Anzac wrote:
Wilson wrote:
-----Pepe------------------------Coutinho
-------------Lacazette
------------------------Aubameyang
Would be a ridiculous front four.
4411 or 433?
PEA - Laca - Pepe
Coutinho - Cabellos
Torreira
What about an assymetrical system. Out of possession something more like 433. In sustained possession have Auba drift inside to be within the box. Tierney provide the main width down the left and let Coutinho sit in that inside left position. Pepe providing more width from the right.
To borrow from a post earlier:
-------------------Leno
-Bellerin--Sokratis-----CB----Tierney
------Torreira---Xhaka--Coutinho
---Pepe------------Laca------Auba
Could go lopsided 442 with Coutinho on the left (reminder that he played on the left of a three when Liverpool almost won the league, with Sterling up front in a three with Suarez/Sturridge):
----------------Leno
--Bellerin--Sokratis----CB-----Tierney
-------------Torreira Xhaka
------------------------------Coutinho
---Pepe
--------------Laca
------------------------Auba
Coutinho could work quite well as the +1 man to Pepe, Laca, Auba. Better at ball retention (and the other three forwards suffer more there), technically strong, drop in more to advance the ball with the midfield two, less of an emphasis on goalscoring because of the other three and enough legs to carry the ball. Almost the role Hleb played with Flamini/Cesc while the likes of Theo, Robin/Eddy and Ade got the goals around 2008. Drop in as the third midfielder. Little bit reminiscent of how Di Maria used to play for Madrid as ahead of Alonso/Khedira while drifting wide at times from that role. Natural width coming from the fullbacks there.
Edit: Madrid team I'm thinking of was this:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7f/Real_Madrid_vs_Atl%C3%A9tico_Madrid_2014-05-24.svg/300px-Real_Madrid_vs_Atl%C3%A9tico_Madrid_2014-05-24.svg.png
Obviously less ability but the similar roles are there. Xhaka/Alonso, Torreira/Khedira, Coutinho/Di Maria, Pepe/Bale, Lacazette/Benzema, Aubameyang/Ronaldo.
I think we need Aubameyang off the chain and with reduced responsibility/more room to float inside realistically. He can't just be out on the left-wing as we play. If that gives Coutinho more responsibility for defending and build up down the left, so be it. Could be more two strikers with the ball in sustained possession and 451/433 when settled defending without the ball. It has a bit less structure but it seems necessary to me.
