Liverpool formation this year?

Don't know what formation we should be playing but Reina, Kelly/Johnson, Agger, Skrtel/Carragher, Enrique, Bellamy, Gerrard, Lucas, Suarez must be on the pitch.

I think people on here will know my hatred of 4-4-2, our best performances since Kenny returned are with a 4-2-3-1 or a 4-3-3

4 3 3 for me

Reina

Johnson Carra Agger Enrique

   Stevie Lucas Adam/Downing

Suarez      Carroll     Bellamy

2 full backs pushing on. Agger encouraged to carry the ball out as much as possible. Lucas holding Stevie doing the creative work. Free role for Suarez and Bellamy with both encouraged to give us width when needed

 Back to this question after yesterday performance. I was always a fan of 4-4-2 as I think it's a very balanced system but it's a fact its time is coming to an end as most of the best European teams at the moment are using other formations. It doesn't mean you can't be successful with it today though. The fact that 2 main EPL title contenders this year are using it tell us all, but you also need the squad for it to work. The most important thing is to have very creative and class wingers (Nani&Young) or wide midfielders (Silva&Nasri). You can't play 4-4-2 with Henderson or Kuyt on the right. That's just my opinion.
 
 Considering our squad at the moment I think we should try with a modified 4-3-3 (something like Chelsea's formation 2 or 3 years before with Anelka-Drogba-Malouda attacking trio, solid central midfield and defence and attacking full backs to provide width):
                                             
                                                 Reina
           Johnson           Skrtel                  Agger         Enrique
                 
                                               Lucas
                             Gerrard                     Adam
                 
                       Suarez             Carroll          Downing

Why won't Kenny just play 4-3-3 and go out on and all out attack every game?

My preference is well enough documented but if we are to insist on playing 4-4-2 we need two box to box central midfielders and two fast, skillful wingers. We do not have that - end of.

We do however have the personnel to play 4-3-3 (or derivatives, thereof). A perfectly balanced middle three and a quick and interchangeable front three. Here's hoping.

For the difficult games, I would like to see this team:

----------------------Reina
--Johnson---Skrtel------Agger------Enrique
------------Spearing------Lucas
--------------------Gerrard
Kuyt---------------Bellamy----------Suarez

For the "easier" ones:

----------------------Reina
--Kelly-----Coates------Agger------Enrique
------------Gerrard-------Lucas
----------------------Maxi
Suarez------------Carroll----------Bellamy

For the difficult games, I would like to see this team:

----------------------Reina
--Johnson---Skrtel------Agger------Enrique
------------Spearing------Lucas
--------------------Gerrard
Kuyt---------------Bellamy----------Suarez

For the "easier" ones:

----------------------Reina
--Kelly-----Coates------Agger------Enrique
------------Gerrard-------Lucas
----------------------Maxi
Suarez------------Carroll----------Bellamy

So... the same formation each time it is then.   

Back to this question after yesterday performance. I was always a fan of 4-4-2 as I think it's a very balanced system but it's a fact its time is coming to an end as most of the best European teams at the moment are using other formations. It doesn't mean you can't be successful with it today though. The fact that 2 main EPL title contenders this year are using it tell us all, but you also need the squad for it to work. The most important thing is to have very creative and class wingers (Nani&Young) or wide midfielders (Silva&Nasri). You can't play 4-4-2 with Henderson or Kuyt on the right. That's just my opinion.
 
 Considering our squad at the moment I think we should try with a modified 4-3-3 (something like Chelsea's formation 2 or 3 years before with Anelka-Drogba-Malouda attacking trio, solid central midfield and defence and attacking full backs to provide width):
                                             
                                                 Reina
           Johnson           Skrtel                  Agger         Enrique
                 
                                               Lucas
                             Gerrard                     Adam
                 
                       Suarez             Carroll          Downing

Agree with that fella plus i think the majority of us on here would like to see a change in the shape of the team but it does seem as if Kenny is well and truly locked in to playing 4-4-2. He grew up playing that way, his Liverpool and Blackburn sides played that way and he seems to determined to make it work again at LFC. Only problem is the formation is pretty much dead and buried in the EPL and I don't personally think we've got the players to make it work either. I wonder how long Kenny will persist with it? As i see it there are several problems;

- As several posters have higlighted we don't have enough quality in wide areas (when was the last time we could say otherwise) to make it work. Downing is a decent player but he's hit the wall after a very promising start to his LFC career and I don't think he's justifying his starting position at the moment. I can see the thinking with playing Henderson wide right given that he has a decent cross on him and had some success playing wide for Sunderland but he's clearly more suited to a central position. Kuyt can play there but he doesn't have the skill set to play wide in a 4 and is far more suited to the freedom of playing as an inside right in a front 3 where he has licence to roam.

- The other big problem we have is in central midfield. It's been done to death in the Adam thread and depsite the fact I quite like Charlie, he clearly isn't best suited to playing in a two. He doesn't have the mobility or the pace to get up and down and leaves Lucas with too much running to do. If we're gonna play with a two I actually think Lucas and Spearing are the way to go because they have both got great engines. but again the problem with those two would be creativity and you're back to relying on the wide players (who aren't up to it) so ultimately it's up to Luis to make things happen.

Even with the right players you have to question whether it can work because (like yesterday) there will always be phases in the game where you lose control of the midfield because your outmanned. It's happened repeatadly this season when we've failed to score after a period of dominance and the oppo have managed to get hold of the ball and play their way back into the game.

I'm actually pretty confident that Kenny will get us set up correctly sooner or later. I'd like to see Carroll up top with Suarez and Bellamy either side with license to roam and interchange when we're on the ball. In the middle of the park i'd look to play a midfield three of Spearing, Lucas and Adam (replaced by Stevie when he's back) and encourage Jonno and Enrique to really bomb on.

Adam appears to be 1st choice for Kenny so if thats the case needs to be more 4-3-3. When Stevie is back and everyone else is fit, going on current form I'd love to see this for the Chavs and Citeh games.

                     Pepe

Johnson Skrtel  Agger   Enrique

       Gerrard  Lucas  Adam

  Suarez      Carroll      Bellamy

vs chelsea
                             Pep

Kelly              Carra       Dagger           Jose

                             Lucas
           
           Gerrard                        Hendo


Luis                                                   Bellamy
                         Carroll               

My preference is well enough documented but if we are to insist on playing 4-4-2 we need two box to box central midfielders and two fast, skillful wingers. We do not have that - end of.

We do however have the personnel to play 4-3-3 (or derivatives, thereof). A perfectly balanced middle three and a quick and interchangeable front three. Here's hoping.

This sums it up perfectly.

Midfield/Attacking Formations I'd like to see

Going to ignore the defence - people know I prefer Kelly over Johnson but this isn't the issue at the moment.

(4-2-3-1)

Carroll

Downing/Bellamy - Suarez - Kuyt/Henderson

Lucas - Adam/Spearing

And hopefully when Gerrard is fit

(4-2-3-1)

Suarez

Downing/Bellamy - Gerrard - Kuyt/Henderson

Lucas - Adam/Spearing

Have we got the right set of players (especially considering Bellamy's knee) to go 4-3-3 which would (I think) put more pressure on our left and right backs?

Bellamy - Carroll - Suarez

Lucas - Gerrard - Henderson/Spearing

Have we got the right set of players (especially considering Bellamy's knee) to go 4-3-3

I think we do JD:

Middle three: perm any 3 from - Lucas, Spearing, Adam, Henderson & Gerrard.

Front three: perm any 3 from - Suarez, Bellamy, Kuyt, Downing, Maxi & Carroll.

When you look at a 4-4-2 the options are really most limited on the flanks, in my opinion, (assuming one wants to play with orthodox wingers, of course). 

Players who have played on the flanks this season: Downing, Maxi, Bellamy, Kuyt & Henderson. 'Proper', dedicated,  wingers from that list, left or right - Downing. To my mind we really do not have the personnel to make this work... yet.

People know my opinion on 4-4-2, i F***ing hate it especially the rigid way we play it. If you want to play it you need real pace in wide positions to stretch team that is why utd have made it work. I personally would play 4-2-3-1 home and away.

Ian dowie rubbishing 4-4-2 on ssn making a lot of sense

Ian dowie rubbishing 4-4-2 on ssn making a lot of sense

The success that is Iain Dowie. I'm not sure using him as back up in a debate is a good idea to be honest.

Kenny Dalglish has forgotton more about football than he will ever know.

We continue to struggle if we keep employing a 4-4-2, hope I'm wrong.

We continue to struggle if we keep employing a 4-4-2, hope I'm wrong.

Agree with this...we need to be more flexible in our formation for matches and during matches in my opinion. With Adam and Lucas in the centre...I would employ Bellamy and Downing out wide...as carroll and Suarez are not the quickest either. Want to see 4-1-2-3, 4-3-3, 4-2-3-1....maybe even 3-5-2 as kenny utilised last season.

At times...with a 4-4-2 we have looked rigid this season.

The success that is Iain Dowie. I'm not sure using him as back up in a debate is a good idea to be honest.

Ain't that the truth.   

It, sort of, pisses all over an otherwise sensible debate, to be honest; ah well. 

The success that is Iain Dowie. I'm not sure using him as back up in a debate is a good idea to be honest.

Kenny Dalglish has forgotton more about football than he will ever know.

Lmfao...Iiain Dowie....give that man a job haha !! Im sure the king is made up that the likes of dowie are around to guide him on formation.

Was Dowie talking about Liverpool or 4-4-2 in general?

Actually it doesn't f*****g matter.... Iain Dowie ... says it all !!

Dowie isn't a scratch on any top manager in the league, but I'm sure he knows more about football then people on here, myself obviously included.

I don't get it, most people on here dislike that we use 442, yet when someone agrees, you bash them for it?

We may laugh at dowie but im pretty sure he is more tactical aware than a lot on here. I actually thought he was making a hell of a lot sense the other day.