Sturridge out with thigh injury

Would Lambert and Ballo work well together?

Unknown. But apparently fed's crystal ball says no.

                     Sterling  Balotelli

                            Coutinho

        Lallana                             Henderson

                            Gerrard

Its been tried again and again, and 4-2-3-1 does not work with a Gerrard Hendo double pivot. The double pivot is asking 2 midfielders to do the running work of 3 as it is, and Gerrard doesn't have the legs to be part of that 2 man midfield. If we were to play that formation, it would have to be with another Box to box midfielder.
4-2-3-1 does not accommodate our strongest team, even with Sturridge injured.

I heard that before from other posters and it's about time I refreshed people's memories.  We started the last season with 4231. We got 5 wins 0 draws 0 loses with it whilst Suarez was serving a 10 games ban. We changed formation to have Suarez back in the squad.  We were playing with a wierd 3-5-2. The 3-5-2 was absolutely horrible and then we switched to the diamond formation. The diamond formation can have 2 strikers, Sturridge is injured and would people prefer we play worse players just because we can't change formation? I don't see us as challenging for the title if we have this attitude that we must always play as a diamond since there will be times when we don't have the players tp do that due to injuries,  suspensions. .. etc... Some people on here said diamond formation with Balotelli and  Borini over a 4231. That's absurd.  I'd have a formation where Balotelli can play up top and Sterling can be number 10. Unless you want Lambert or Borini starting we must change the formation.

Unknown. But apparently fed's crystal ball says no.

Why would he need a crystal ball to state the obvious. Balotelli was statically the best lone striker in Europe last season.  He was not so good in AC Milans Diamond formation.  He found his space limited and pushef out wide at times. Balotelli as lone striker 0.842 goals a game.  With a strike partner 0.384. Another reason for 4-2-3-1 and not diamond formation.

Balotelli was statically the best lone striker in Europe last season. 

I'd love to see those stats...

Unless you want Lambert or Borini starting we must change the formation.

How do you work that out?

I'd love to see those stats...

http://anfieldasylum.sbnation.com/2014/8/25/6065489/tactical-analysis-balotelli-liverpool-and-the-two-striker-formation

On here it shows how Balotelli was much better as a lone striker.  One of the best in Europe. There are stats and it also says

As a lone striker, Balotelli was one of the best in Europe last season with his 0.842 goals per ninety placing him among the most productive at his position. But in a two-striker set-up, he was wasteful – firing off over four shots outside the box per 90 and hitting the target only a quarter of the time.

Unknown. But apparently fed's crystal ball says no.

As mentioned before, you don't need a crystal ball for history. History states Balotelli would be beter as a lone striker, so fed is right to have doubts about him partnering up with Lambert. If we are so set on the diamond formation, I would hate to see Sterling moved out the nimbr 10 role he is world class at but here would be a reasonable solution.

               Balotelli

Coutinho                  Sterling

                Hendo

          Gerrard   Allen

A bit different from our traditional diamond since it would see us with the diamond pushed up to the top.

Balotelli was statically the best lone striker in Europe last season.

One of the best in Europe.

So what was he: "the best" or "one of the best"? 

History states Balotelli would be beter as a lone striker

History with another team and different players.

You might not need a crystal ball to know the past but you do to tell the future and that is the F***ing point BostonScouse was making. 

So what was he: "the best" or "one of the best"? 
History with another team and different players.

You might not need a crystal ball to know the past but you do to tell the future and that is the f**king point he was making. 

He was one of the best, I picked up on that when I read the article a second time. He was not so good in a strike partnership. I would still play Balotelli as a lone striker and have Lambert on the bench. Everyone is entitled to their opinion though.

I seriously don't see Sterling becoming a striker and Lambert siting on the bench.

So, because you "don't see" it, we can't play a diamond without Lambert or Borini: is that correct?

Everyone is entitled to their opinion though.

Indeed they are and normally those opinions are based on something. Surely people are "entitled" to ask what? You've based your opinion on something someone else has written [their opinion] which, in turn is based on 962 minutes football with a different team.

Surely you can see how tenuous it is to base future predictions on that? 

So, because you "don't see" it, we can't play a diamond without Lambert or Borini: is that correct?

well, we can play a Diamond formation without Lambert or Borini but it would be 4-2-1-2-1 instead of 4-1-2-1-2 like before. This pushes the diamond up and has Balotelli as lone striker.

           Lambert    Balotelli
                   Sterling

        Lallana               Henderson
   
                    Gerrard

we can play a Diamond formation without Lambert or Borini

So not only is Ballo only 'one' of the best but we actually can play the diamond without Lambert or Borini... fair enough. 

I would play Markovic, Sterling and Mario as our front three while he is out.

This unfortunate injury to Daniel, throws up quite a few options, time for players to step up, and really prove they are good enough to play for the Reds.

I heard that before from other posters and it's about time I refreshed people's memories.  We started the last season with 4231. We got 5 wins 0 draws 0 loses with it whilst Suarez was serving a 10 games ban. We changed formation to have Suarez back in the squad.  We were playing with a wierd 3-5-2. The 3-5-2 was absolutely horrible and then we switched to the diamond formation. The diamond formation can have 2 strikers, Sturridge is injured and would people prefer we play worse players just because we can't change formation? I don't see us as challenging for the title if we have this attitude that we must always play as a diamond since there will be times when we don't have the players tp do that due to injuries,  suspensions. .. etc... Some people on here said diamond formation with Balotelli and  Borini over a 4231. That's absurd.  I'd have a formation where Balotelli can play up top and Sterling can be number 10. Unless you want Lambert or Borini starting we must change the formation.

We did indeed start with a 4-2-3-1, but quickly changed as we realised that the midfield was not right (and many started moaning about Gerrard, incorrectly, as a result). I may be wrong as I'm not looking at the formation as I type, but we did not score more than 1 goal in single game we played 4-2-3-1 - all our higher scoring games were played with a 4-3-3.
You correctly state that we don't have to play the diamond. I very much agree. 4-3-3 is good if we play Coutinho in CM, or 4-2-3-1 is good if we are resting Gerrard.

For space I shall assume the back five remain the same.

4-3-3 (trad):

----------------Balotelli-----------------
Sterling------------------------Markovic

--------Allen*------------Hendo-------
-----------------Gerrard--------------


4-3-3 (Christmas tree):

----------------Balotelli-----------------
-----------Sterling---Coutinho**---------

-----Allen*----------------------Hendo------
-----------------Gerrard--------------

4-2-3-1:

----------------Balotelli-----------------
Sterling------Coutinho**-------Markovic

--------Allen*------------Hendo-------


* or Can (or even Lallana, if he is feeling up for playing a position he is not familiar with)

** or Lallana or move Sterling central and play Lallana out wide. Options eh?

If I do indeed have a point, it is that we should not default back to the diamond as necessarily the best formation. But the team composition and past performances should be taken into account. Gerrard has not suddenly become 5 years younger. It would not be playing to his innumerable strengths to play him in a 2 man midfield.

So anyone know what the extent of the injury is yet?
Thigh usually indicates the front and not the hammy, so hoping it's just a dead leg or something, and not a tear
or pull.

                  Henderson        Gerrard

                                 Lallana
     
         Sterling          Balotelli        Markovic

                  Henderson        Gerrard

                                 Lallana
     
         Sterling          Balotelli        Markovic

This.

Can't wait to see Markovic unleashed! He and Moreno down the left will tear teams apart.

F**k bringing in Lambert when we've got young Markovic or Lallana at our disposal. The former Bristol Rovers man can barely even run. He'd be so counter productive towards our playing style given the attributes he clearly lacks. He was bought simply to do a job off the bench if needed - I think that is pretty obvious. There is much in Lamberts game that Balotelli already possesses, but better.

I would go:

                  Gerrard
           Hendo  Coutinho
Markovic  Balotelli  Sterling

Or if Lallana is fit, maybe switch him with Markovic or Coutinho depending on form.

How would people feel about this team:

              Gerrard
           Hendo  Allen
Lallana  Balotelli  Sterling

How would people feel about this team:

              Gerrard
           Hendo  Allen
Lallana  Balotelli  Sterling

Why would you waste a starting spot on Allen when we could fit Lallana AND Markovic in the side?

Considering same back line,

              gerrard     can
                     hendo         
           lallana           sterling
                     ballotelli

prefer E.Can for more physicality and for supporting Gerrard in defense. Markovich allen and lambert can be used as substitutes to rest some key players
(Gerrard and Sterling )