as a goal threat and will no doubt improve the Anfield club's poor output of just seven goals scored by substitutes in the League.

Various permutation and combinations at Rodgers' disposal

3. Adam Lallana

Lallana's Premier League experience will come in handy

Lallana is Liverpool’s costliest signing this summer with a reported fee of £23.6million but is tailor-made for Rodger’s short-passing, high pressing game and is equally adept at playing centrally in the number 10 role or out wide on either flank from where he is very dangerous drifting infield.

He has brilliant dribbling skills and good close control of the ball, as demonstrated by his brilliant goal against Hull City, and along with his ability to work hard off the ball, he looks set to justify his price tag.

4. Lazar Markovic

Markovic's turn of pace could bamboozle opposition defences

The Serbian wonderkid is another player who is comfortable playing on either flank as well operating in the number 10 role as he adds to Brendan Rodgers’ fluid attacking system.

The pacey winger has a wonderful composure and likes to receive the ball in space before proceeding to run at opposing defenders with his mazy dribbling ability. He also has a remarkable workrate and looks to help out his fullback when not in possession.

He is expected to be used as a supersub during the initial few weeks and with his skill on the ball, combined with his pace and athleticism, he will be another play that looks a perfect fit for last season’s runner-ups.

5. Emre Can

He could be the midfield powerhouse that Liverpool have lacked 

Having only featured in a few games in the pre-season so far, Can has already established himself as the physical presence that Liverpool have lacked in midfield for far too long. He is a versatile player who is at his best playing the box to box midfielder role but is also a tough tackling defensive midfielder and can play left back with ease. 

He has immense energy and desire to make lung busting runs as well as stopping opposition attacks. He reads the game well and is therefore able to make interceptions and is capable of playing long balls to switch play. With outstanding composure for a 20-year-old, he could prove to be bargain buy amongst all other Liverpool signings.

Conclusion

Liverpool have spent a significant part of their transfer kitty on these men. However, the loss of Suarez and the responsibility of Champions League football could see the Reds going for one big signing this summer. Rodgers has shown that he can work wonders with hungry and talented players. With some exciting deals already concluded, keeping in mind that three of the five players came from Southampton, and a further few additions still on the way (in the likes of Javi Manquillo on loan from Atletico Madrid and rumoured arrival of Alberto Moreno), Liverpool fans have every reason to expect a good season. However, with the rivals strengthening considerably, Liverpool's reluctance to buying a big proven name in the market could cost them the top 4. Whether that happens or not remains to be see though as Rodgers has an uncanny knack of getting the best out of his team. 

Written By,
Raunaq Salat

Raunaq is a contributor to 18 Yard Box. 

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Ten Premier League stunners

The clock is ticking as slow as possible for the Premier League fans and as we all wait for the first ball to get kicked, 18 Yard Box's Pranav Byatnal and Pranav Shenoy take a look back into the past and pick out ten beauties for our readers to re-live. Enjoy watching. 

All goals are selected by our writers and are the team's personal favourites. There were plenty of stunners to choose from but we found these 10 the best. We no way claim that these are the 'top' ten goals of the Premier League and they are not in order of importance either. We hope you enjoy watching them.

1. Thierry Henry v/s Manchester United (courtesy-Coriat Cruz)

2. Wayne Rooney v/s Manchester City (courtesy- shaul6)

3. Dennis Bergkamp v/s Newcastle United (courtesy- HDArsenalVideos)

4. Pajtim Kasami v/s Crystal Palace (courtesy- Aniruddha Alek)

5. David Beckham v/s Wimbledon (courtesy- EveryFourthYear)

6. Anton Ferdinand v/s Fulham (courtesy- Will Gossage)

7. Matthew Taylor v/s Everton (courtesy- hogrider9)

8. Tony Yeboah v/s Wimbledon (courtesy- EveryFourthYear)

9. Tony Yeboah v/s Liverpool (courtesy- Nixie Mxie)

10. Steven Gerrard v/s Middlesborough (courtesy-thomaslfc04)

Chosen By,

Pranav Byatnal and Pranav Shenoy

Follow Pranav Byatnal on Twitter @pranavTH14

Follow Pranav Shenoy on Twitter (@Devilshenoy93)

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Pranav Byatnal and Pranav Shenoy are writers/contributors at 18 Yard Box.