Liverpool FC Forum

...how will Rodgers try to fit Sterling, Lallana, Coutinho, Markovic all in the starting line-up? All of them deserve to be starting really. Will Gerrard be sacrificed? Will the successful formation be changed? Discuss...

IMO when Sturridge returns this will be our strongest starting XI -

                           Mingolet

            Can           Skrtel          Sakho

Sterling           Hendo         Lucas           Markovic

                    Coutinho       Lallana

                            Sturridge

That side would give anyone in Europe a game IMO, it's just a pity that the likes of Madrid, Basel and Ludogrets caught us when we were at our lowest ebb in about 4 years.

Loving that side Yakka, ultra attacking, no messing about 

when sturridge comes back
we'll be all out attack
it just won't make sense
to consider defence

when sturridge comes back
the ball will go thwack
as it goes in the net
in our biggest win yet

when sturridge comes back
van gaal's mood will be black
as we climb above the mancs
way down the east lancs

when sturridge comes back
we'll never look slack
until "oh, fúck me..!"
he's buggered his knee...

It is going to be a dilemma for rodgers for sure  
I'd stick with the same formation of late with sturridge stepping into sterlings role. That system is working and the lads seem more comfortable playing that way so it needs to stay for the time being. We need goals so he has got to start games as soon as he is ready.

As to who he can drop to make way    Honestly the back line is untouchable along with lucas and coutinho. You could drop any of the rest but my choice would be hendo or markovic. The term drop shouldnt mean they do a balotelli but no reason why a bit of rotation can't happen. Both would be good sub's to have and it certainly gives us a bit of hope from the bench which was sadly lacking. If they don't start this week then they play 30 mins and start the next.

andy_g » Wed Jan 21, 2015 6:35 pm wrote:when sturridge comes back
we'll be all out attack
it just won't make sense
to consider defence

when sturridge comes back
the ball will go thwack
as it goes in the net
in our biggest win yet

when sturridge comes back
van gaal's mood will be black
as we climb above the mancs
way down the east lancs

when sturridge comes back
we'll never look slack
until "oh, fúck me..!"
he's buggered his knee...

The system shouldn't change, we should just drop one of the attacking midfielders. Yakka has it pretty much spot on but I'd probably drop Markovic instead of Moreno, though I'm not certain. It will be interesting to see how Sterling will handle himself as a wing-back though, if we chose to play like that.

We'd have quite a strong bench as well.

Subs:
Jones
Lovren
Manquillo
Gerrard
Markovic
Ibe
Lambert/Balotelli/Borini

Not bad at all.

Apparently after the match Brendan said that Daniel could be on the bench for Tuesday's game at Stamford Bridge and if he doesn't quite make it for that particular game he will definitely feature against West Ham next weekend.
Thank god for that!

I don't think that we should be expecting too much from Sturridge once he's back. He has been out a long, long time and most players take a while to get back into full swing. Plus he is a confidence player and being out for a long time could have ripped his to shreds.

We should temper our expectations and not expect miracles from the lad.... but rather slowly ease him back in to prevent any recurrence.

Rodgers needs to play the hand that he's dealt. If Borini and Lambert are not good enough and Balotelli cannot play in the the system we want, we should blood Rossiter. Can't be any worse and he is a gem that  has been unearthed, IMO. Unpolished for sure.... but that lack of polish should not detract from his value if properly cut, blooded and shined up.

ConnO'var » Sun Jan 25, 2015 6:26 am wrote:I don't think that we should be expecting too much from Sturridge once he's back. He has been out a long, long time and most players take a while to get back into full swing. Plus he is a confidence player and being out for a long time could have ripped his to shreds.

We should temper our expectations and not expect miracles from the lad....

, Even if he's brimming with confidence, whilst he may be declared fully fit it'll take a couple of games for him to become "Match fit"

ConnO'var » Sun Jan 25, 2015 6:26 am wrote:Rodgers needs to play the hand that he's dealt. If Borini and Lambert are not good enough and Balotelli cannot play in the the system we want, we should blood Rossiter. Can't be any worse and he is a gem that  has been unearthed, IMO. Unpolished for sure.... but that lack of polish should not detract from his value if properly cut, blooded and shined up.

The best option would be to sell and get a striker in that we can count on, however, in Balotelli's case maybe he should play to his strengths and not try to change him into what he is not. He might form a good partnership with sturridge.

ConnO'var » Sun Jan 25, 2015 6:26 am wrote:I don't think that we should be expecting too much from Sturridge once he's back. He has been out a long, long time and most players take a while to get back into full swing. Plus he is a confidence player and being out for a long time could have ripped his to shreds.

We should temper our expectations and not expect miracles from the lad.... but rather slowly ease him back in to prevent any recurrence.

Rodgers needs to play the hand that he's dealt. If Borini and Lambert are not good enough and Balotelli cannot play in the the system we want, we should blood Rossiter. Can't be any worse and he is a gem that  has been unearthed, IMO. Unpolished for sure.... but that lack of polish should not detract from his value if properly cut, blooded and shined up.

Rossiter is a holding midfielder though mate and I don't see how bringing him into the side helps alleviate our striker crisis.
No one is expecting miracles from Danny but at least he is a CF by trade, he knows how to lead the line and I'm sure it won't take him long to be back to his best when he's got the likes of Coutinho, Lallana, Sterling and Markovic trying their best to put him through on goal.

Meaning no disrespect Yakka.... my sources back home tell me he is much more ability than that. Whilst it has been a popular notion that our resurgence is down to the presence of Lucas, I still feel that we need better. I am not knocking Lucas, in fact i have been championing him for years. Lucas is just too one dimensional and offers not enough in our forward thrust. Replacing him with Rossiter should offer us more of an outlet and not just defensive cover. We can then replace Allen with a more creative player in an attacking midfield role and adopt a false nine instead of an out and out striker.

I am not a big fan of this system... i much prefer playing with a striker.... but our manning does not include a player of sufficient quality to play the lone striker role.

we may even be able to go for a front two.

ConnO'var » Sun Jan 25, 2015 10:31 am wrote:Meaning no disrespect Yakka.... my sources back home tell me he is much more ability than that. Whilst it has been a popular notion that our resurgence is down to the presence of Lucas, I still feel that we need better. I am not knocking Lucas, in fact i have been championing him for years. Lucas is just too one dimensional and offers not enough in our forward thrust. Replacing him with Rossiter should offer us more of an outlet and not just defensive cover. We can then replace Allen with a more creative player in an attacking midfield role and adopt a false nine instead of an out and out striker.

I am not a big fan of this system... i much prefer playing with a striker.... but our manning does not include a player of sufficient quality to play the lone striker role.

we may even be able to go for a front two.

Rossiter is 17 mate, Gerrard didn't break into the team until he was near 19 and that was as a part time fullback and Rossiter is no Gerrard. No way is Rossiter anywhere near as good as Lucas at this point in his career, he may develop into a better player than Lucas but that point is at least 4 or 5 years away yet.
Playing in the U21 league is one thing, playing against the likes of Hazard, Aguero, Rooney and Alexi Sanchez is a completely different kettle of fish altogether. As a DM he'd be expect to come up directly against those players, can you imagine him up against someone like Costa?
Rossiter is a good prospect mate but let's not ruin the lads career before it's even begun.

ycsatbjywtbiastkamb » Sun Jan 25, 2015 10:57 am wrote:

ConnO'var » Sun Jan 25, 2015 10:31 am wrote:Meaning no disrespect Yakka.... my sources back home tell me he is much more ability than that. Whilst it has been a popular notion that our resurgence is down to the presence of Lucas, I still feel that we need better. I am not knocking Lucas, in fact i have been championing him for years. Lucas is just too one dimensional and offers not enough in our forward thrust. Replacing him with Rossiter should offer us more of an outlet and not just defensive cover. We can then replace Allen with a more creative player in an attacking midfield role and adopt a false nine instead of an out and out striker.

I am not a big fan of this system... i much prefer playing with a striker.... but our manning does not include a player of sufficient quality to play the lone striker role.

we may even be able to go for a front two.

Rossiter is 17 mate, Gerrard didn't break into the team until he was near 19 and that was as a part time fullback and Rossiter is no Gerrard. No way is Rossiter anywhere near as good as Lucas at this point in his career, he may develop into a better player than Lucas but that point is at least 4 or 5 years away yet.
Playing in the U21 league is one thing, playing against the likes of Hazard, Aguero, Rooney and Alexi Sanchez is a completely different kettle of fish altogether. As a DM he'd be expect to come up directly against those players, can you imagine him up against someone like Costa?
Rossiter is a good prospect mate but let's not ruin the lads career before it's even begun.

Point taken my friend.... i didn't take his age into consideration... and should have.
I could have sworn he was 19.