Formation / Central Defence

[Richobaz]

Any Ideas what Rafa is going to do with our Defence next season.  In Particular Central?

Can't drop Carra (although I would) and surely he can't drop Skrtel...so what with Agger?

Would you play Carra at Right-Back - so what with Degen and Arbeloa?

?

[adammac]

Rotation 

[redkenny]

I don't reckon Carra will be getting dropped this season, but I can imagine he might get rested a little bit. Or played at right back with Degen being rested. Who knows.

I reckon Skrtel could possibly be the first defenders name on the team sheet. Then Carragher.

It's yet to be seen how Agger will come back into contention, but surely he'll be as fresh as a daisy after all the time he's been out. There'll be a few eyebrows raised if he's not getting picked to play.

On the other hand - if all is well with Agger - depending on various opposition we might see Carragher, Skrtel and Agger as a three at the back formation, with Degen and Dossena playing wing backs.

4-4-2, I imagine it will probably be Carra and Skrtel in the middle though.

[Richobaz]

Rotation 

Yeah like rotation really works! Especially in defence - don't message if you've not got a constructive comment!

[EddieC]

I think it's possible with the arrival of Degen & Dossena all but signed that we may see three at the back on occassions next season. Both fullbacks are very attack minded & equally adept at playing a wingback role. Rafa used a 3-4-3 formation a few times in the season before last, can't recall him using it last season at all though, but it worked well when we used it. I don't think it would be a system we used on a weekly basis but against the right opposition it could be a good option.

[Richobaz]

I don't reckon Carra will be getting dropped this season, but I can imagine he might get rested a little bit. Or played at right back with Degen being rested. Who knows.

I reckon Skrtel could possibly be the first defenders name on the team sheet. Then Carragher.

It's yet to be seen how Agger will come back into contention, but surely he'll be as fresh as a daisy after all the time he's been out. There'll be a few eyebrows raised if he's not getting picked to play.

On the other hand - if all is well with Agger - depending on various opposition we might see Carragher, Skrtel and Agger as a three at the back formation, with Degen and Dossena playing wing backs.

4-4-2, I imagine it will probably be Carra and Skrtel in the middle though.

So are you saying Arbeloa isn't up to the task of Right Back?

[redkenny]

So are you saying Arbeloa isn't up to the task of Right Back?

Not at all. Just didn't mention him. Degen/Arbeloa then. But I imagine with Degen being a new signing he'll be playing a few games at the beginning of the season.

[Richobaz]

I think it's possible with the arrival of Degen & Dossena all but signed that we may see three at the back on occassions next season. Both fullbacks are very attack minded & equally adept at playing a wingback role. Rafa used a 3-4-3 formation a few times in the season before last, can't recall him using it last season at all though, but it worked well when we used it. I don't think it would be a system we used on a weekly basis but against the right opposition it could be a good option.

I would play 3 at the back - seeing as we have Mascherano holding.  But if you played Degen and Dossena as wing-backs - that could potentially mean 6 defence minded players in our starting line-up...which is not what I want to see!

            Carra  Skrtel   Agger
Degen                                Dossena
                   Masch

Something like the above is not good!

[lil cisse]

Yeah rotation in the defence is dreadful it doesnt work you know, we did it last season and look we got the most clean sheets in the league. Dreadfull I tell you.

[ayrton77]

I would play 3 at the back - seeing as we have Mascherano holding.  But if you played Degen and Dossena as wing-backs - that could potentially mean 6 defence minded players in our starting line-up...which is not what I want to see!

            Carra  Skrtel   Agger
Degen                                Dossena
                   Masch

Something like the above is not good!

Not that I think it's the best formation for us, or that I would want us to play it, it does have it's advantages. The whole idea of having wing-backs is that they're not 100% defensive players in the first place. I think the idea would be starting the way you showed it, but offensively, particularly on the counter-attack, the formation would rapidly adapt, maybe like this:

<--------Carra   Skrtel    Agger-------->
    |                                      |
    |               Masch               |
    V                                     V
Degen                              Dossena

Diagram looks sh*t I know, but you get the idea. Masch stays back as central cover, Dossena and Degen rush forward down the wings, Babel can cut inside on the left, as can Kuyt (or mysterious, non-signed proper winger) on the right. Gives us plenty of opportunity for overlaps on each side, and we shouldn't look too static on the attack as we did on occassions last season.

Anyway, it's a possibility, though whether or not we'd play like that every week I don't know. In fact, I've been wondering how we'll fit everone in next season myself, can't wait to see what our starting XI will look like!

[Richobaz]

Ayrton - that's the same formation I put above!

Including Reina - that's 7 players whom are defence minded!

Leaving only 4 attacking players on the field of play...so where does the below fit into the starting 11:

Gerrard
Babel
Torres
Kuyt
Barry (when signs)
Keane (If Signs)
Benayoun
Lucas
ect ect

I would rather have more of these players on the pitch - than a negative counter-attacking option anyday.  Surely all Reds want exciting football?

[ayrton77]

Ayrton - that's the same formation I put above!

Including Reina - that's 7 players whom are defence minded!

Leaving only 4 attacking players on the field of play...so where does the below fit into the starting 11:

Gerrard
Babel
Torres
Kuyt
Barry (when signs)
Keane (If Signs)
Benayoun
Lucas
ect ect

I would rather have more of these players on the pitch - than a negative counter-attacking option anyday.  Surely all Reds want exciting football?

I know it was the same formation as you put, mate, I was just trying to show how it could be more attacking-minded than you made out. The wing-backs aren't purely defensive, they are more versatile than that, it's only the three central defence players and Masch who are to concentrate completely on that part of the game. (And Reina, if you want! ).

Anyway, I also mentioned that I wouldn't want this to be our formation, I just tried to be a bit more positive about it! In all honesty I'd prefer to see more of our creative players given a chance too.

[Richobaz]

Wing-backs is just a term for Right-Backs and Left-Backs who run down the wings and then run back again to defend.

You could play 4 at the back with Degen and Dossena running up and down the wings with only 2 central defenders needed.  Seeing as you have Mascherano in the holding role.

I think Rafa will go with:

Arbeloa   Carra   Skrtel    Dossena

                Masch

With Degen and Agger switching when needed.  Whether thats the best option who knows.

[RedWilly]

Ayrton - that's the same formation I put above!

Including Reina - that's 7 players whom are defence minded!

Leaving only 4 attacking players on the field of play...so where does the below fit into the starting 11:

Gerrard
Babel
Torres
Kuyt
Barry (when signs)
Keane (If Signs)
Benayoun
Lucas
ect ect

I would rather have more of these players on the pitch - than a negative counter-attacking option anyday.  Surely all Reds want exciting football?

Well we can't ignore the defence just to accommodate our attacking players. In midfield we are definitely going to be seeing a lot of rotation between Benayoun, Lucas, Gerrard, Barry (if signs)/Alonso (if stays), Masch, and that's just the CM! On the wings we have got Babel, Kuyt, Pennant, have I missed any wingers out?

We might see Gerrard pushed out to the right at times during the season or Kuyt and Babel played up front. Up front Torres is a certain starter, and if Rafa sticks with the same formation as last season then no other striker will get a look in, apart from the odd cup game, unless we sign a real quality striker (Villa etc) that could be the only thing to change our formation, which I can't see happening. So if we sign a LW and a RW, then I can only see Babel and Kuyt being used as cover next season, a shame for Babel IMO, as I think next season he could be a real quality player for us. But remember in the first month Lucas and Masch are at the Olympics so there won't be to much rotation in the middle at the start IMO.

Onto the original topic of defence, I can't figure it out myself mate, Carra won't be dropped IMO, but may be pushed out to the right (where he did very well at times last season) with maybe Skrtel and Agger at CB and Dossena and Aurelio going for the LB slot, both attacking players. Only problem other than who plays in defence is the LB slot at times, with us having 2 attacking LB next season this is going to leave us vulnerable when teams counter next season, so maybe Rafa will play Carra or Agger at LB at times next season? Can't figure it out!

The only safe players are, Torres, Gerrard, Reina, Masch. And for the first time in years Carra isn't in that list! Rotation will definitely take place all over the park including defence next season, like it or not.

[EddieC]

I would play 3 at the back - seeing as we have Mascherano holding.  But if you played Degen and Dossena as wing-backs - that could potentially mean 6 defence minded players in our starting line-up...which is not what I want to see!

            Carra  Skrtel   Agger
Degen                                Dossena
                   Masch

Something like the above is not good!

TBH it will come down to how Dossena & Degen play, which I don't feel qualified to pass judgement on having barely seen either of them play. It is possible to play 3-5-2 & still be very attack minded, all depends on how attacking those wingbacks are. If they are they type that will get right up into a traditional wingers sort of position then it leaves us with as many as 6 players on the attack. Like I said I can't really say if it would work with these two players in particular as wingbacks, but 3-5-2 doesn't have to be a negative formation.

[lil cisse]

Wing-backs is just a term for Right-Backs and Left-Backs who run down the wings and then run back again to defend.

You could play 4 at the back with Degen and Dossena running up and down the wings with only 2 central defenders needed.  Seeing as you have Mascherano in the holding role.

I think Rafa will go with:

Arbeloa   Carra   Skrtel    Dossena

                Masch

With Degen and Agger switching when needed.  Whether thats the best option who knows.

A left footed centre back isnt the best option for right back.

[Richobaz]

A left footed centre back isnt the best option for right back.

What ?

[EddieC]

I assume you meant Degen & Agger coming in as replacements rather than switching with each other?

[edu_rbb]

4-4-2 or 4-3-3

Degen-Carra-Agger-Dossena

Rafa will make rotations as all the years.

[sabrina]

I think he'll play carra and agger as in my opinion carra is undropable + I read an interview from rafa on the official site earlier saying he believes the reason we were out of the title race so soon is because of aggers injury and that we missed him at the back.