Liverpool manager Rodgers usually deploys Gerrard in a more advanced role, but here he swapped with Lucas in an attempt to exert more control on proceedings.
If it takes away from the England and Anfield skipper’s ability to get into the penalty box, then the reshuffle allows Gerrard to get on the ball more often and prompt his team-mates.
It was noticeable the amount of defensive work he got through against Mark Hughes’ side as Liverpool won at the Britannia for the first time and Rodgers indicated that he is ready to repeat the experiment in the future.
“I just feel he’s someone who fits the profile of that role,” said Rodgers. “He does it a bit more with England and I think that in the period he had out through injury we had real success with playing with a controlling player and two guys pressing and playing further forward.
“I just feel that position is perfect for him. He’s got the personality to play it. When you play in that controlling role, you need someone who can get on the ball.
“He gives us great variety with his passing. You saw a couple of times from deep where some players might make a short pass, he opened the game up for us and stretched the game with his vision and quality.
“And I also thought he showed great leadership as well. He was sliding across, blocking lines of pass, he was dropping in, he was making headers.”
With the offensive options Liverpool possess in the likes of Luis Suarez, who scored twice, and Daniel Sturridge who came off the bench to grab the fifth (not to mention Philippe Coutinho, Raheem Sterling and Jordan Henderson), there is perhaps not as much emphasis on the need for Gerrard to explode into forward positions himself.
The long-term loser in the switch would appear to be Lucas, who has not scored in 104 games for the club and is less suited to playing in a more advanced role.
Liverpool face Aston Villa on Saturday when Rodgers must decide whether to ask Gerrard to reprise his role, but it is clearly in the manager’s thoughts.
“I think at this stage of his career (it could be the way forward),” added Rodgers.
“I have spoken a lot to him about it. It was just about the timing of him playing him the role. You saw him and I thought he played it really well.”
Written by Steve Milne – Have your say below 🙂
