KopTalk.com Forums Football Liverpool FC Forum If you were our tactician...

1. What formation would you play?

2. Who would make your first XI right now?

3. Name any players (not a bench as such) who are of equal quality or able to step in to that team right now.

4. Name the alternatives where possible

No extra signings, only those players currently in the squad.

Just for the record, my team would play a similar 4-3-3 formation, albeit with one midfielder sitting between two offensive minded central midfielders. Something along these lines.

---------------- Mignolet --------------- (Reina) Jones
-----------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------
----------- Skrtel ---- Agger ----------- (Toure) Coates
-----------------------------------------
- Johnson --------------------- Enrique - (Kelly) Wisdom -- (N/A - Johnson can fill in here) Robinson
-----------------------------------------
----------------- Lucas ----------------- (Allen, Toure could cover here) Spearing, Coady
-----------------------------------------
------- Gerrard ------------------------- (Henderson, Allen can play here) N/A
------------------------- Coutinho ------ (N/A - Gerrard can play here) Luis Alberto
-----------------------------------------
- Aspas ---------------------------------(Borini) Sterling
-------------------------------- Suarez -(Downing) Assaidi, Ibe
-----------------------------------------
--------------- Sturridge --------------- (N/A - Suarez is an obvious alternative here) Yesil

I tried to fill in names only once, with the obvious clarity on who could fill multiple positions where necessary. I left out Pacheco given his recent statement on leaving. Anyway...

Now it's up to you...

................................Mignolet.....................................:(alternatives: JMR)

......................toure........agger........kelly....................: (alternatives: skrtel, wisdom, coates)


johnson..........................................................enrique: (alternatives - GJ, MK)


...........................gerrard.....lucas...............................: (alternatives - reluctantly, allen or henderson)


.................................coutinho....................................: (alternatives - SG, LS, alberto)

.................suarez......................sturridge...................: (alternatives - yesil, borini, aspas)




I would make a central midfielder and a wingback my priority.

I should have highlighted that I would be looking for a left-back, and an attacking midfielder able to play out wide.

I was tempted to go three at the back, but because of the lack of an alternative left wing-back (not sure Robinson could play there as an alternative) I decided not to. Makes good use of the squad though I must admit. I'd like to see that team play, although, it does put a lot of emphasis on Gerrard to support Johnson on the right, and Coutinho to attempt to do the same on the left at times. If Lucas was more like the adventurous midfielder he started out as, I could see that formation working really well.

I have never liked 3 at the back, but I believe a defensive midfielder should drop in to provide cover.

I have also never liked 1 up front, but I understand that the more bodies in midfield the more a team can dictate play with or without the ball, so hopefully Coutiho can fit in.



Defensive position

---------------- Mignolet ---------------
----------- Skrtel ---- Agger -----------
- Johnson -------- Lucas ------ Enrique -
-----------------------------------------
- Aspas -------- Gerrard ----- Coutinho -
-----------------------------------------
------ Sturridge --------- Sterling -----
-----------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------

Lucas drops back to protect the defence
If positionally ok, Coutinho drops to cover the left so that Sterling and Sturridge can use pace on the counter.


Offensive position


---------------- Mignolet ---------------
-----------------------------------------
------ Skrtel ------------- Agger -------
----------------- Lucas -----------------
- Johnson --------------------- Enrique -
------------- Gerrard -------------------
-- Aspas -------------------- Sterling --
-------------------- Coutinho -----------
------------ Sturridge ------------------

Coutinho moves up to play in the hole


Need to see how Aspas fits into the team. The weight on Coutinho is massive so it makes sense to buy a player to fit this role or out wide. With Johnson able to makeshift cover left back, I really would like to see a central defender arrive. I have no faith in the consistency of Skrtel and Toure seems too short and slow.

I like the looks of Careehx team. I agree though we do need a better midfield. We lost out on Henrikh M, we need someone to play a similar role he would have done.

Yeah that looks ok, but very defensive minded for me, I’d prefer a 4 - 3 - 3 and I’d go for something like:
Renia
Johnson, Kelly, Agger, Enrique
Gerrard, Lucas, Coutinho
Aspas Sturridge, Suarez

Counter attacking/defensive without the ball, but when in possession the wingbacks become wingers and move forward in line with coutinho to make it an attacking yet balanced, 3-2-3-2 formation. Obviously. ;-)

We were absolutely poor in counter attacks last year, I hope it gets better. Because as soon as we were making a forward charge for a counter attack, we just fizzed out seconds after.

What do you suggest we do instead when we win back possession - not attack?

No I was saying, our counter attacking needs to improve as it was horrible last year.