Changes....

[Rosco]

Forget about Rodgson for now.

Despite the results there still have been some positives :
Benteke can score even when we're not creating a thing.
Gomez and Clyne overall are still better full backs than we've had recently.

Milner is a player. Ings looks useful when he's in the right part of the pitch - he could potentially link well with Benteke.

I think it's clear 4-3-3 isn't working, and we don't really have wingers to play the system apart from Ibe.

So what do you do?

I think we need a back four, and two up front. But the midfield doesn't have any obvious answer.

 

[Mors]

................Bogdan
Clyne..Gomez..Sakho...Moreno
..................Can
.....Milner............Coutinho
.................Firmino
.......Sturridge....Benteke

I'd like that to get given a run, due to me having no faith in the players that are missing from the lineup. Not gonna happen in a million years though.

I've put Can in the DM spot as we don't have a decent DM at the club and maybe Can will become one.

We've got to go back to 2 up top. Then for occasional use of the 433 we can utilise Lallana and Ibe.

 

[Frogfish]

Besides Rodgers playing players out of position our biggest issue is the most defensive MF position and with players such as Kendogbia and Illaramendi having gone to other clubs for fees we could easily have afforded it's now a conundrum. Even though I'm not a big fan Allen looks the best of a poor bunch, at least he knows how to distribute and keep the game flowing. At least until January.

Sakho needs to come in, hopefully Flanno is back soon and we can give Gomez a run at CB. Maybe Gomez-Sakho would be a good partnership, who knows but it can't be worse than Skrtel-Lovren.

Up front we have three options for one setup, if Sturridge breaks down again then either Firmino or Ings goes in a direct replacement.

.................................Mignolet

Clyne...........Gomez ............ Sakho ......... Flanno

................................... Allen

.......... Henderson ......................Milner

..................................Coutinho
................................ (Firmino)

........... Sturridge ..................... Benteke
........ (Ings / Firmino)

 

[keniget]

This is where our transfer strategy starts to unravel because whilst we've got talent in the squad, it's pretty difficult to devise a system that would make use of all the players we'd like to.

I quite like the idea of a counter-attacking 4-3-3 with Origi and Ibe supporting Benteke (or Sturridge when fit). The problems with that is it doesn't really feel like a long-term solution, hinges on two very young and raw attackers and leaves our midfield in a proper mess. So probably not a great solution.

I reckon I'd go for a bit of a Christmas tree formation. Again, I don't think it's a long-term proposition but it gets all of our supposed best players on the pitch in what is probably near enough their best position.

------------------ Ming
Clyne --- Skrtel -- Sakho --- Moreno
----------------- Lucas
------ Henderson --- Milner
------- Firmino --- Coutinho
-------------- Benteke

Clyne and Moreno are both very pacey and naturally like to cover the flank so on paper are ideally suited. Henderson and Milner cover a lot of ground and have both played their fare share of games out wide so again are ideally suited.

We lack pace to get in behind (would be solved by Sturridge coming into the team) and the DM position is not as good as it should be really but otherwise feels right.

If we fancy giving Origi or Ings a go we can swap out one of the attacking midfielders and go for the AC Milan style diamond.

 

[StevieM]

...............A Keeper
Clyne..Skrtel..Sakho...A LB
..................a DM
.....Milner............Henderson
.................Coutinho
.......Sturridge....Firmino

Benteke can play when Sturridge is broken or if we want a more physical presence.

Can isn't a DM - he'd be a disaster- but he'd be great as backup for Milner/Henderson.

 

[StevieM]

Shit.... I'm not supposed to be in here till next week.

Bugger

 

[Rosco]

I'd be tempted to give a bog standard 4-4-2 a go

Clyne Skrtel Sakho Gomez

Coutinho Henderson Milner Ibe

Benteke Ings / Firmino

 

[tony]

We were so deep in that first half and Benteke was so isolated it looked 9 -0-1 at times.

 

[Frogfish]

...............A Keeper
Clyne..Skrtel..Sakho...A LB
..................a DM
.....Milner............Henderson
.................Coutinho
.......Sturridge....Firmino

Benteke can play when Sturridge is broken or if we want a more physical presence.

Can isn't a DM - he'd be a disaster- but he'd be great as backup for Milner/Henderson.

Benching Benteke is pure insanity. He's the only genuine regular goal threat we've got at present and even when Studge comes back in there are no guarantees it won't take him a dozen games to get back up to speed (which it probably will).

 

[StevieM]

Benching Benteke is pure insanity. He's the only genuine regular goal threat we've got at present and even when Studge comes back in there are no guarantees it won't take him a dozen games to get back up to speed (which it probably will).

I was working on the basis that Sturridge is fit and in form - obviously Benteke plays until such point as Sturridge proves he's a better option.

This isn't my "next game" team, it's my "everyone's fit & in form" team - hence why I think we're 3 players short.

 

[HC]

Id go mental if Rodgers spunked the benteke fee on a subsitute for Studge.

I acrually think benteke will own the cf spot for the forseeable future. Agreed though, if sturridge were able to return to that form he has shown previously here it certainly adds to the rodgers first eleven' dilemma

 

[Oncy]

---------------------------------------Mignolet--------------------------------------------
Clyne-----------------Skrtel--------------------------Sakho--------------------Moreno
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------Henderson-------------------Milner------------------------------
Ibe--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Coutinho
-------------------Sturridge---------------------------Benteke--------------------------


I dont think its going to make much difference.
The manager isnt getting the most out of our players. Thats the problem.

 

[Dreambeliever]

I'd be tempted to give a bog standard 4-4-2 a go

Clyne Skrtel Sakho Gomez

Coutinho Henderson Milner Ibe

Benteke Ings / Firmino

442 is dead in professional football.

 

[Rosco]

Its unfashionable rather than dead

 

[Oncy]

Im with you Rosco simply because the players we have dont suit a 4-3-3

To be honest im unsure what they suit.

 

[Insignificance]

We need to settle a midfield. The problem is that we are extremelly unbalanced in personell. Noone to do the dirty ancklesnapping, no Natural DM (bar maybe Lucas), most players suitable for Central positions either as CM or AM. None really suitable for wide positions bar Ibe. So we have plenty players that can fit the same roles, but no Balance in the Squad.

I think we would suit a 2-3 in midfield With the two being Hendo and Milner. It will probably (definately) not protect the defence enough, but they might just be hard working enough to create some problems for oppositions. Off the 3, Coutinho is the obvious Central, but as most other also thrive best there I would send him out left, Ibe out right and try Firmino in the centre to see if that is where he Plays best. Lallana and Can can also play there if Firmino doesn't cut it.

That of course leaves us With a lonely striker, and Benteke at the moment must keep the Place, and Sturridge gets time to get into form.

 

[ILD]

Where is @Ryan btw? Busy being a father?

We are due a long post from him.

 

[davud graham]

Mignolet
Clyne Skrtel Sakho Gomez
Lucas
Henderson Milner
Coutinho
Benteke Ings

I'm still struggling to add width to the team but that's tricky when we've only got one natural wide player left at the club. Benteke needs help up front and Coutinho needs to be involved more and i don't think he gets that out wide. I'm sticking with Gomez even after a couple of mistakes in the last two games as he's still better than Moreno.
I've gone for Lucas as Can has been poor so far this season and doesn't seem to have enough of a defensive mentality to play as the holding player and Rossiter is maybe a tad too young/inexperienced, though I'd be prepared to give Rossiter a chance there before Can. We definitely need an upgrade on Lucas though and not doing so in the summer now looks a big mistake.
Because we sent so many players out on loan there aren't too many options among the fringe players at the moment and even the injured players (bar Flanagan and Sturridge) aren't in the positions we need.

 

[Oncy]

Mignolet
Clyne Skrtel Sakho Gomez
Lucas
Henderson Milner
Coutinho
Benteke Ings

I'm still struggling to add width to the team but that's tricky when we've only got one natural wide player left at the club. Benteke needs help up front and Coutinho needs to be involved more and i don't think he gets that out wide. I'm sticking with Gomez even after a couple of mistakes in the last two games as he's still better than Moreno.
I've gone for Lucas as Can has been poor so far this season and doesn't seem to have enough of a defensive mentality to play as the holding player and Rossiter is maybe a tad too young/inexperienced, though I'd be prepared to give Rossiter a chance there before Can. We definitely need an upgrade on Lucas though and not doing so in the summer now looks a big mistake.
Because we sent so many players out on loan there aren't too many options among the fringe players at the moment and even the injured players (bar Flanagan and Sturridge) aren't in the positions we need.

Not sure about Mignolet out there. Thats an open goal.

 

[davud graham]

Not sure about Mignolet out there. Thats an open goal.

It's okay I've doubled up on Right back

 

[Hansern]

Until Sturridge is fit to start I'd go:

Ming
Clyne Gomez Sakho Moreno
Can
Milner Henderson
Coutinho
Firmino Benteke

I cant take more of the Skrtel - Lovren partnership. Its shipping goals everywhere and its been a horror show in the last two games.

 

[Ryan]

Where is @Ryan btw? Busy being a father?

We are due a long post from him.

Just too busy with work mate.

Plus, what's the point in tactically analysing what's going wrong with us at the moment? It's not like folks can't see it.

Anyway, I'll be back at some point.

X

 

[JohnnyRocket]

Not a bad shout on the 4-4-2, but preferably a flexible on with the wide midfielders drifting in, and mobile strikers with plenty of movement.

4-4-2 isn't dead. The traditional implementation of it is though. Atletico won La Liga 2 years ago and got to a CL final with a 4-4-2. It's how you apply it. The days of the lazy goal poacher are over. Wide players must drift and be fluid rather than touchline huggers. Both CM's need to be able to hold their own defensively, and both strikers need to have plenty of movement, particularly coming out wide and working the channels.

Mignolet

Clyne Skrtel Sakho Moreno
Lucas
Milner Henderson Coutinho

Sturridge Ings / Firmino