Best players Vs best team - Coutinho

we never got found out. Lucas (then Gerrard) got injured and it degraded from a lack of the right players to make it work.

Hope my input is welcome given that I'm a United fan, but I'd line Liverpool up as below and use the tactics I've explained. I'd look to play an unorthodox 442, with shifts depending on situation during the game;

---------------- Mignolet ---------------
------------ Skrtel -- Lovren -----------
N.Clyne -- Milner - Hendo -- Moreno
-------- Firminho ---- Coutinho ------
---------- Benteke - Sturridg ---------

Is probably the best line up when you're on the ball, and to push Milner up to get involved with Firminho & Coutinho when you need to push and take risks. Underrated player in the central areas of the last third, James Milner. Then as Henderson's game develops more and more in that quarterback style position you'll have something like;

---------------- Mignolet ---------------
------------ Skrtel -- Lovren -----------
N.Clyne ------- Hendo ------- Moreno
---- Firminho - Milner - Coutinho ---
---------- Benteke - Sturridg ---------

which is an extremely Brazilian style of attacking formation, but a traditional way of going forward, pinning the opposition back and compressing the midfield from a 442 system. Narrow though and reliant on magic from players rather than forced holes in the opposition backline.

If you were going to play that way with those players, then off the ball you would adopt a fairly rigid 4411 with;

---------------- Mignolet ---------------
N.Clyne -- Skrtel -- Lovren -- Moreno
Firminho - Milner - Hendo - Coutinho
---------------- Sturridge ----------------
----------------- Benteke ----------------

with either Sturridge or Benteke dropping deeper to pick up the ball to feet from midfield and a target player as an outlet further up the pitch.

If I were the Liverpool manager, that's how I'd operate at the moment anyway. It's the way to get the most out of your best players right now, and get them on the pitch at the same time. Concerns would be Coutinho & Firminho fulfilling their defensive duties, neither centre half filling me with confidence, goalkeeper the same issue and Sturridge's fitness.

All in all though, that's how I believe Liverpool should be playing when everyone's fit. You've got options from the bench to bring off a striker and play Coutinho as a 10, or Firminho, Coutinho and Sturridge/Benteke in a 3 up front situation also, so you can sacrifice one of your better players to shift system entirely when required.

Why does firmino seems to get put on the right, he never played there for hof, im sure he played on the left and cut inside

good post 4

---------------- Mignolet ---------------
------------ Skrtel -- Lovren -----------
N.Clyne ------- Hendo ------- Moreno
---- Milner - Coutinho - Firmino ---
---------- Benteke - Sturridge ---------

Prefer that, milners got a fairly good cross on him, while it gets firmino in his most common position and allows him to cut in onto his right

comment by Adam 'The Interview' Lallana (U20650)
posted 25 seconds ago
---------------- Mignolet ---------------
------------ Skrtel -- Lovren -----------
N.Clyne ------- Hendo ------- Moreno
---- Milner - Coutinho - Firmino ---
---------- Benteke - Sturridge ---------

Prefer that, milners got a fairly good cross on him, while it gets firmino in his most common position and allows him to cut in onto his right
----------------------------------------------------------------------
It's the same mate. You wouldn't expect either of Coutinho or Firminho to stay to a side when you've got the ball. It would only be relevant defensively. When you're on the ball, and they aren't playing as proper wide men, then have no reason not to move around. You'd be very annoyed if they didn't as a manager.

As long as they're giving themselves space between midfield and attack to pick up the ball and go at defences, there would be no set sides offensively for them. Can't illustrate that easily though.

Ah fair enough that makes more sense, though i expect itll be a while before sturridge is back, is there any date yet for him?

Interesting to see that no one has Lallana in their first XI. I like him as a player but can see him playing a lesser role this season.

Far far too early to say Phillippe is our best player. He's good, very good indeed and he's up there with the best. But not only is Ibe, Can and Nathaniel beginning to show their with, but even young Joe is surprising many.

Be still my fleeting heart!

JimmyTheRed

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