Taking the game to them is the only surety of success

The test that Liverpool will face against Stoke tomorrow is self evident. The direct style of play has been incredibly effective since they were promoted in the 2007/08 season and it has served them well, especially at home against even the best teams in the Premier League. Since their return to the top flight, the Reds haven’t had a good record at the Britannia Stadium with two draws and one defeat, and they will want to put that right tomorrow.

As per usual, the biggest threats will be aerially, either from Rory Delap’s long throws, set pieces or crosses from the flanks to the head of Kenwyne Jones or perhaps new signing Peter Crouch. For this reason I would advocate going with a 3-5-2 formation, similar to when we faced them at home under Kenny Dalglish last season, with Martin Skrtel in the middle of the defence, either side of Jamie Carragher and Daniel Agger to ensure defensive solidity.

Rather than focusing on how we defend against Stoke though, the best way of counteracting their style is to ensure they don’t get into positions to hurt us, and so it is equally important to focus on what the Reds do with the ball as it is without it.

Mobility is certainly not Stoke’s strongest attribute with a centre back such as Robert Huth normally asked to play full back and a midfield with the likes of Glenn Whelan who are not generally blessed with a great deal of pace. It will therefore be crucial to ensure the attack is full of players who can break with pace, and cause havoc on the ground, rather than in the air where Stoke are at their strongest.

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