Diamond Perfection

To definitively say whether there is one single ‘best’ formation in football is an almost impossible question to answer. Tactically speaking, much depends on the types of players available in any particular squad as to which formation is best suited. Yet for Liverpool, I believe we are pretty close to the holy grail of formations. As far as tactics influence success in football, the 4-4-2 diamond is just about the most effective system at Rodgers’ disposal.

The results when using the diamond speak for themselves. 7 wins and 1 draw in 8 fixtures last season, and as soon as we switched back to using it this season in the 3-0 victory at White Hart Lane the change in our performance was significant. There are a number of key criteria which a team must have in order to play the diamond formation effectively, and which Liverpool currently possess. 

First of all, the full backs in this system must be quick, athletic and able to get up and down the wing. By nature, the diamond midfield shape is quite narrow, meaning against talented wide players, there is a potential threat down the flanks, so the full backs must be able to not only get up the outside and support the attack, but help stifle any penetration down the wings. Our 2 Spaniards, Moreno and Manquillo, are perfectly suited to this role.

Secondly, the midfielders on the wide points of the diamond, either side of Steven Gerrard in Liverpool’s case, must be energetic and defensively capable so as not to expose the sitting midfielder, as well as shifting out wide to cover for the fullbacks. Given Gerrard’s age and lack of mobility, it’s vital he gets the necessary support from the two men either side of him, to enable him to influence proceedings via his excellent range of passing. We have an abundance of options here, with Jordan Henderson the prime example of pressing, tracking back, regaining possession but also surging forward in support of the attack. Henderson does this job from the right hand side, and thus far we have seen Joe Allen and Philippe Coutinho do likewise on the left, whilst the returning Adam Lallana could be a contender for this role, as could Emre Can.

Thirdly, we move up to the tip of the diamond, the ‘number 10’ role just in behind the strikers, linking midfield and attack. Our main man here is of course Raheem Sterling, who’s ability to unlock defences is maximised when positioned centrally, with direct, pacy forward runs and accurate through balls causing defences havoc. New man Lazar Markovic will look to provide competition for this position also, whilst the versatility of Lallana and Coutinho could enable them to fill in here if needed.

Finally, there are the two men up top, one of the main reasons for using this system. Last season, it was to accommodate our two star players – Suarez and Sturridge. Nowadays, the latter is accompanied by the enigmatic Mario Balotelli. Having two strikers up top allows them to play off each other, occupying more defenders than a lone forward in a 4-3-3 who can become isolated. While defenders may be drawn to Balotelli, Sturridge can roam free, and vice versa. If they double up on the pair, this opens up space for Sterling in behind. It’s a recipe for disaster, even for the very best defences.

Of course, the emphasis is on attack. An extra striker means one less covering midfielder, but this is our strength and therefore we must play to it. The diamond suits our style perfectly, allowing the midfield to dominate, full backs to push on and the number 10 to combine with two forwards with lethal effect. Mitigating circumstances may apply whereby a more defensive minded approach must be adopted, in the case of injuries in certain positions, or when defending a lead. But for the most part, this formation really is the way forward, allowing Rodgers to get the absolute best out of each individual players’ assets.