Christian Benteke

[ronanm]

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

Agreed Powder puff midfield imo.

[RedReet]

I actually wouldn’t mind seeing Can as the furthest forward of our midfield three rather than the DM. Think it would be a shame to shackle him, rather mould him into our Ballack.

[Lecter]

Which other top sides play with all their midfielders being so offensive

All seem to have a holding player / controller / deep lying playmaker

[RedReet]

If we follow the same template of the top teams then we’ll lose, as they’ll always have better players. It's up to us to try something different.

We thought it was suicide moving Gerrard back there, yet we destroyed all that came before us (bar Chelsea and Palace ) so have to hope that this is a similar masterstroke.

[meffin]

What i'd like to see

[Fosterbloke]

Our powder puff midfield dominated Man City last season.

Markovic - Henderson - Allen - Moreno

[Lecter]

If we follow the same template of the top teams then we’ll lose, as they’ll always have better players. It's up to us to try something different.

We thought it was suicide moving Gerrard back there, yet we destroyed all that came before us (bar Chelsea and Palace ) so have to hope that this is a similar masterstroke.

Hmmm we had a very good run during that campaign but I'm not sure we "destroyed" all

At times our games hung on a knife edge and we were basically just slugging it out like a punch drunk boxer

When you actually look back at those games and see how we actually won those games, frequently we took the lead from a set piece (or two) then we would just trade blows till the end

Last season was interesting because teams came with a definite idea of how to combat us and they did that by being far more physical than the 2013-2014 season. I'm not convinced that the gung-ho all out attack attitude will be as successful as it was in 2013-2014

[Lecter]

Our powder puff midfield dominated Man City last season.

Markovic - Henderson - Allen - Moreno

Bit of artistic licence there

Considering we played with 3 at the back with Markovic & Moreno as wingbacks

The midfield was probably Henderson, Allen, Coutinho & Lallana (with Sterling up top)

City were ****ing terrible that day, Fernando / Fenrnadinho & Toure were shockingly bad that day

[Rich]

If we don't get the balance right in midfield then I fear that we'll have another season like the last with our centrebacks and goalie horribly exposed. You could stick Tiago Silva back there and it wouldn't help if don't get it right in midfield.

[Lecter]

If we don't get the balance right in midfield then I fear that we'll have another season like the last with our centrebacks and goalie horribly exposed. You could stick Tiago Silva back there and it wouldn't help if don't get it right in midfield.

Personally I think the balance has to be right in both

****ing useless having a good midfield if you have Lovren as one of your centrebacks

[ronanm]

Bit of artistic licence there

Considering we played with 3 at the back with Markovic & Moreno as wingbacks

The midfield was probably Henderson, Allen, Coutinho & Lallana (with Sterling up top)

City were ****ing terrible that day, Fernando / Fenrnadinho & Toure were shockingly bad that day

Why let the facts get in the way?

[Rich]

Personally I think the balance has to be right in both

****ing useless having a good midfield if you have Lovren as one of your centrebacks

Well yes, however Lovren wouldn't be quite so **** if he had Lucas sitting in front of him all game, every game.

[Paddy]

Wonder how Benteke is getting on today...

[Chris]

Wonder how Benteke is getting on today...

A cracking goal, an unbeaten pre season and the world is ending again!

[Exiled_red]

If we are playing a narrow forward line and expecting the full backs to provide width we need an out and out DM, Can doesn't match that description, it has to be Lucas (or we sign someone) the player in that position almost has to have no interest in getting foward otherwise we'll get caught with 7 or 8 men up the field all the time.