The debate has already started – where exactly will new signing Roberto Firmino fit in for Liverpool next season?
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With the 23-year-old Brazilian having already proved his versatility, showing that he’s capable of playing through the middle, up front, or out wide, the possibilities really are endless.
Perhaps the most decisive factors in the decision Brendan Rodgers must make are whether Raheem Sterling is sold to Manchester City, as rumoured by the Daily Mail, and how quickly Daniel Sturridge recovers from hip surgery.
Here are three potential line-ups that we’ve envisaged:
4-3-3 Formation
Ideally, Daniel Sturridge will be back to lead the line soon after the season starts. If this proves to be the case and we stick with the formation that we were using towards the back-end of last season, then there is really only one place the Firmino can fit in – on the right of our front three, in place of Raheem Sterling and Adam Lallana.
With Philippe Coutinho guaranteed to take one of the two attacking midfield roles, this will leave Firmino to battle it out with Sterling and Lallana for the one remaining spot, although the latter could potentially drop into the midfield trio as well.
Playing Firmino in this position will allow him to drift out onto the flank, pick up the ball and then cut inside, as he likes to do. The versatility on display will also allow him to interchange with Sturridge and Coutinho – so he can sometimes pop up on the left or also play through the middle – and make it difficult for defenders to track him.
3-4-3 Formation
This is the other formation that we used predominately last season. The major difference here is that the use of wing-backs will both encourage Firmino to stay inside, while also giving him extra support on the flank. If he can build up a relationship with Jordon Ibe – who would currently be the most likely candidate to fill the right wing-back role – then it could potentially be something very special.
There is potential here to build up very strong attacks on both sides of the pitch, with Moreno and Coutinho also combining down the left and Sturridge able to come across where needed. Milner and Henderson can then sit in the midfield hole and start off attacks with their passing range.
This team is less defensively secure than that on the previous page, but offers endless attacking possibilities, even without the likes of Raheem Sterling and Adam Lallana making the cut.
4-2-3-1 Formation
Something a bit different to finish. We’ve utilised Firmino is the false nine role here, the same position he has played – with some success – for Brazil. It could plausibly be the option that Brendan Rodgers utilises when he does not have Daniel Sturridge to call upon.
We’ve got his Brazilian international teammate, Philippe Coutinho, playing just behind him, while Lazar Markovic and Raheem Sterling – assuming, in this case, that he stays – are asked to use their pace to get down the flanks and get the ball into the box, hopefully for our South American stars to pounce.
Milner and Henderson will be asked to play slightly deeper roles, with Coutinho playing in that pivotal number ten role which he favours. Ideally, he should be able to interchange with Sterling and Markovic when needed, in order to cause further problems.