The 'as it stands right now' starting 11

Can has to be in the side end of

Pepe
Flanno Skrtel Lovren Jose'

Stevie     Can

Sterling       Coutinho       Hendo
  Sturridge

When Lallana comes back move Hendo for Can and move Can to LB

Pepe
Flanno Skrtel Lovren Can

Stevie     
              Hendo
Sterling       Coutinho       Lallana
  Sturridge

Can was excellent last season when he played LB for Leverkusen. It's nice to have that option.

Hendo left wing??

I don't think 3 at the back would work very well with Gerrard playing in his now preferred role of deep lying playmaker. Lovren according to Brenden prefers to play as the left CB although he can also play as the right CB if required. I would play Sterling in a free role off Sturridge similarly to the role Suarez played. Although not in the same class I think with his pace and movement he could fill the role adequately until we buy better.

                             Mignolet

Flanagan     Skrtel            Lovren       Enrique
                     
                            Gerrard

            Henderson            Can (Lallana when fit)

                          Coutinho

                  Sturridge   Sterling (until we buy better) 

That's how we will line up I reckon. Maybe Johnson instead of Flanno but I hope not. We need better full backs though. Obviously we all hope the better player than Sterling is Reus. What an attack we would have then.

Just to throw another possibility out there, (bearing in mind Can played left-back for Leverkusen last season and we've seen Henderson do a good job on the right plenty of times):

                                 
                       Lovren Skrtel Sakho
           
       Henderson    Gerrard Coutinho      Can
                       
                   Sterling Sturridge Markovic

                           Reina

               Skrtel  Lovren  Agger

                          Gerrard

               Henderson          Can

                          Coutinho

  Sterling                                  Markovic
                         Sturridge

I'm surprised so many want us to play 3 at the back. I know our full backs are poor but I can't remember the last time a team won a major competition with 3 at the back.

                           Reina

               Skrtel  Lovren  Agger

                          Gerrard

               Henderson          Can

                          Coutinho

  Sterling                                  Markovic
                         Sturridge

Not a chance. Agger and Reina likely won't be here come season opener. Full backs are integral to Rodgers style he only played 3 CBs last season in those few games due to injuries and severe lack of depth. We won't see that formation again.

right now this is our best team (classic BR 4-3-3 flexible 4-2-3-1)

Mignolet
Flanagan Skrtel Sakho Enrique
Henderson Gerrard Can
Sterling Sturridge Coutinho

bench: Reina Lambert Allen Johnson Lovren Markovic Lucas

Lallana injured would get on the bench for Lucas
Borini and Agger assumed leaving
Jones for Reina, probably

right now this is our best team (classic BR 4-3-3 flexible 4-2-3-1)

Mignolet
Flanagan Skrtel Sakho Enrique
Henderson Gerrard Can
Sterling Sturridge Coutinho

bench: Reina Lambert Allen Johnson Lovren Markovic Lucas

Lallana injured would get on the bench for Lucas
Borini and Agger assumed leaving
Jones for Reina, probably

Spot on except Lovren will start that's a certainty.

Not a chance. Agger and Reina likely won't be here come season opener. Full backs are integral to Rodgers style he only played 3 CBs last season in those few games due to injuries and severe lack of depth. We won't see that formation again.

I was only working off the 'spirit' of the opening post...

Your starting 11 as of right now. A new player comes in and you can change it later on.

So... to be clear - This is my starting XI "as of right now". It's who I would play and where I would play them. Nothing else.

As such (and with all due respect) Baz, your 'critique' is wasted on me. Sorry.   

So... to be clear - This is my starting XI "as of right now". It's who I would play and where I would play them. Nothing else.

As such (and with all due respect) Baz , your 'critique' is wasted on me. Sorry.   

Haha my bad bbb I think I missed the point of this thread some way back

Haha my bad bbb I think I missed the point of this thread some way back

No worries - I'm sure it's intention was to spark debate and discussion anyhow.

As for the three at the back (ignoring the names of the personnel) - I reckon we will see it a lot this season.

Edit: If you want I can explain my selection... three at the back: When defending; Reina can 'sweep' behind for balls over the top - Skrtel and Agger can cover the flanks with Henderson & Can covering if needed [Sterling and Markovic will be keeping opos full-backs well occupied anyhow] - Gerrard can drop in, along side Lovren, in the centre.

When attacking; well... that's self-explanatory but  one of either Henderson or Can moving forward to Coutinho's 'space' and Coutinho joins in with Sterling, Markovic & Sturridge to wreak havoc. Simples 

No worries - I'm sure it's intention was to spark debate and discussion anyhow.

As for the three at the back (ignoring the names of the personnel) - I reckon we will see it a lot this season.

Three at the back...

Three at the back...

Jaysus you took that bad. Is your opinion really that precious that you get angry if someone disagrees? Cause I tell you what you're getting angry with the wrong man. Chill the F**k out.

                             Mignolet

Johnson        Lovren          Sakho        Enrique

                                 Gerrard   
 
                  Henderson               Coutinho

Sterling                     Sturridge                    Markovic


Second team:                   Jones/Reina(if he is not sold)

Flanagan/Kelly             Skrtel           Toure/Coates          Robinson/Flanagan
                                         Lucas
                           Allen                     Can (has the potential to be in the first XI)
   
         Suso                          Lambert                   Ibe

                           Mignolet

          Flanno.   Skertel. Lovren.  Enrique

                       Gerrard. Can

             Sterling. Coutinho. Markovic.

                          Sturridge

                             Mignolet

Johnson        Lovren          Sakho        Enrique

                                 Gerrard   
 
                  Henderson               Coutinho

Sterling                     Sturridge                    Markovic


Second team:                   Jones/Reina(if he is not sold)

Flanagan/Kelly             Skrtel           Toure/Coates          Robinson/Flanagan
                                         Lucas
                           Allen                     Can (has the potential to be in the first XI)
   
         Suso                          Lambert                   Ibe

My eyes are like  looking at that. 

No worries - I'm sure it's intention was to spark debate and discussion anyhow.

As for the three at the back (ignoring the names of the personnel) - I reckon we will see it a lot this season.

Edit: If you want I can explain my selection... three at the back: When defending; Reina can 'sweep' behind for balls over the top - Skrtel and Agger can cover the flanks with Henderson & Can covering if needed [Sterling and Markovic will be keeping opos full-backs well occupied anyhow] - Gerrard can drop in, along side Lovren, in the centre.

When attacking; well... that's self-explanatory but  one of either Henderson or Can moving forward to Coutinho's 'space' and Coutinho joins in with Sterling, Markovic & Sturridge to wreak havoc. Simples 

The thoughts of Agger and Skrtel covering the flanks scares me a lot especially if they are defending against pacy wingers they will get roasted. This is why we are heavily linked with pacy full backs like Moreno and Manquillo. Rodgers prefers having pacy fullbacks. Three centre backs with Gerrard sitting deep playing as a sweeper at times is serious overkill in the defensive area IMO and would stifle our quick attacking breaks. The only time I feel your formation would work is against another team playing 3-4-3 to cancel them out in midfield. You could well be right of coarse we will have to see, it will be interesting to see how Rodgers tinkers with the team and formation throughout the season if he does so as he did last season.

No worries - I'm sure it's intention was to spark debate and discussion anyhow.

As for the three at the back (ignoring the names of the personnel) - I reckon we will see it a lot this season.

Edit: If you want I can explain my selection... three at the back: When defending; Reina can 'sweep' behind for balls over the top - Skrtel and Agger can cover the flanks with Henderson & Can covering if needed [Sterling and Markovic will be keeping opos full-backs well occupied anyhow] - Gerrard can drop in, along side Lovren, in the centre.

When attacking; well... that's self-explanatory but  one of either Henderson or Can moving forward to Coutinho's 'space' and Coutinho joins in with Sterling, Markovic & Sturridge to wreak havoc. Simples 

I quite like that idea and have been thinking along the same lines.

Since I'm not allowed to use Dagger or Lallana:

                            Migs
Johnson      Lovren         Sakho        Enrique
                         STEVIE G
              Hendo                  Coutinho
   Raheem             Sturridge           Markovic

If we bring in a new LB and forward:

                             Migs
Johnson      Lovren         Sakho      Moreno
                         STEVIE G             
              Hendo                  Coutinho
                          Raheem
              Sturridge             Falcao

Mignolet
Lovren       Sakho
Johnson                         Enrique
Gerrard
Henderson        Emre Can
Coutinho
Sterling      Sturridge

Coutinho given free role from the left to drift central, as above.

                           Mignolet

          Flanno.   Skertel. Lovren.  Enrique

                       Gerrard. Can

             Sterling. Coutinho. Markovic.

                          Sturridge

I like your team mate, just not sure Sturridge can play and be prolific enough as our lone striker, even with the support he will get from our midfield. I just don't see Sturridge making the runs in the same way Torres did.

I like your team mate, just not sure Sturridge can play and be prolific enough as our lone striker, even with the support he will get from our midfield. I just don't see Sturridge making the runs in the same way Torres did.

You're probably right S@int. Sturridge to me is a player who would appear to play well with a partner upfront - don't know if I'd opt for Sterling though. 

But that was my sacrifice for the team if you like. Trying to get more players into their better positions, having sufficient defensive cover in midfield while still having the attacking options in attack. It's not ideal though, Lambert would probably be suited to that lone role or Bony I presume, but as you say, until we get a striker in the side who has the quality and game characteristics to play alongside Sturridge it's a bit of a conundrum IMO. Lambert may do, but I don't think I'd leave out any of the other players in that side to make way for Lambert.