Harry Redknapp’s route one tactics were spot-on but QPR wasted chances

http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2014/oct/19/harry-redknapp-route-one-qpr-brendan-rodgers

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Liverpool triumphed following an incredible finale, but Harry Redknapp’s tactics outwitted Brendan Rodgers, ensuring QPR dominated for long periods, and the home side should have been out of sight by half-time.

QPR’s approach was rudimentary, old-fashioned route one. They wasted little time before launching the ball downfield towards Bobby Zamora, who played up against Dejan Lovren, overpowering him in aerial challenges and running in behind. Charlie Austin fed off scraps, coming close to an opener having bundled past both Liverpool centre-backs and Simon Mignolet, which summed up QPR’s tactics.

Redknapp played a 4-4-2, although the identity of the wide players meant QPR were lopsided. Mauricio Isla hugged the touchline on the right, but on the opposite flank Leroy Fer, a box-to-box midfielder by trade, played narrower and charged into goalscoring positions. Twice in the first half, Fer stuck the bar having met a Zamora ball from the right – first a low pull-back, then a chipped cross. On both occasions, Zamora had combined neatly with Isla in the build-up.

QPR were energetic without the ball, pressing aggressively when Mignolet passed the ball into the Liverpool defenders. Emre Can, Liverpool’s deepest midfielder, struggled to set the tempo, and while Steven Gerrard was playing in an advanced position, it was surprising he did not drop deeper to help Liverpool get a grip on the game.

QPR had some nervous moments when Liverpool bypassed that press, however – Steven Caulker and Richard Dunne are not comfortable high up the pitch and played a dodgy offside trap, while a couple of dangerous Liverpool counter-attacks were halted only by Mario Balotelli’s wastefulness.

Inevitably Rodgers changed things at half-time, flipping his midfield trio to put Gerrard at the base. The Liverpool captain has recently encountered problems in that position, but without a tricky No10 to mark, he brought some authority to Liverpool’s passing, particularly as QPR could not sustain their pressing. The more the tempo dropped, the more Liverpool dominated, and once Raheem Sterling took control, it was not a surprise when Liverpool went ahead through Richard Dunne’s own goal.

The astonishing climax was purely about QPR’s set-pieces against Liverpool’s counter-attack, with both teams scoring two goals from those approaches, revealing much about their failings. Liverpool simply couldn’t cope with high aerial balls, while QPR lacked a reliable holding midfielder following Sandro’s departure to injury, and the lack of pace in defence was exposed horribly.

“We’d have had no complaints if we’d come away with nothing,” Gerrard admitted afterwards. “We’re very lucky to come away with three points – our performance needs to be better.” This match was notable primarily for the late goalfest, but it should also be remembered as the most incompetent display imaginable from a winning side.