Tiki Taka Explained : The new Liverpool Way

The Tiki Taka Playing style is one of the most attractive and dominating style of playing football, which makes the game of football look even better. New Liverpool Boss Brendan Rodgers, who has replaced Dalglish as Liverpool’s manager would be following the Tiki Taka style, which brought success to his former team, Swansea football club. But the question is, does Liverpool have such kind of players who can adapt to the short passing game?

Spain won the European Cup in 2008 and World Cup in 2010 without players that fit the ‘long ball’ mould. They won the tournaments playing ‘Tiki-Taka’ football, a type of football that has found its roots in Holland’s ‘total football’, but this time instead of a system that allowed players to interchange positions fluently it turned its focus on the fluency of possession and the very importance of it. This approach aimed to control both the ball and the opposition.

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Brendan Rodgers of Swansea FC swears by ‘Tiki-Taka’ football and the recent all round appreciation for the way that Swansea play football has become of significant interest:

“I like to control games. I like to be responsible for our own destiny. If you are better than your opponent with the ball you have a 79 per cent chance of winning the game – for me it is quite logical. It doesn’t matter how big or small you are, if you don’t have the ball you can’t score.

“My template for everything is organisation. With the ball you have to know the movement patterns, the rotation, the fluidity and positioning of the team. Then there’s our defensive organisation…so if it is not going well we have a default mechanism which makes us hard to beat and we can pass our way into the game again. Rest with the ball. Then we’ll build again.” (Rodgers 2012)

There are some players in the current Liverpool squad who will perfectly fit into such scheme of things. One of the last summer buy that could be the best bet for Liverpool in the short passing style football is Jordan Henderson. Even though not the most technically gifted player in the squad, Henderson is really good when it comes to short quick passing and he can move with or without the ball with ease. If the Rumours are to be believed, Joe Cole and Aquilani will be brought back, as their game would also fit Rodgers bill perfectly. When it comes to Technically ability, Joe cole is one of the most gifted English player’s. Both Cole and Aquilani could be a huge hit under Rodgers, as they are naturally attacking players with quick passing skills. Suarez and Gerrard also suit the quick short pass and move style of play which we’ll be playing next season.

However the problem is what happens when these first team players get Injured. Unlike Barcelona, Liverpool FC is not a Club that has been brought up playing this style. You cannot expect any of the youngster’s to come in, fill their boots and play the Tiki taka Straight away unless this style of football is adopted by the club as a whole. Lets hope the under 18′s and reserves will also adopt this new playing style, so when players are good enough they can be promoted to the main team and understand our style of play . I feel Rodgers still needs to buy three or four players who is familiar with this style and move on some players who he feels won’t fit into his new philosophy. If It does click then Tiki Taka football would be on the lips of every Liverpool fan.

What’s everyone’s thoughts on the Tiki Taka style of play we hope to adopt under Rodgers? Which three or four players should we bring in to suit this new style and boost our squad?