Brendan Rodgers

[Daniel 7]

I've been banging that drum for a while. The only reason I can come up with is that Rodgers came up with that formation to suit the players he had at his disposal but he always wanted to back to his preferred formation (4-3-3/4-2-3-1).

When Suarez left he had the money to buy those that fitted the formation he wanted but when that didn't work he went to 3 at the back. Started this year again with the Swansea formation and he got the target man he wanted (Benteke filling the Graham role).

The first sign of it not working he changed to 3 at the back again. It's like he wants to use the formation but he either hasn't got the players to suit it or is not confident enough in it to stick with it!

My problem with the 433 system is Firmino, Sturridge and Benteke. Where do you fit them in? Particularly Firmino. He doesn't seem to be a winger, so if he was bought to play in the Rodgers 433, where does he slot in? I can't help but think he's going to be compromised by it. Sturridge isn't going to be best used wide in a 433 - that's one reason why he was unhappy at Chelsea. Play Sturridge central, then what do you do with Benteke? It all seems scattergun.

The 3 central midfielders don't seem to fit either - Henderson and Milner fair enough, but who is the 3rd? Coutinho? Lucas? Suppose it depends on the opposition, but he's been sticking Coutinho wide on occasion and Lucas played more advanced on Saturday, which was disastrous.

I also don't get the panic reversion to 352 on Saturday, why buy Clyne if you're going to do that?

The diamond seems the only way to go with the players we have all being played in their potential best positions.

CF - Sturridge / Benteke / Ings / Origi
AMC - Firmino / Coutinho / Lallana
CM - Milner / Henderson / Coutinho
DM - Lucas / Milner

[Tribute]

All players either not good enough or so far not to make an impression on the first team (frees excluded)

some amount of money

...and you missed one final chunky slice out of that pie

Adam Lallana Southampton £25,000,000 * 1 July 2014

[Daniel 7]

Lallana was a waste of cash. Amongst others.

[The_weatherman]

My problem with the 433 system is Firmino, Sturridge and Benteke. Where do you fit them in? Particularly Firmino. He doesn't seem to be a winger, so if he was bought to play in the Rodgers 433, where does he slot in? I can't help but think he's going to be compromised by it. Sturridge isn't going to be best used wide in a 433 - that's one reason why he was unhappy at Chelsea. Play Sturridge central, then what do you do with Benteke? It all seems scattergun.

I don't see it working really, too many similar players.

The 3 central midfielders don't seem to fit either - Henderson and Milner fair enough, but who is the 3rd? Coutinho? Lucas? Suppose it depends on the opposition, but he's been sticking Coutinho wide on occasion and Lucas played more advanced on Saturday, which was disastrous.

I think this is essentially the same problem as upfront.

I also don't get the panic reversion to 352 on Saturday, why buy Clyne if you're going to do that?

That was weird and didn't address our problems IMO, plus we needed someone closer to Benteke as well.

The diamond seems the only way to go with the players we have all being played in their potential best positions.

CF - Sturridge / Benteke / Ings / Origi
AMC - Firmino / Coutinho / Lallana
CM - Milner / Henderson / Coutinho
DM - Lucas / Milner

It looks like that and three at the back are the best fits for us, I just have this nagging feeling that Rodgers needs to be seen as an innovator and thus tends to try to be too clever.

[tanner]

...and you missed one final chunky slice out of that pie

Adam Lallana Southampton £25,000,000 * 1 July 2014

Its not £25m, its been well documented on here that after after Bournemouth took their sell on fee, he actually cost about £7.50. Fact.

[danperkins]

Lallana was a waste of cash. Amongst others.

so far he has been an absolute waste of money & is a crock.

[5europeancups]

All players either not good enough or so far not to make an impression on the first team (frees excluded)

some amount of money

It s a bit early to judge Divock Origi. He has far more talent than Danny Ings. Let,s see what happens with him.

[Tribute]

Its not £25m, its been well documented on here that after after Bournemouth took their sell on fee, he actually cost about £7.50. Fact.

Haha!

[Shaggy]

Unless he starts producing very soon, I have to concede defeat on Lallana. Twenty five ****ing million quid. Add that to Lovren and those two alone..........****s sake.

[Tribute]

Unless he starts producing very soon, I have to concede defeat on Lallana. Twenty five ****ing million quid. Add that to Lovren and those two alone..........****s sake.

...makes the Sturridge and Coutinho price tags look like phenomenal value. And luck.

[danperkins]

====================
---------------Mig---------------
--Clyne-----Skrtel-----Sakho--
-------------Lucas-------------
---Milner-----------Henderson-
-------Firmino--Coutinho-----
-------Sturridge--Benteke-----

====================

---------------Mig---------------
--Clyne-----Skrtel-----Sakho--
----------Lucas--Can-----------
-----------Henderson-------
-----Firmino-------Coutinho-----
-------Sturridge--Benteke-----
====================

---------------Mig---------------
--Clyne---Skrtel--Sakho--Moreno
-------------Lucas-------------
---Milner-----------Henderson-
-----------Coutinho-----
-------Sturridge--Benteke-----
====================

---------------Mig---------------
--Clyne---Skrtel--Sakho--Gomez
-------------Can-------------
---Milner-----------Henderson-
-----------Coutinho-----
-------Sturridge--Benteke-----
====================

---------------Mig---------------
--Clyne---Skrtel--Sakho--Moreno
-------------Lucas-------------
---Milner-----------Henderson-
------------Coutinho-----
-------Sturridge--Benteke-----
====================

---------------Mig---------------
--Clyne---Gomez--Sakho--Moreno
-------------Lucas-------------
---Milner-----------Henderson-
-----------Coutinho-----
-------Firmino--Sturridge-----
====================

---------------Mig---------------
--Clyne----Sakho--Gomez
-------------Lucas-------------
---Milner-----Can------Henderson-
-----------Coutinho-----
-------Benteke--Sturridge-----
====================


**** knows

[Daniel 7]

---------------Mig---------------
--Clyne---Skrtel--Sakho--Moreno
-------------Lucas-------------
---Milner-----------Henderson-
------------Coutinho-----
-------Sturridge--Benteke-----
====================

That one for me, but I'd rather see Firmino behind the striker, Milner playing where Lucas is and Coutinho playing deeper

Can is a sub for me, at all times.

[Exiled_red]

Unless he starts producing very soon, I have to concede defeat on Lallana. Twenty five ****ing million quid. Add that to Lovren and those two alone..........****s sake.

I still think Lallana could come good, but with every passing game it seems to get less and less likely

Last summer was a complete cluster ****:
Lallana £25m
Lovren £20m
Markovic £20m
Ballotelli £16m

That's the Suarez money right there

[BubbaZanetti]

Unless he starts producing very soon, I have to concede defeat on Lallana. Twenty five ****ing million quid. Add that to Lovren and those two alone..........****s sake.

I was expecting a daffy dribbler that runs into blind corners, twists and turns until he loses the ball through dizziness and then spends 4 weeks in the treatment room after every 2 games so I'm well happy with the Lallana

[Shaggy]

I still think Lallana could come good, but with every passing game it seems to get less and less likely

Last summer was a complete cluster ****:
Lallana £25m
Lovren £20m
Markovic £20m
Ballotelli £16m

That's the Suarez money right there