Adam Lallana has taken awhile to settle in at Anfield. A knee injury forced him to miss low stress preseason matches that could have helped him adjust to his new team in a calmer atmosphere, but his recent performances indicate that he is close to his best form once again. Against Arsenal, Lallana created five chances and looked every bit of the elegant playmaker that Liverpool paid £23million to sign.
"I feel as if I'm getting to the form I want to be at," Lallana said to the Liverpool Echo.
His improvement coincides with Brendan Rodgers' decision to move him into a central attacking position rather than the wide role he occupied earlier in the year. In the fluid 3-4-3 formation used last Sunday, Lallana joined forces with Philippe Coutinho and Raheem Sterling in the space just in front of Arsenal's center backs to wreak havoc on the Gunner defense.
"I do think a central role is where I am best. It's where I played most of my football last season," Lallana said on his recent position. "I can play a variety of roles but I do enjoy playing that position."
"I'm able to influence games more when I'm playing inside. I can get on the ball and twist and turn."
Liverpool have shown signs that an offensive resurgence could be imminent. Against Manchester United the Reds created plenty of chances, and in the next two matches against Bournemouth and Arsenal they were able to convert their chances into goals, scoring five times in those two games.
Lallana has been a key figure in Liverpool's recent turnaround, so it is reasonable to expect that his name not only continues to appear on the team sheet but that Rodgers keeps playing him in his preferred central position. It had been a challenge to include both Lallana and Coutinho in their natural positions, but in the 3-4-3 it has become possible to play both through the middle and Liverpool are reaping the benefits of the new shape.