Arsenal vs Liverpool - what formation/squad to go with?

[Dr. J]

 

I think we need Lucas, Gerrard and Henderson in midfield not to be overrun there.

 

Yeah, and except for last week that is exactly what's happened in the second half of every game we played. Our midfield against Ozil, Cazorla, Ramsay, Arteta and Wilshere amounts to what?

 

We need either personnel changes or tactical changes. Hoping we can cope is not going to be enough.

[Gym Beglin]

You're a batty fucker, funneee. You're advocating dropping a striker, scoring for fun and forming a lethal partnership with one of the world's best players, for who? Henderson? Lucas? Coutinho just back from injury?

 

Football manager all fucked up, that is.

You're working to a flawed assumption my friend, and that's that games are won in the 1st minute.

 

Arsenal will be hard, hard work, and even if we play well there is zero guarantee that we'll get anything out of it. With that in mind, I want to be able to look to the bench in the 67th minute and see a player or two on there who can change the dynamic of the team.

 

You can't keep on playing Suarez and Sturridge together, it's unsustainable, especially with NO back-up option if either of them gets taken out of the game. What then? Change formation in the middle of the game away at Arsenal? Put Alberto or Moses up front? I just think there are certain big games when you need Plan B because there is a very, very good chance that Plan A might not work.

 

Against shite, I agree with the two up front. Against the top sides, I don't.

[moof]

And there was me thinking you should just play your best players. Suarez, Sturridge and Coutinho should start every game they're available for

[Dr. J]

In fairness, Coutinho wasn't playing all that great before he got injured.

[Guest LFD]

And there was me thinking you should just play your best players. Suarez, Sturridge and Coutinho should start every game they're available for

 

I think everyone agrees, that those three should all play in every other Premiership game.

 

But this is different Coutinho is coming back from injury and Arsenal away I believe is the toughest game of the season and I feel we need Lucas, Gerrard and Henderson all central to not be overrun.

 

I'd like to see us try a midfield diamond like Milan did in 2005:

 

--------------------------Lucas-----------------------------

 

----------Gerrard-------------------Henderson----------

 

-------------------------Coutinho--------------------------

 

----------Suarez----------------------Sturridge-----------

 

 

The full backs will offer the width and Suarez / Sturridge both drift wide anyway.  If Henderson or Gerrard get injured or need a rest I think Allen could play those roles as well.

 

But I don't think this is the right game to try it.

[Ezekiel 25:17]

It annoyed me a little when listening to The Anfield Wrap where they suggested that Henderson deserves to be in the side on merit and that means Coutinho should earn his way back.

 

It's amazing what one good performance vs West Brom can do for Henderson, and what a 6 week lay-off can do in terms of forgetting just how good Coutinho is and how hard he works to win the ball back.

 

Now, I'm not sure about whether or not Coutinho is fit enough to start the game vs Arsenal, but equally I'm not sure about leaving him out. Henderson's propensity to run is great, but it's a self-fulfilling prophecy against a team like Arsenal. It's almost like we'd be happy to NOT have the ball because it means Henderson can show his 'worth' to us by running around after Wilshire, OZil and Ramsey. Surely the best solution is to keep the ball ourselves, and that means Coutinho or Allen should surely be ahead of him to play?

 

I'm half tempted to rest Sturridge and play Coutinho behind Suarez.

 

This allows us to retain the same '3' in midfield, and also allows us to keep the ball better, and also allows us to have a subs bench with Moses and Sturridge on there, two players with pace that can change a game.

 

 

-----------------------The Mig---------------------------

 

------Toure-----------Skrtel------------Sakho----------

 

Johnson---------------Lucas-----------------Cissokho

 

------------Gerrard----------Henderson--------------

 

-------------------Coutinho------------------------

 

--------------------Suarez--------------------------

 

Subs: Agger, Enrique, Allen, Moses, Sturridge, Alberto, Jones

 

I'd say it's more amazing you listened to anything that came out of The Anfield Wrap.

[Gym Beglin]

In fairness, Coutinho wasn't playing all that great before he got injured.

 

I don't care if Coutinho is without limbs, I'd rather have Coutinho's cadaver planted in the centre circle like a scarecrow than select Henderson ahead of him.

 

Coutinho isn't JUST coming back from injury, he's been training for the last two weeks. Being declared 'fit' doesn't mean 'still fucked but able to walk for short periods'.

[Guest LFD]

I don't care if Coutinho is without limbs, I'd rather have Coutinho's cadaver planted in the centre circle like a scarecrow than select Henderson ahead of him.

 

Coutinho isn't JUST coming back from injury, he's been training for the last two weeks. Being declared 'fit' doesn't mean 'still fucked but able to walk for short periods'.

 

I have no problem with that view, he's a cracking player and if selected I'll have no issues as we'll be showing a real attacking intent.

 

I negged you for your comments about Henderson in the opening post and for saying we shouldn't pick Sturridge - the current league top scorer.

[Pureblood]

I don't care if Coutinho is without limbs, I'd rather have Coutinho's cadaver planted in the centre circle like a scarecrow than select Henderson ahead of him.

 

Coutinho isn't JUST coming back from injury, he's been training for the last two weeks. Being declared 'fit' doesn't mean 'still fucked but able to walk for short periods'.

 

There's a big difference between being fit to play and match fitness.  Arsenal away is tricky for your first game back no matter who you are.  Remember Messi returning from injury against us?  Arbeloa marked him out of the game.  More unlikely to happen with a match fit Messi. 

[Tony Moanero]

Sorry, Funnneeeee, "The Mig" sounds shit.

[MOGLET]

We'll need all of Henderson, Gerrard and Lucas in CM against Arsenal.  

 

I think Enrique is more solid than Cissokho, so if he's fit I'd have him.

 

Coutinho coming back from injury could be a great option off the bench for the last 30 minutes.

 

I'd go:

 

 

------------------------------------Mignolet---------------------------------------

 

----------------Toure--------------Skrtel---------------Sakho------------------

 

Johnson---------------------------Lucas-------------------------------Enrique

 

-----------------------Gerrard-----------------Henderson-----------------------

 

----------------------Suarez--------------------Sturridge-------------------------

 

 

Lucas to mark Ozil out of the game.  Gerrard / Henderson to do the pressing.  Suarez / Sturridge to cause their back four numerous problems.

 

We've got a great chance, especially with Flamini out.

Barring a run out at about 60 minutes or so for Coutinho, thats about as perfect as we can be.

Although to be fair, Sakho still worries me a bit, would rather have Agger back in there.

 

All I want is Kolo to get his well earned and long awaited goal.

[Guest LFD]

Sakho still worries me a bit, would rather have Agger back in there.

 

Agger would worry me more.

[JermainePennant]

Im expecting kolo to be on beast mode on sat so he and the other two should be able to handle giroud.Hopefully the midfield handle ozil, Id stick with same team as last week unless Enrique is fit, with that formation and cout to come off bench I think wed get a draw atleast.

[MLB]

No change from WBA for me. Coutinho on after an hour to cause a bit of havoc. 

 

 

Same for me. I don't think we should try and match them for possession because I just don't think it will work, even with an extra man in midfield. I think a better tactic for us is going to be pressuring them into making mistakes and getting the ball forward to the front two as quickly as possible.

 

Coutinho can come on and give them something else to think about for the last half hour.

[Anubis]

After watching Hansen's analysis of how far up the pitch the Arsenal defence push, I'd be tempted to stick with what we've been doing and hit them on the counter.

[Adebisi]

I'm trying to remember how Henderon fared at wing-back that time. Maybe move him there, Johnson over to left back and bring Coutinho into the side if he's fit. 

But maybe this is just over complicating things and I'm getting ahead of myself. I'm just in the mindset that without Flammini helping out their back 4, our front 3 has the potential to do them some damage. Maybe too adventurous though? Maybe keep it tight for 60 then bring Coutinho into the mix. If he's not fit to start I'd just go same as last week. 

[Carvalho Diablo]

Mignolet

Johnson Toure Sakho Enrique

Gerrard Lucas Henderson

Coutinho

Sturridge Suarez

 

Sexy.

 

This. Exactly this.

 

Unless Enrique is out, in which case Cissokho in LB for LB shocker.

 

Skrtel very unlucky btw, but give me the added attacking brilliance and creativity from Coutinho over defensive overkill any and every day of the week.

[Strontium]

Not sure it matters what formation we play, as it's simply not credible to believe that Arsenal will lose three home games in a row, however abandoning the 3-5-2 experiment would appear to be a must. Although I'd still play 5 in midfield, or we will get killed.

[Guest LFD]

however abandoning the 3-5-2 experiment would appear to be a must. 

 

Did you not watch the last game or see the result?

[magicrat]

Did you not watch the last game or see the result?.

W

Five in midfield is a must for me

[G Richards]

We just put in our best performance of the season. Same again please. Possibly Enrique in exchange for Cissokho. 

 

Coutinho is a great player to bring on to mix things up later on. Allen is good for pressing too. Heck, even Moses might be a decent impact sub if the game is getting stretched late on. But I fully expect the same team, with Gerrard and Henderson in front of Lucas; and then Coutinho to be waiting in the wings should we need a goal later on. 

 

If we are cautious, we will lose this one. If we go out there and get after them, we can cause them all sorts of problems and even win this. 

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

That's such bollocks. The west Brom game was his first decent performance of the season and even then he wasn't in our top 5 performers

That's a bit 'arsh, mate? He has been playing right back or defensive midfielder. I said it about a month ago on here that he should be played as a more attacking midfielder. Not a number 10, but the attacking most central midfielder. Most didn't agree, but give him some licence to join the attack and his pace and running will cause teams problems.

[Dr. J]

 

If we are cautious, we will lose this one. If we go out there and get after them, we can cause them all sorts of problems and even win this.

 

This. Above all, let's not hear any more of this 'work in progress' shite. We're going there with a chance to go top, not learn more about systems or bed players in.

[Evil_Ways]

Yeah, and except for last week that is exactly what's happened in the second half of every game we played. Our midfield against Ozil, Cazorla, Ramsay, Arteta and Wilshere amounts to what?

 

We need either personnel changes or tactical changes. Hoping we can cope is not going to be enough.

There's a number of reasons, in my opinion, that we've played worse, or being pushed back in several of the second halfs this season. Us having the lead and changing tactics to a more counter attacking set up, is one quite big one reason. Our opponents changing their tactics another.

 

Im not sure what you mean it's supposed to amount to?

What i do know is Arsenal at the emirates usually see more of the ball than their opponents, no matter who the opponents. They had more possession than Bayern Munich in last seasons QF's for example. So i expect us to be chasing the ball more than actually having it.

There for i'd want us to set our midfield up accordingly.

[Skidfingers McGonical]

Same team as last week for me as those players played very well and you should always pick a player in form. Well in my opinion anyway.

 

I would if required move Johnson over to the left and play Henderson at RB. I wouldn't trust Enrique with anything and he looks clueless as to what he is meant to be doing in this formation. Sure, his strength might come in handy but I think he is too much of a liabilty overall. Especially at set pieces and allowing his man to get a cross in.

 

If he is to play, would I be angry? No, but I would be disappointed. Very disappointed.