In Liverpool's previous two matches, Brendan Rodgers has used a peculiar 'flipped' left side of the pitch, with nominal left-back Jose Enrique on the left of midfield, and left-winger Stewart Downing at left-back.
It's had mixed results: Enrique has rediscovered his form, but Downing doesn't look any more confident at left-back. He simply lacks the basic defensive awareness for the position, and although recent football history is littered with wide players successfully converted into rampaging full-backs, it's difficult to see Downing becoming the next Fabio Coentrao.
Downing lasted 77 minutes of the goalless draw against Swansea, and one minute longer in the 2-1 defeat at Tottenham; both times Rodgers selected a more attacking player, moving Enrique back to the left side of defence as Liverpool went in search of goals.
Rodgers will surely try to restore normality to that side of the pitch for this weekend's home fixture with Southampton, although Enrique has been impressive higher up the pitch, and it would be a shame to move him back to the position he had struggled in for much of 2012.
Instead, it would make more sense to return to the system used in the 3-0 victory over Wigan a fortnight ago; Enrique on the wing, but with Glen Johnson behind him, and Andre Wisdom at right-back. Johnson is entirely comfortable on the left, and Southampton right-winger Jason Puncheon usually makes 'narrow' runs towards goal anyway, rather than trying to speed down the outside, so having a right-footed player there might help.
