Brendan Rodgers

[RichC]

Yup, I'd be looking at the 4-4-2 with Firmino up top or floating around him and Coutinho (when available) at the tip of the diamond. Milner, Henderson and Can/Lucas at the base with a back 4 of Clyne, Sakho and 2 others.

[danperkins]

I don't think 4-3-3 suits us either. I'd be looking at a 4-4-2 diamond.

[captainfog]

Rodgers doesn't sign players to fit one system. He has a bunch of players all better suited to different systems which is is why I reckon is one of the reasons he struggles no matter what formation he uses.

[redmike65]

Which means that either Henderson or milner will sit at the base or be split wide. Won't happen. Milner came to play centrally.

For Utd I'd go

--------Mignolet
Clyne-Skrtel-Sakho-Moreno
---------Lucas
-----Hendo-Can
--------Milner
----Ings--Benteke

and otherwise with everyone fit, sorry Hendo!

--------Mignolet
Clyne-Skrtel-Sakho-Moreno
---------Lucas
-----Milner-Coutinho
---------Firmino
----Sturridge--Benteke

[danperkins]

Rodgers doesn't sign players to fit one system. He has a bunch of players all better suited to different systems which is is why I reckon is one of the reasons he struggles no matter what formation he uses.

spot on

[fidget]

Which means that either Henderson or milner will sit at the base or be split wide. Won't happen. Milner came to play centrally.

That won't bother Brendan if it saves his skin.

[Exiled_red]

Yup it's a funny one. I don't think being 1 down inside 5 minutes helped us but there is the case he flip flops from being bang on to being way off what's needed. West Ham did their homework on how to defend against us and we lacked both men in the box and the ability with the final ball.

I sort of feel the 4-3-3 we're setting up with doesn't get the most out of players, both Coutinho and Firmino are looking to do the same things and leaving Benteke isolated up top. I said in another thread perhaps the enforced loss of Coutinho might help us as we've no choice but to change things around a bit - up to BR to get those changes right though

I don't think 4-3-3 suits us either. I'd be looking at a 4-4-2 diamond.

I think it comes back to what alot of us were saying in the summer, (and what I feel LFC have done alot over the last 20 years) we have some good players but we don't have a system which gets the best out of them, which makes you then ask did we make the right signings?

For me if we play 4-3-3 we need two wide forwards, Coutinho and Firmino are our most attacking/creative players but neither would be suited to those roles, which leaves Lallana, Ibe and Markovic suited to them, Markovic has been shipped out, Ibe is still young and Lallana hasn't been on great form. Failing that you play a Sturridge, Origi or Ings in the wide forward positions, but that doesn't seem to be the plan so far.

If you go 4-4-2 again the best players for a wide role are Lallana, Ibe and Markovic (see comments above) Perhaps Firmino and Coutinho might be slightly better as a wide player from deep but you are taking both out of their best positions and I wouldn't play them there. If you go with a diamond that puts Coutinho at the tip and someone in a holding role, but raises questions about where Henderson and Milner play - they could play the 'wide' roles as narrow CMs but that leaves us with no width unless we rely on the fullbacks bombing forward which leaves us exposed at the back.

We don't seem to have the players to play any of these systems, and I'm not having a pop at Firmino here but would the ~£30m we spent on him have been better used signing someone who answers these questions?

[danperkins]

I think it comes back to what alot of us were saying in the summer, (and what I feel LFC have done alot over the last 20 years) we have some good players but we don't have a system which gets the best out of them, which makes you then ask did we make the right signings?

For me if we play 4-3-3 we need two wide forwards, Coutinho and Firmino are our most attacking/creative players but neither would be suited to those roles, which leaves Lallana, Ibe and Markovic suited to them, Markovic has been shipped out, Ibe is still young and Lallana hasn't been on great form. Failing that you play a Sturridge, Origi or Ings in the wide forward positions, but that doesn't seem to be the plan so far.

If you go 4-4-2 again the best players for a wide role are Lallana, Ibe and Markovic (see comments above) Perhaps Firmino and Coutinho might be slightly better as a wide player from deep but you are taking both out of their best positions and I wouldn't play them there. If you go with a diamond that puts Coutinho at the tip and someone in a holding role, but raises questions about where Henderson and Milner play.

We don't seem to have the players to play any of these systems, and I'm not having a pop at Firmino here but would the ~£30m we spent on him have been better used signing someone who answers these questions?

yeah you're absolutely spot on mate.

[Fosterbloke]

I don't think 4-3-3 suits us either. I'd be looking at a 4-4-2 diamond.

We'd be a lot more solid with Clyne and Moreno/Gomez as full backs than we were in 2013/14.

I think we'd also need a very quick and mobile DM. Hendo and Milner can do the leg work to get it to Coutinho/Firmino/Sturridge/Benteke or whoever is playing up top.

Lovren needs to have his contract torn up for fraud.

[Exiled_red]

Rodgers doesn't sign players to fit one system. He has a bunch of players all better suited to different systems which is is why I reckon is one of the reasons he struggles no matter what formation he uses.

[danperkins]

Someone like Coquelin would be fantastic in our "system".

[Keyser Soze]

The thing with Rodgers is that he had the blue print to success.
The 4-4-2 diamond worked - it worked so well others managers pinched it.
Yes we lost Suarez, so you go to the market and find a player that is similar in his traits. You add a quality holding midfielder to screen our lemming defenders and buy some decent fullbacks.
How hard is that? instead we buy some turds, he goes back like every ****ing year to his Swansea formation and we're ****ed

Talk about shooting yourself in the foot.

[BobTheCharmer]

Someone like Coquelin would be fantastic in our "system".

Maybe. But when it looked like old knackered legs Lucas was off everyone went ape. Yet Lucas played yesterday and at stoke and at Arsenal last year when we got smacked.

I'm all for getting an athletic holding midfielder in but they don't exactly grow on trees.

[fidget]

Maybe. But when it looked like old knackered legs Lucas was off everyone went ape. Yet Lucas played yesterday and at stoke and at Arsenal last year when we got smacked.

I'm all for getting an athletic holding midfielder in but they don't exactly grow on trees.

Bob - how do you think we should set up for united?

[Keyser Soze]

Someone like Coquelin would be fantastic in our "system".

Dumb and dumber at the back need protection because:

1. They are stupid
2. Weak in strength/Get bullied
3. Slow

We've needed a strong powerful holding midfielder for years but he feels we don't need one. Why did Lovren look good at Southampton - Schneiderlin and Wanyama.

He either signs one or he bins the two plonkers off.