There hasn’t been this much excitement surrounding a Liverpool transfer window for quite some time. Nathaniel Clyne made his move to Anfield official on Wednesday, becoming our sixth summer signing and our second major expenditure following Roberto Firmino, with the pair costing more than £40m.
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The two signings have given Brendan Rodgers endless possibilities for his startling line-up so, in the list below, we’ve taken a look at his three favoured formations and worked out how our new additions will come into play.
Which of these sides would you like to see start against Stoke City on the opening day of the campaign?
4-3-3
This is the formation that we finished last season with and is arguably the one we’re most likely to start next season with. Clyne and Moreno will be encouraged to get forward from their full-back positions but they won’t be quite as advanced as they would be if they were playing as wing-backs.
We’ve included Emre Can in the holding midfield role and it will be his job to cover either of his teammates’ runs forward. Joe Allen and Lucas Leiva are other options here. James Milner and Jordan Henderson complete the midfield. It will be their job to track both forward and back and provide the team with an engine room through which everything else goes.
Roberto Firmino and Philippe Coutinho provide the excitement and the creativity behind our central striker, who will preferably be Daniel Sturridge. Adam Lallana, Jordon Ibe, Lazar Markovic, Danny Ings, Divock Origi and maybe even Raheem Sterling will also be hoping to prove that they deserve a place in that exceptional front three.
3-4-3
There are several advantages behind incorporating wing-backs. The extra defensive security provided by a third centre-back helped us at times last season, although we perhaps lack the depth in options here to sustain this formation long-term.
Clyne and Moreno will also be allowed freer roles down the flanks and will be expected to provide the side with natural width. Milner and Henderson will play the same roles as in the 4-3-3 formation, although they’ll be expected to drop a little deeper than before and launch attacks from deep with their passing range.
Firmino and Coutinho will be allowed to tuck inside and operate more centrally, with Clyne and Moreno providing options outside of them. This should mean that they’re used in their favoured positions just behind the striker.
4-4-2 Diamond
The expectations of our full-backs will be somewhere in the middle here. They won’t be as attacking as they would be if they were wing-backs, although they will still need to get forward and provide width to an otherwise narrow team. Emre Can will play in an out-and-out defensive role in order to track back and help the defence.
Milner and Henderson will play wide of Can, helping down the flanks when going forward and tucking inside to provide additional security when defending. They will need to work hard and stay on the move throughout.
Coutinho will play in the number ten role at the top of the midfield, with Firmino playing just ahead of him. The latter will be able to drop back and become a midfielder when needed or, alternatively, push up in attack and play alongside Sturridge.