We should be looking for the formation that works best against Arsenal. If that means Sterling doesn't play, so be it. He deserves to play, but what if we really don't need him? (Not saying we don't, I think he should come in off the bench). I think we need both Allen and Coutinho on the pitch, with Gerrard and Henderson too. Their midfield is dominant against most teams, let alone against our 4-2-4 formation. We need a bit of steel there and without 4 midfielders (I count the 10 role) we will be overrun and the strikers will be isolated.
I think 451 is the way to go and thats suarez left wing and sterling right. I think its then a choice point of who the 3 in midfield are frankly. sturridge up top to hold it up. play a back 4 with two full backs pinned to defend. IMO this would allow some breaks froward with the two wide men joining but would also allow us to go man to man in the midfield and hopefully keep them out. nothing but shirt pullling will help on corners with mertesacker though
451 to begin with is fine and dandy, but we all know that how that midfield of 5 morphs, reacts, operates through guile, skill or pressure depends on the players picked. So picking which 3 in the middle and assigning them roles that they will be able to carry out, is the tough question.
Arsenal are the best team in the league when it comes to possession football. Therefore, whether we plan on doing or not, counter-attacking football will be needed and our best two for that are Sturridge and Sterling, Suarez isn't bad either but he doesn't have the same pace.
We tried that last time and it didn't work. Without 4 midfielders Sterling and Sturridge will never get the ball. Suarez can't be dropped either. Coutinho is vital to any of the counter attacks we make. Sterling is useful, but perhaps the weakest link. I'd MUCH rather have Sterling come on in the 60th than Moses and Aspas too. Sturridge and Suarez and Coutinho should link up decently enough on the counter while Allen and Gerrard sit back and defend.
Last time we didn't have Sterling for the whole game, while Coutinho came on in the second half. Our flanks were merely Flannagan and Cissokho, who gave them no worries whatsoever, didn't stretch them at all and let them focus entirely on what they love to do, which is knit us some knickers in midfield. You and gonzo are right in that you want to directly address our number one blunder in that game - being outnumbered in the middle (due to Sakho/Cisokho both sitting deep on the left). However, Sterling can provide that fifth body in midfield too when defending and then shift wider when attacking thus stretching their defence. Chelsea tried something similar at Arsenal and City, with Oscar benched and Willian, like Sterling would, tracking back time and time again. But on the other hand, City in their 6-3 demolition of Arsenal played with Silva and without Navas for the first 50 minutes. I rate Coutinho a lot and I actually resent the fact that we don't have reliable partners for him to combine with in midfield thus absorb pressure in tight central situations and play possession ball. Instead, he's too often inclined to put the blinders on like the others and look for the quick release forward.
could you **** , i used to do cross country, swimming, football,tennis,cycling and **** before, so even though i smoke now days i am still quite healthy compared to some who don't even smoke. and that everton defense is fecking slower than smithy
on-topic interlude: Southampton dominated Arsenal's midfield last weekend with a (4)231 of Cork-Schneiderlin, Davis-Lallana-Rodriguez, Gallagher.
2-2 but the Saints outdid them in shots on goal, passes, possession etc. Cork, Schneiderlin, Davis, Lallana, Rodriguez, Gallagher - hardly 20 million targets right? Well, most of them are now. Could have gone for them instead for some 7 mill Iberian dudes. To be fair, Pochetino has done wonders with them too.
