Liverpool Football Formation

Lineup (4-2-3-1)

Team 4 have wing forwards that can tear any team to shreds. This is part of the reason why we choose to go with two wingers well known for their defensive work. The other part is the raw pace that they possess.

Sterling and Aubameyang are the sort of pacy wing players who can make any one pay with their thrust on the counter. With Lewandowski up front, they have a decent target as well as a fantastic player to link up with.

In terms of attack, both Auba and Raheem will be allowed to choose their poison, whether they stretch play or dance and fire their way inward to link with Iniesta to open up space for Lewa to take advantage of is completely their choice. Both being immensely intelligent footballers, they will enjoy this sort of freedom. The only idea for them is to get in behind their defensive players using their pace, allowing Iniesta to release those vital passes.

Iniesta finally has players built around him than the other way. He has a free role with the only onus on him being to drop deeper when off the ball. He may drift wide and allow Sterling/Aubameyang to dominate his prime space when he is being marked. The attacking triad are an interchangeable unit and will use that all game.

The pivot plays a tough game. Not only because they face an absolute monster in Yaya and a smart player in Xavi but because we will setup to play on the break. This means constant strenuous discipline.

Basti will have to take on Yaya this game. Ruffling him up. Not letting him spend time on the ball and also breaking his momentum by showing him towards the outside of the pitch when he is on a run. De Rossi in this situation will move the central areas and ensure there is no central passing outlet for Yaya, forcing him to go to the wings.

Lahm vs Bale will be tasty to say the least. But defensively there is Raheem or Auba (depending on the interchanging) speeding back. Pound for pound they are as fast as if not faster than Bale so that way Bale must face their constant harassment of him when he has the ball. The idea is to push the ball out of play when he has it, BREAK his MOMENTUM.

Likewise if Bale starts on their right and has Marcelo to face. Marcelo might be more of an attacking player but his pace has forever helped him shepherd players of high caliber. With help from a returning winger and a solid CB pairing, he will have enough to keep their winger sufficiently quiet. If Neymar starts on his side, even better. Neymar has never been able to get the better of Carvajal or Marcelo in the Classico's and his drifts towards the center will see DeRossi keep him quiet (He had to resort to falling cheaply against Ramos who was playing DM in recent Classicos)

If their fullbacks come into play, there will be crosses after they stretch play wide. Our center back pairing are excellent aerially and capable of keeping most quiet (different issue if you are Zlatan. No one stops Zlatan) Only our defenders needs to have a good game.

Iniesta has a special task when off the ball. Harass Xavi when he is on it. The lesser time Xavi spends on the ball, the better for us.

On the Counter.

There will be breakneck speed on our counter attacks with magic from Iniesta. Between Sterling, Auba, Lewa and Iniesta there will be magical breaks to watch out for.

Schweinsteiger will without a doubt move forward on the break. Because Yaya will leave that space for him. So Basically Javi will either have to move out to get Iniesta or Bastian leaving the other with Xavi and his currently defensively aged legs to deal with.

On the counter, our wingers will get the better of their fullbacks using sheer pace to their credit.

Plus Neymar's defensive duty leaves much to be desired.

Lewandowski's running and movement should also cause problems for their defenders.

Fullbacks attack when necessary, otherwise they play a disciplined game both ends of the pitch.

SUBS

When winning: Nothing to change the combination. All these players are well conditioned specimens who can play more than the average 90mins without too much tire. We just become compact and when on the ball make them work hard to dispossess us.

IF Losing:

We first wait to see if they reduce their wing threat and look to shut us out by bringing defensive players in.

If they do or after 70mins, whichever comes earlier.

Aubemyang Off Fabregas On

4-4-2 Diamond.

Fabregas and Basti on either side of DeRossi in Holding Role. Iniesta behind Sterling and Lewandowski.

We look to dominate possession and utilize it well by making play multidimensional in terms of distribution.

Basti the engine, Fabregas the maestro, Iniesta the magician, Lewandowski striker and Sterling the speed demon.

Defenders attack when necessary. DeRossi sits deep shielding defense and spraying his long passes which often split open midfields.

IF Drawing:

We become more compact. We are fine with a point in this game. We only go for the kill when it's a draw late into the game, if Momentum is with us and we are positively outplaying them. Otherwise we play this cleverly.