Christian Benteke

[Harv]

Gerrard was absolutely **** last season. Anyone would be an upgrade FFS. He was all over the place tactically and was chasing shadows most games.

Milner, Hendo, and Can will give us a three than can do it all.

[Lecter]

Given what we have seen of Milner in pre-season it would be the waste of a important creator and indeed scorer in have him patrolling the zone ahead of the CBs.

We seem to have wandered off topic....but what the hell

-----------Mignolet
-Clyne---Skrtel--Sakho--Left Back
-----------Lucas
-------Milner--Hendo
----------Coutinho
-----Sturridge-Benteke

-----------Mignolet
-Clyne---Skrtel--Sakho--Left Back
-----------Lucas
-------Milner---Coutinho
----------Firmino
-----Sturridge-Benteke

-----------Mignolet
-Clyne---Skrtel--Sakho--Left Back
-----------Lucas
-------Milner---Coutinho
----Ibe----Firmino
----------Benteke

----------Mignolet
-Clyne---Skrtel--Sakho--Left Back
-----------Lucas
-------Milner--Hendo
---Firmino---------Coutinho
-----------Benteke

I must caveat that by saying I have no idea how good Firmino is or isnt but based on the little bits of the Swindon game I saw I think he might play the sort of position I have put him in

Also the above system does create a bit of a problem if / when Sturridge returns

[Daniel 7]

Coutinho isn't great from wide, he'd be missed centrally.

[redmike65]

I think Coutinho has showed that he is quite useful from the flank of a diamond sending ball forward for speedy runners. I don't like him pushed to far wide though, it just gives him the chance to run into traffic or get isolated.

[Lecter]

Coutinho isn't great from wide, he'd be missed centrally.

I'm not asking him to play as an out and out winger

I think he does his best work in the width of the penalty box / probably the same with Firmino from what I have seen

The width I assume would come from the fullbacks bombing on

[Lecter]

I think Coutinho has showed that he is quite useful from the flank of a diamond sending ball forward for speedy runners. I don't like him pushed to far wide though, it just gives him the chance to run into traffic or get isolated.

[SB]

It worked well last year with Joe Allen didnt it

One minute your talking about a midfield of Hendo , Milner & Coutinho & suddenly your making your point using Joe Allen as an example. great example Lec

[SB]

I have missed your relentless negativity Lec

I dont see how comparing Allen to Milner helps things? They seem like totally different players (Because they are) and Milner has never struck me as being lightweight in Midfield.

[Lecter]

One minute your talking about a midfield of Hendo , Milner & Coutinho & suddenly your making your point using Joe Allen as an example. great example Lec

A midfield of Henderson, Milner & Coutinho is no different in terms of physicality than Henderson, Lucas (Gerrard) & Allen a midfield that was physically dominated and bullied on frequent occasions last season

Both will be bullied imo

Thats the point I am making

[SB]

A midfield of Henderson, Milner & Coutinho is no different in terms of physicality than Henderson, Lucas (Gerrard) & Allen a midfield that was physically dominated and bulled on frequent occasions last season

Both will be bullied imo

Thats the point I am making

Coutinho is the only light weight one in that 3 for me. Milner is a huge improvement on Gerrard of last year so I agree I'd prefer Can in the 3 with Coutinho further forward. Can offers more going forward than Lucas has at any point in his career. And he's a physical son of a bitch too.

[danperkins]

Milner is no more a controller (or a destroyer) at the base of midfield than Can or Allen, that's Lucas job and Lucas alone as things stand.

While it would frustrate plenty (and Ibe) a 4-4-2- diamond would be the defences best protection for me with Lucas starting every game.

[Rich]

Coutinho is the only light weight one in that 3 for me. Milner is a huge improvement on Gerrard of last year so I agree I'd prefer Can in the 3 with Coutinho further forward. Can offers more going forward than Lucas has at any point in his career. And he's a physical son of a bitch too.

Why do we need three central midfielders all capable of 'going forward'? Just don't get it at all.

You sound like you're wanting up to 8 players getting forward (3 attackers, 3 midfielders and both fullbacks)?! Is that right?

Assuming our fullbacks crack on then it is vital that we have a proper defensively minded midfielder - Can isn't that player.

[Lecter]

Coutinho is the only light weight one in that 3 for me. Milner is a huge improvement on Gerrard of last year so I agree I'd prefer Can in the 3 with Coutinho further forward. Can offers more going forward than Lucas has at any point in his career. And he's a physical son of a bitch too.

Again in terms of physicality / defensively we are no stronger with the 3 Frank suggested

I really like Can but I'm not sure hes the answer in that deeper position although at a push I'd play him (alongside Henderson & Milner) rather than go with the Milner, Henderson, Coutinho option

It will be interesting to see what Brendan goes for but for me the Henderson, Milner, Coutinho midfield leaves us wide open to being dominated physically and opened up easily through the middle (like we were often last season)

[Lecter]

Why do we need three central midfielders all capable of 'going forward'? Just don't get it at all.

You sound like you're wanting up to 8 players getting forward (3 attackers, 3 midfielders and both fullbacks)?! Is that right?

Assuming our fullbacks crack on then it is vital that we have a proper defensively minded midfielder - Can isn't that player.

Some of the formations and tactics we are seeing advocated have been very offensive, far more than the sides Brendan was putting out in 2013/2014 when he was really going for it in the run in

[RedReet]

Coutinho played successfully in a midfield trio in 13/14 and that must have been alongside Gerrard and Henderson.

As much as I'd probably prefer to see Lucas starting, I think it's likely that it will be Milner, Henderson and Coutinho, so I'm intrigued to see how it pans out. Milner and Henderson have looked good in pre-season, but I was a bit disappointed that we weren't put under a bit more pressure by Helsinki to see how the three would have coped.