Liverpool v Stoke Build Up

[Maxiedge]

My post earlier was what I'm pretty convinced Rodgers will go with, my team would be -

Jones
Manquillo Toure/Lovren Sakho Moreno (Sakho if fit, if not KT and DL)
Can Lucas
Hendo Sterling Lallana
Lambert.

I was at Wembley when Brad Jones played vs Everton, how he played that day is miles better than any Mingolet performance this season, he came for crosses and relieved pressure time and time again.

I'm in complete agreement with you. The questions for me would just be whether to play two up top, which I think would mean Lallana would have to be sacrificed (even though he's very good).

[frank the tank]

I want us to go on the front foot in games and attack but this would be extremely brave and against Stoke you know its going to be physical

For all I want to see us attacking teams, the biggest thing I want to see is us pressing teams high and I just dont think Coutinho in that role is condusive to providing that

i think Lucas, gerrard and Henderson are physical enough..... also, gerrard in the attacking mid role would give us the flexibility to drop him deeper when they have periods of pressure......

this is all on paper though. It's hard to legislate for a simple ball into the box, 11 lfc players against 4 opposition players and stupid goal conceded......

[Lecter]

i think Lucas, gerrard and Henderson are physical enough..... also, gerrard in the attacking mid role would give us the flexibility to drop him deeper when they have periods of pressure......

this is all on paper though. It's hard to legislate for a simple ball into the box, 11 lfc players against 4 opposition players and stupid goal conceded......

But you are asking Coutinho to be deeper, which means more pressure on him to be involved in the defensive side and to me he isnt physically capable of it

I am critical enough of Allen in that role for those reasons nevermind Coutinho

Personally Coutinho should be played at the tip of the diamond

The problem is, that is also Sterlings best position, Lallanas best position, maybe Gerrards best position and possibly Markovic's best position

[Maxiedge]

But you are asking Coutinho to be deeper, which means more pressure on him to be involved in the defensive side and to me he isnt physically capable of it

I am critical enough of Allen in that role for those reasons nevermind Coutinho

Personally Coutinho should be played at the tip of the diamond

The problem is, that is also Sterlings best position, Lallanas best position, maybe Gerrards best position and possibly Markovic's best position

Diamond formation is soooo last season

[dww]

Given that our defense is totally pointless I vote we move to a flat back one. It should be a straight fight between Lovren and Skrtel to claim this exalted place.

Essentially, for the Johathan Wilson aficionados, I think it is time we re-inverted the pyramid.

[Rigadon]

for me that isn't enough quality from an attacking perspective. Not one bit. Lambert would be too static and Lallana would be muscled out of it.......i don't think you can have a trio of Lucas, Can and Allen - for me either Can or Allen would need to go.

I would like to see:

----------------------------MIGNOLET------------------------

MANQUILLO------TOURE--------------LOV/SKRT----MORENO

----------------------------LUCAS-----------------------------

-----------------HENDERSON---------COUTINHO--------------

---------------------------GERRARD---------------------------

----STERLING-------------------------------------------------

-------------------------------------------BALOTELLI---------

Kind of see where you're coming from re: lack of attacking threat. However, stating Lambert is too static then picking Balotelli is quite funny. Then suggesting Lallana (playing behind the striker) being 'outmuscled' then picking Coutinho as a central midfilder seems a little bonkers

Truth is, our current midfiled shape (or lack of shape) offers little defensively and nothing in an attacking sense. Sterling needs a rest and Coutinho is wasted in a team that has very little movement upfront. Better (IMO) to try to control the midfield, provide better cover for our defence and rely on Lallana and Lambert to rekindle old friendships

[Rigadon]

Thats what I'd go for, rest Sterling, power and energy in the middle, give Toure another nod ahead of Lovren.

[Rigadon]

I am sure he will be

We really need a fit Sakho, badly! Rather than a really bad Lovren

[Bender]

Balotelli out injured for this game,No Sakho either

[frank the tank]

But you are asking Coutinho to be deeper, which means more pressure on him to be involved in the defensive side and to me he isnt physically capable of it

I am critical enough of Allen in that role for those reasons nevermind Coutinho

Personally Coutinho should be played at the tip of the diamond

The problem is, that is also Sterlings best position, Lallanas best position, maybe Gerrards best position and possibly Markovic's best position

i know what you are saying but for me if Coutinho is to be effective, then he needs multiple players in front of him. When we really hit the purple patch in the 2nd half of last season, that was when we had the Gerrard, Henderson, Coutinho midfield with Sterling Suarez and Sturridge moving in front of coutinho. If you put coutinho in a too advanced position on the pitch, then my feeling is that he becomes the receiver of the critical pass as opposed to the player that actually plays the critical pass. And then we are looking for Coutinho to be the guy who beats the final defender and either squares it to a runner or bursts into the box himself. His shooting isn't good enough and also Sterling is a better bet to be that guy who beats the final defender....

I get what you are saying about how we need to tighten up defensively but i think the worst thing to do is play loads of defensively minded players. They will naturally sit a further 5 yards back and invite more and more pressure. Stoke then get into dangerous positions 10% more easily and get to play dangerous balls into the likes of Crouch - which have been proved to screw us this season already....

For me the best approach is to stick with the system that brought us so much sucess last year. Change personnel that can not sucessfully integrate into that system - ie put Lucas in DM to cover the full backs when they bomb on.

The main way we are going to improve is by:
1. Cutting out stupid individual errors....
2. Tighten up big time at set pieces. A big way to achieve this is to not give them away in the first place!!! Keep the ball better.......especially if and when we are winning the game
3. Increase the tempo big time high up the pitch. Get 55 minutes of Balotelli bursting a gut as opposed to 90 minutes of Statutelli.... same for Sterling..... we spent over 100m on our bench so we should get blood and sweat out of the players on the pitch and have others to come on and do the same....

[Bender]

James Pearce @JamesPearceEcho · 23m 23 minutes ago
Rodgers: Glen Johnson can play either side. We always pick the best team to win the game. #LFC

[Fierce]

Given that our defense is totally pointless I vote we move to a flat back one. It should be a straight fight between Lovren and Skrtel to claim this exalted place.

Essentially, for the Johathan Wilson aficionados, I think it is time we re-inverted the pyramid.

To the death, presumably

[Doc_Piptorious]

James Pearce @JamesPearceEcho · 23m 23 minutes ago
Rodgers: Glen Johnson can play either side. We always pick the best team to win the game. #LFC

Be nice if he put in a performance that benefited our side more than the other side. Have that Brendan

[ChrisDR1968]

I think his team is pretty easy to predict tbh, he's spoke a lot about picking players he can rely on to work hard and do the basics for him.
He talked up Lucas and Allen in the holding role and also both full backs.

I think he'll pick

Mingolet
Manquillo Skrtel Lovren Johnson
Allen Lucas
Hendo Gerrard Lallana
Lambert.

Why would he bring Lovren back into the side? The centre backs did ok in midweek. I'd like us to see the same side for a few games in a row (apart from the Belguim wonder in goal obviously). There's a lot to be said for continuity. Chopping and changing for each game is something Rafa was famed for... with very patchy results

[baitman]

start with

Mig
Manquillo - Skrtel - Toure - Moreno
Lucas
Henderson - Gerrard - Can
Lallana
Lambert

later; sterling for lala, borini for lambo, allen for gerrard.