Michael Owen has delivered an early insight to Steven Gerrard’s possible tactics as Rangers manager, saying his former teammate will most likely use a 4-3-3 formation.
Gerrard was announced as the new Rangers boss on Friday after weeks of speculation, signing a four-year deal to take over from Graeme Murty, who was relieved of his duties last week.
The Liverpool legend has appointed Gary McAllister as his number two, and will begin work in Glasgow in June, with Rangers being his first senior management position following 18 months with the Liverpool academy.
In a column for the Daily Mail, Owen said: “Where he now needs to show himself is tactically. It remains to be seen how he will fare in the heat of battle when he needs to analyse the game and make changes. But in the way he played, you could see he has a deep, instinctive understanding of the game, beyond what an average player would possess.
“My guess is he’ll be a 4-3-3 man. Other than short periods in his career, he played in a team with a back four. Likewise, I imagine he’ll want his team to pass rather than be direct all the time. That is how he’s been schooled under Gerard Houllier, Rafa Benitez and Brendan Rodgers, now his opposite number at Celtic.
“What will intrigue me is whether he takes on modern developments like splitting his centre-halves and pushing his full-backs right on. And whether he will have his team pressing like Klopp’s, so that they play in bursts. But by being close to Klopp in the last two years, he has at least been able to pick the brains of one of the game’s most interesting tacticians.”
OPINION
It will be interesting to see how Gerrard goes about his job tactically. In the age of modern football tactics have become much more complicated and it will be a massive task for Gerrard to work out how best to utilise his squad. This is probably the area where Gerrard will struggle the most, with his knowledge and commitment to the game unquestionable. It is also where he will need his assistant managers to step up and help him out as much as possible, with McAllister having previous management experience. Firstly though he must look into recruitment, with the Rangers squad well below par this season. There are several players who you feel that Gerrard will be able to improve massively, while there are others that will be straight out the exit door. The former Liverpool star has likely been given guarantees of a transfer budget this summer, with rumours that a cash-rich foreign investor has pledged funds to the club.