Stoke City tactics
Mark Hughes set his side up in a 4-2-3-1 formation with a confident approach, looking to enjoy a fair amount of possession with two strikers adding aerial threat in the box while the full-backs and central midfielders played key roles in building attacks.
Glenn Whelan and Marco van Ginkel started as the two central midfielders, with Van Ginkel free to make third-man midfield runs from deep. Charlie Adam worked as the central attacking midfielder, linking up play as well as taking shots from distance behind the centre forward.
Ibrahim Afellay worked as an inverted wide midfielder down the left, where he hugged the touchline in order to isolate Nathaniel Clyne before supplying in-swinging crosses for the strikers.
On the right, Jonathan Walters supplemented the forward line from midfield by making diagonal runs to attack Liverpool’s inside left channel. Mame Biram Diouf started as the centre forward arcing his runs to the left to free space for Walters.
The Potters also had the direct option with Walters and Diouf providing targets for long diagonal balls. The pacy Diouf also provided Stoke with a threat in behind whenever Liverpool held a high line.
Diouf led the defending when the Potters were out of possession while Walters and Afellay tracked back with Liverpool’s full-backs. Adam minded Jordan Henderson when Liverpool worked the ball patiently, while Van Ginkel and Whelan protected the defenders in deeper central midfield positions.
Liverpool tactics
This was Liverpool’s first league game since they were outfought in a 6-1 drubbing by the Potters so Brendan Rodgers emphasised the need for his side to be competitive in order to stay in the game and get something.
Liverpool set up in a 4-1-4-1 formation with Jordan Henderson as the main holding midfielder. The Reds had the option to go direct to Christian Benteke with long goal-kicks but they relied mostly on building attacks through midfield.
Philippe Coutinho and James Milner dropped to collect the ball from the defenders before linking up play as central attacking midfielders. Jordan Ibe kept the width down the right flank as a natural winger while Adam Lallana drifted infield to help with the intricate play around Stoke City’s penalty box.
Benteke worked across the width of the Potters’ defence, providing a target for crosses as well as playing with his back to goal.
When out of possession, the Reds defended in a 4-5-1 formation with Benteke leading the defending. Milner and Coutinho engaged the Potters’ central midfielders while Henderson worked from the base of central midfield.
Lallana and Ibe completed the five in midfield by defending from the sides of the central midfielders.
Key tactical changes
Neither side really looked like they could get anything from the game in the opening 75 minutes. Both sides were too slow with their build-ups, which restricted Diouf and Benteke to scraps despite working hard in forward positions. Consequently, both teams managed single attempts at goal in that period.
Liverpool slightly edged the contest in the second-half so Hughes tried to see the game out by maintaining the energy levels in midfield. He took off Afellay, who ran out of steam, in favour of Peter Odemwingie. Steve Sidwell and Whelan completed the game as the holding midfielders, while Van Ginkel pushed to the number 10 role.
Liverpool showed more ambition in the last 15 minutes with Rodgers, pushing for a winner by completing the game with Henderson and Emre Can as the central midfielders. Coutinho and Roberto Firmino flanked Milner in a 4-2-3-1 formation for the Reds.
The game got a bit stretched in that last quarter-of-an-hour but neither side dominated the contest. Just when the possibility of a dull 0-0 draw seemed likely, Coutinho produced that magical moment that decided the game.
