13 Dec 2025 06:45:15
Morning all
Question for ed1 if you got time.
A lot has been written this last week or so saying the diamond formation has been welcomed by most of the players and especially the new signings as it suits their style of play. Would you prefer this and why? Will it lead to better performances?
I'm clueless when it comes to formations, so is this a good thing, if not, why not.
Ta, up the reds.
{Ed001's Note - it will work sometimes, it offers little width and crowds everyone in the centre, allowing opposition teams the freedom of the flank, so I don't see it as ideal in the Prem or for the long term. It is quite flexible though, if the team drill in it relentlessly, so they understand when one of the strikers has to drop deeper to allow the midfield to go wider defensively. Like most formations, it is not really the most important thing, not like style of play ie aggressive, fast pressing or slow, deep-lying packed defending. Also, being able to play it well often matters more than the actual formation.}
13 Dec 2025 07:38:45
cheers ed. Here's to a thumping win.
{Ed001's Note - fingers crossed mate.}
13 Dec 2025 09:45:31
can see Mo playing in this system alongside Ekitike or Isak. same as Wirtz.
13 Dec 2025 09:55:01
I think most importantly it suits the squad. I feel like at the minute, we don’t have enough to play 433
Especially when you factor in Slot doesn’t want to use Chiesa, Endo and Rio
Feels like we’ve nothing on the bench at times.
13 Dec 2025 10:02:27
There's no point playing 4-3-3 if we play it with inverted fullbacks. it doesn't suit the players we've bought.
13 Dec 2025 11:02:23
Ed, I agree with you formations are irrelevant and this since even Klopp was here cos in-game, you can flip formations a few times to keep the oppo. guessing or to react to what the oppo. does in real time.
Now like you, my only fear here is that in the PL esp. vs low blocks (cos that is what we struggle with for the most part, crowding the middle will suit the oppo. rather than us esp. if they play 5 across the backline.
Hence to me, the diamond is fine IF the FB's are allowed to participate in providing width and quality from wide positions as this will allow gaps to open thru the half spaces in the oppo. defence to get space to attack. What do you think? Cheers.
{Ed001's Note - you do need the full backs to get forward, otherwise there is no width, but even then you need them given help by a forward drifting out wide or the midfield. It just seems to be more about shoehorning our best players into the side, rather than a set up that suits the team as a whole.}
13 Dec 2025 12:41:37
An astute football fan friend. Believes Slot will be at Anfield until the end of the season. Possibly longer. ??
Brendan Rogers 2.0.
13 Dec 2025 13:46:08
Don't understand 'we can't play 433'. What system did we play against RM? Fairly sure it was 433.
13 Dec 2025 19:33:39
Thanks, Ed01. The shoehorning of players is the issue. Playing a system like that is always going to be a problem if shoehorning players is the goal.
13 Dec 2025 23:00:46
Unpopular opinion for sure but the problem is we went out and bought 2 strikers, a playmaking attacking mid and 2 full backs who look more like wing backs. So bar the centre backs, which we already know we are short on anyway, we have all the elements to play a back 3/ 5. At the Euros Hungary and Scotland both played a back 5, as do Northern Ireland, Frimpong last season at Leverkusen.
Not that im a massive fan of the idea because nobody ever wins anything with a back 3, and its another tactical change, but Agbadou and Guehi are both playing in a back 3 right now. Pair them with Virgil who has the quality to adapt, all 3 are 2 footed and more than capable. It gets Ekitike and Isak on the field together, or Ekitike and Salah who both have a tendency to drift out to the left and right respectively. Wirtz tucked in behind in his best position. Szobo and Grav double pivot, i think Jones would also thrive in this system. and most of all it allows the fullbacks more license to roam forward and overlap and provide width without compromising the defence.