With the signings we have made since January, I have often lay in bed at night and let my mind wonder to the thought of what are starting 11 will be this coming season. If for arguments sake we say that there will be no more transfer activity after the completion of the Downing deal, these are my thoughts:
I wonder what a 3-5-2 would be like:
Pepe Reina (GK) – Easily the number 1 keeper in the Premier League and most would argue the best in Europe though I would put him in the top 5.
Agger (CB) – If he can stay injury free this season he is easily one of the most technically gifted centre backs in the premiership, with skill, composure, an eye for a pass and the ability to maraud forward and unleash a cracking left footed strike, I would pick him every day of the week.
Skrtel (CB) – Did not miss a single game for us last season, he has finally recovered from the fractured jaw he received in a clash with Carragher away to Man City a couple of seasons ago and I would have no qualms placing him in the starting 11.
Carragher (CB) – No need for an explanation, though I do think it could be his final year at the heart of the defence, a replacement must be found.
Kelly (right or left wing back)– This lad has the stamina of a horse, I saw a quote the other day from a LFC coach who said in all his years of football (30+) he had not seen a player with the fitness and stamina levels of young Kelly. Tall, quick and athletic are all the attributes that make a fine wing back.
Johnson (opposite to where Kelly plays) – In 2 years at Liverpool he has shown he can be one of the most potent attacking defenders in European football. His defending leaves a lot to be desired, take more of that side of the game away and let him attack and who knows what could happen.
Gerrard (CM) – Stevie is in my top 5 of all time players and will undoubtedly be the first name written on Kenny’s team sheet.
Adam (CM) – Our Scottish Xabi Alonso, if he has 50% of what Xabi gave us we are on to a winner, fantastic set piece taker and the ability to pass a ball 1 yard or 100 yards, at around £7 million he could be a snip.
Downing (CM) – Stats speak for themselves, not everyone’s cup of tea, and yes over priced but as fans we cannot dictate the price, we choose from the options available and Downing would be in the team week in week out for me.
Carroll (CF) – What a player this Geordie lad could be, still very raw and has a lot to learn, but look at the teachers around him. If he can curb his wild private life and focus on football, Carroll will lead our front line for the next ten years.
Suarez (CF) – Our South American work horse has proven in just 6 months that he is going to be a special player, with the right service and continued work ethic the sky is the limit for this fantastic Uruguayan.
I know I have left players out; Kuyt, Lucas, Henderson, Cole, Flanagan, Robinson, but there are only 11 spaces on the team sheet and we must accept that over 20 years since a title graced the halls of Anfield, a massive shake up is needed. All the above have Premiership experience, with the exception of Suarez there is no language barrier, the spine is rock solid.
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————Reina———–
–Carra——Skrtel—–Agger
———–Lucas————-
Gerrard—-Adam—-Downing
——-Suarez—Carroll—–
U only playin with 10 players yeh!!!!
Which manager sends out a 10 man team to play football these days?
I would go for 4-2-3-1
Johnson-Carragher-Skrtel/Agger-New LB
Lucas-Adam
Meireles/Aquilani-Gerrard/Henderson-Downing
Carroll-Suarez
That will suit LFC, in this case you will be able to accommodate more attacking players..
Any one agree ?
U idiot, that’s 11 players!!! Don’t u want a goalie in ur team.
I agree with the author of the article more.
Your line up seems to lack attacking options on the right with Meireles not being known as a wide player. Meireles best position is still in the final third, in the hole and little more central. The author has chosen the line up that suits the players and is able to bring out the best in each player.
e.g.
Agger – able to bring the ball out of defence. The author puts Charlie Adam in CM which means, there is space for Agger to stride into. Agger will also cover the spaces left open by Charlie Adam.
Carra – Speed not being his forte, he is amply covered by Johnson/Kelly (right front) and Skrtel (left ). He will be playing with Skrtel as the two main CB when Agger moves up into the space in midfield.
He is also strong in challenges, has experience and strong enough in the air, thereby in tis lineup he is played to his strength and his weakness reduced.
Skrtel – Will play essentially the same role as Carra but on the right of the CM defence, getting cover from Johnson/Kelly (left front) as well as Agger.
Charlie Adam – Being played centrally will enable him to spray his passes and dictate the game with Stevie G. He can find Carroll’s head from this position well, is always open to receive from the 3 CBs as well as the wing backs.
Stevie G – The most dangerous player in our line up that might have gone unnoticed recently. Being played centrally and a little out right, he is capable of destructive damage to the opposition. Has good cover and is able to find Suarez, Carroll as well as pose a threat from this position.
Downing- Will be given the wider role to play but will have option of coming into centre when needed, with Suarez and Kelly/Johnson doing overlaps. A great addition and will be able to find Carroll’s head from here as well as capable of a goal threat. Can also lay off passes to the other gifted CMs. Should be given the role to take on corner kicks leaving Charlie Adam, Stevie G to pose the threats.
Suarez – will benefit immensely from Carroll, Stevie G, Charlie Adam, Downing and overlapping fullbacks.
Carroll – will benefit enormously from wingbacks and crosses coming in from the side as well as from centre of midfield ( Charlie Adam )
YNWA.
The thing most people forget is that in this 3-5-2 line up, it is not static. During the game, it is so capable of changing its form into different formations with the players performing different roles and the best part is that all the players the author mentioned are capable of performing that.
the player that you have missed out more than all others is Aqualani, I would have him in the team, has fully recovered, has vision, can pass, is quick and ideal to feed the likes of Downing, Gerard and Suarez who can all pass and move. For me it would have to be a flat back four without Skrtl, Gerard, Adam, Aqualani, Downing with Suarez and Kuyt / Carrol. At the moment I would have to go with Kuyt as he is playing better and had a great understanding with Suarez.
Kamster
you are 100% spot on !!
I have a feeling, due to the pre-season formations, it will be a 4-3-3/4-2-3-1 variant. With two more defensively minded midfielders and one attacking; with two wide players who have license to cut inside with attacking full-backs over-lapping. If the squad stayed as it is now I feel it would be:
Reina
Kelly-(Flannagan) Carragher Agger-(Skrtl) Johnson
Lucas-(Henderson) Adam-(Spearing)
Gerrard-(Aqualani/Shelvey)
Suarez-(Merieles) Carroll-(Kuyt) Downing-(Maxi)
Doesn’t add up!We are weakest at center back so lets play 3 of them,we have a zillion midfield players so lets not play with 5 or 4 but 3 of them! Just heard rumour we have bid £25m for Baines! Don’t know if it’s true but my source swears it is!!!
That’s because 3 CBs are better than 2 CBs. In any case, the third CB (Agger) is given a freer role to move into the space in front of him. He is present when defending against aerial threats and is added cover in defence.
The wingbacks make it a 5 man defence if necessary and both wingbacks are capable or good defending as well as moving up quickly, overlapping, providing width and putting in good crosses.
The 3 man CM is so that the midfield is not overcrowded, especially when our wingbacks move up. It is also more suited to Charlie Adam and Stevie G while Downing will relish in his new role of having the option of going wide or coming in, both of which he is capable of doing.
In any case, out of all the midfielders we have, most of them are essentially central players. So, going for 5 CMs is not what we buy them for. We buy them for cover, for options, one over the other, not to play as many as we can. Only Downing is truly capable of bringing us width. ( So the author’s use of width hugging wingbacks in Johnson and Kelly is a solution)
i really disagree with ur formation, to be realistic and clear mind, the new Daglish formation may be 4-5-1. If the formation is used the difference is clear, to my list i have REINA, AGGER, SKRITEL, CARRAGGER, KELLY OR JOHNSON, DOWNING, ADAMS, GERRARD, LUCAS, KUYT, SUAREZ OR CARROL. MAXI, HENDERSON, MEIRALES, KYGIAKOS, ETC.
Sorry mate, I don’t see it as a regular line up. Downing has been bought to put crosses on Carroll’s head, and you play him CM? Nah. I see a 4-2-3-1, with Adam and Lucas deep, Carroll up front, Downing left of the three, with Gerrard and Suarez switching between right and centre of the three, giving the opposition problems trying to pick them up. Back four to be Kelly-Carra-Agger-Johnson, unless we sign a new LB.
It will definitely be 4-2-3-1, it is the only formation we have played so far in pre-season and it makes sense seeing as we have a glut of top midfield players. We only played 3-5-2 last season to supplement a lack-of width and because we had a decent depth at CB. However, I’m not dismissing this as an option and I think Kenny will play a variety of formations (Such as 4-2-3-1, 4-3-3, 4-4-2, 3-5-2) and this will be on of our strengths; this is why one of our transfer policies was versatility.
our squad is best suited to 3-5-2. it worked well against chelsea without suarez and carroll in the line up. downing could play on the left if required.
Reina
RCB Skrtel
CB Carragher
LCB Agger
RWB Johnson
LWB Downing
CM Mereles
CM Adam
AMC Gerrard
CFWD Caroll
STK Suarez
Your mad, we didn’t spend 20million on Downing for him to be tracking back to defend, he needs to be far up field feeding Caroll!
sell cole,maxi,poulsen ,and loan jonjo,,thats all..
Best line-up!
Some people here do not get the idea of a 3 man centre defence and the added 2 wing backs!The 3 man defence holds strong and we have more men further up the field when we are attacking while we have essentially good cover on the wings from the wingbacks when we defend.
This line up suits all our players and each one of them can play to their true strengths! That’s the beauty of it.
Some of the counter arguments here state that Downing was brought in to play out wide and not be defending or playing CM. That just shows how Downing’s position is looked at differently by people. It’s not a static position and he is given cover from the wingback. He can choose to take on opponents or go wide, both of which he is technically able to do. He has ALL options available to him, Suarez, AC, Stevie G / Charlie Adam, Johnson and even Agger. That’s 6 options available for him!
We can rest one of our CB when we are 3 goals up, bring in a defensive CM or, Aquaman/Meireles and get Stevie G / Charlie Adam to play the holding role.
Sounds too defensive minded in actual fact! Your set up technically is a 5-3-2! This would only be okay playing stronger teams away! Also flooding centrally allows teams menouvering around the flanks of the wing! This will force either 3 CM to open up allowing switch of plays not to mention even being over run in the middle! I think we paid 20m for Downing to play as a left wing midfielder! 3-5-2 and 4-4-2 in a more traditional style I think is what Kenny will do! Last season he toyed with it but we did not gave natural width on either side
I insist it’s not of any coincidence but well calculated and win with the 3-5-2 formation can be use continuously Every formation have an Objective so why to object YNWA