Playing this way, it is even possible – and I believe even a preferred option – to have Johnson wide on the right. He should never be allowed to play at the back again but his wide play is undoubted. Completing the side is Suarez and Carroll up front, either as a straight-up front 2 or with Suarez playing just off the main striker and drifting either side. The advantage with this formation, for me, is that while it’s incredibly attacking, there is always the option to have the two wide players track back and help out when needed as well. Lucas has Adam and Gerrard to help out with defensive duties in the middle and the back three would have Downing and Kuyt to make sure they don’t get over-stretched out wide. Though, you would hope that they would rarely be needed because 3-5-2 would be employed with a ‘defence is the best form of attack’ mentality.
For me, 3-5-2 would probably be our strongest option, particularly at home or against lower opposition. But if it’s necessary to play a more defensive game, particularly in those ‘Super Sunday’ clashes against the other top-four, we could look at the tried-and-tested 4-5-1. While playing four at the back is playing against sheer number of midfielders we have, it is also a style of play that most of our squad have become used to over the years under Rafa Benitez, and one which Kenny himself used on more than one occasion last season. Again, with a back five of Reina (really in any doubt?), Insua, Agger, Skrtel, Kelly; a midfield of Downing, Lucas, Gerrard, Kuyt, Suarez and Carroll alone up front you would have a packed midfield, with enough solidity and energy to break up play, whilst retaining the creativity of Gerrard, Downing and Suarez.
An alternative would be to look at a more attacking 4-5-1 (bordering on 4-3-3), much like the way we set up toward the back end of last season. This would be an option to consider when Andy Carroll is either injured or rested. Retaining the same back 5 we’d line up with Lucas, Adam and Gerrard (Meireles would be my preferred option to either, though is likely to be left out in favour of both), followed by a ‘front 3’ of Maxi, Suarez and Kuyt. The midfield 3 would require both Adam and Gerrard to show some discipline as well as flair and the forward 3 would take on the majority of the attacking duties, whilst also pestering the opposition from the front.
Whilst I admit that I am in no way qualified to say how we should play, or which formation we should line up with these are, I believe, the three most likely options for the Reds this season. The players are interchangeable – as are the positions – and I’ve described how I think they would work in the most basic of terms, while including the players that I would favour. I think we really need to make the most of what we have, rather than trying to fit round pegs into square holes (looking at you, England) and lessening the worth of the team for the sake of building around individuals. Sadly, this probably won’t happen and some players will be shoe-horned in because of either reputation or price.
Either way, all things considered, I would opt for the Reds to kick off against Sunderland with a 3-5-2 and just go for it; really give the fans a show and make the rest of the league sit up and think while getting us off to a confident start. Which would you prefer?
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Downing has not been signed to sit on the bench or be an impact player.He has been signed to supply Carroll at every opportunity.We have all been screaming out for width for moons now and when we eventually sign a proper winger your suggestion is not to start him. Bravo
You’ve clearly not read the article then bob, as Downing is included in every single line up. The associated image includes Insua wide left as an error.
Actually read the article before commenting in future.
You say it’s an error but why would you put Downing as a wing back? He’s an attacking player :S
Well, the image was originally just meant as a hypothetical representation of what a 3-5-2 looks like but I’ve compeletely changed it now to look exactly as I meant it to. I’m sure this will please everybody! hahaha.
Ahh kks 🙂 a 3-2-3-2 formation 🙂 That’s a good attacking one actually 🙂 Can quickly change to a 3-5-2 or a 5-3-2 during the game 🙂
Good article btw 😀
No matter the formation the real debate is whether we have the players to send 5 to attack or 6. No matter how you arrange the back and mid-field, that’s the real question. We now have the quality to play multiple formations, and have such a plethora of talent I think we will be very successful. BUT, that’s because I believe KK will send six to SEVEN forward at every opportunity. We now have width at the front. We have speed and youth along the back (assuming we add a top-tier CB before the window closes). The reason we’ll be successful is KK will ATTACK! I wouldn’t be surprised to see a 3-1-1-3-2! Flood the midfield, give Suarez tons of room to operate, and give Downing the flank to run the byline and supply ammunition. Lucas provides cover for the back 3 (if we do buy another CB, we’d have a back 3 choice of new boy, Agger, Kelly, Sktel, and Carragher, a VERY strong squad), Adam in front of him, with everyone else bombing forward. And since Adam can easily move forward with the play, as can Lucas on a counter, we can consistently flood the opposition half. ATTACK! YNWA!
Sorry, forgot to add that if you’ll notice I left out buying a new LB, we just don’t need it if we do things right. Also, my 3-1-1-3-2 easily converts itself into a defensive formation to block counter-attacks. If you have the back 3+Lucas in a defensive line of 2 already, then if you have Adam in front of him, always ready to drop back, then if the opposition breaks we have 5 back with 2 outstanding tacklers in the middle. I have thought about this a long time too, and I really think that provides a strong, positive line-up. If you want to call it 3-2-3-2 ok, but I think the way I envisioned this is spot on.
Three at the back went out of fashion at the end of the 90s.
Yeah, it worked really badly when we employed it last season huh? LMAO
Very good formation the 3-5-2 for away games as it is more defensive as shown at Chelsea away last season, but I would prefer Aurelio rather than Insua as he said he is strengthening his hamstrings. If this works out I would be very happy as he is a top class player. Then home games a more 4-3-3 would be better:
Reina
Johnson-Carra-Agger-Aurelio
Gerrard-Lucas-Aquilani
Downing-Carroll-Suarez
I think you’ll find that Carra will beat Kelly or Skrtel to a first team place this season but next season he will be a lesser figure.
The thing is we can play many formations, we can go narrow or we can go wide.. We can play with the Chelsea diamond and have Kuyt and Suarez upfront… We are lucky to have that 🙂
You say we’re weak at the back (which I agree) and therefore should use more of our “45” midfielders instead. So naturally you design a system that should fit more midfielders into it – yet you want to use 5 defenders in Johnson, Kelly, Skrtel, Agger and Insua.
Doesn’t make any sense to me…
This is my line-up 4-4-2.
……………..Reina……………..
….G.johnson….agger….carragher….insua….
Downing….Aquilani….Adam…kuyt………..
……….carroll…..suarez……..
I think with the players we have bought, the formation will change quite a lot this season. We certainly have enought players to vary between 352/442/451/433/4132 quite easily.
The strongest XI I would choose is 4-1-3-2 with following players:
GK: Reina
LB:Aurelio(when fit, Johnson when not), CB: Agger, CB: Skrtel, RB: Johnson(Kelly when Aurelio not fit)
DCM: Lucas
LM/LW: Downing, CM: Adam, RM/RW: Gerrard
CF:Suarez, CF: Carroll
reina:
johnson-carra-agger/squirtel-aurelio/new
kuyt-gerrard\/-lucas/aquaman/\-downing
suarez/\-carrol\/
i bet your mums fat tits that its best default formation
There is no way Adam and downing are not going to play large parts this season. Henderson will feature a lot too, but probably as a sub.
My preferred formation
Reina
Kelly carra agger hopefully Enrique
Lucas Adam
Downing gerrard Suarez
Carrol
Subs Kuyt (back up striker)
Doni
Aurelio
Skrtel
Henderson
Reina
Kelly Carragher Cahill Enrique
Gerrard Lucas Adam
Downing Carroll Suarez
I would like to see Gary Cahill but I don’t know if that will happen, if not then Ryan Shawcross or Scott Dann would be ideal signings and if not then Agger
@Gossipi
Well funny!
i like to add santana from borussia dotmund
good in tackle..trick…defending and passer..
he is english style…
………………reina………………
kelly…..santana…..skertel…..enrique
………………lucas………………
johnson…..gerrard….aqilani….downing
……….kyut/caroll…..suarez………
I think its a nice one considering the caliber of player we have but my problem is can adam pair lucas, knowing that he hardly track back to help.
I also behind the 3-2-3-2 or 3-5-2 formation to win but they have to be rapid-fast in action and perfectionist YNWA
Carragher has not lost it, and I’m not ‘terribly misinformed’. He was our best defender last season, our best in pre-season and vice-captain of the club. For me next season will probably be the last Carragher can expect to play as first choice CB. Just because he is aging you shouldn’t rule him out, look at Giggs and Drogba for examples of older players still at the top of their games. With age has come amazing tactical awareness for Carragher and his maturity and wisdom will be needed in the side if we want to bring in Kelly, Flannagan or Robinson into the side. Secondly we only played 3-5-2 last season because of a lack of natural wide players and a glut of good CBs; however, I do agree that our adaptability will be a strength this season. The signs all point to our ideal line up being 4-2-3-1 as we have played it, at some point, in all of our pre-season games. This formation can easily evolve in game to 4-4-2, 4-4-1-1 or 4-3-3.
Ideally our starting XI would be (at the moment):
Reina
Kelly-Carragher-Agger-Johnson
Lucas-Adam
Suarez-Gerrard-Downing
Carroll
But the starting line up against Sunderland will look like this I think:
Reina
Kelly-Carragher-Agger-Johnson
Lucas-Adam
Kuyt-Henderson-Downing
Carroll
(Although I would play Aqualani in Henderson’s position, but for obvious reasons Henderson will get preferance.)
im not a charlie adam fan, and would prefer to see gerrard sitting a little deeper and have henderson in the starting 11, and we would also need another quality center half for cover and depth.
Y.N.W.A.