Every week before a Liverpool match, a panel of Read Liverpool writers will come together and choose who they would throw out on the pitch and how they’d arrange the team.
Think yours is better than any of ours? Tweet me (@tombogert) your XI in the days leading up to the next game and you might be picked to have your say in this article as the “Your Liverpool XI” writer for that match.
Tom Bogert: (4-2-3-1) Mignolet; Clyne, Skrtel, Lovren, Gomez; Can, Milner; Ibe, Coutinho, Firmino; Benteke
It’d be tempting to rotate the squad and think about handing a game to Danny Ings and Divock Origi, who’ve yet to feature in a competitive match for Liverpool, but with the international break looming with Europa League and the League Cup just on the other side of that, there’ll be games aplenty to go around. So Liverpool need to give it a go with their best XI possible against West Ham and look to take 10 out of their first 12 points to begin the new season.
Lucas could play, but I opted to get Ibe in the team by resisting Lucas. Can will hold deeper than Milner and can orchestrate attacks from deep. Firmino will continue to build on his fitness and hopefully round into form. Benteke to reappear on the score sheet seems a logical shout.
Sam Davies: (4-1-2-1-2) Mignolet; Clyne, Skrtel, Lovren, Gomez; Lucas; Milner, Can; Coutinho; Benteke, Ings
Hopefully now after an impressive performance at the Emirates the only way is up for us. Keeping the same back four will, fingers crossed, help us improve defensively going forward. I expect that if Jordan Henderson is fit he’ll come in for Lucas, although with exit rumours looming the Brazilian did a solid job on Monday. Ibe has been far from impressive in my opinion but I think that’s just down to his age; he will get better in time. With Lallana missing and Firmino perhaps unlikely to play twice in a week so soon, I’m hoping we’ll see up two up top.
Luke Chandley: (4-3-3) Mignolet; Clyne, Skrtel, Lovren, Gomez; Lucas, Can, Milner; Firmino, Benteke,
Coutinho
After the brilliant and resolute display at Arsenal, the Liverpool players should be flying high, which is why I’ve gone for the same team as Monday. The temptation was there to start Ings ahead of Firmino, but with this being the last game before the break, I’ve chosen the Brazilian to build on a solid debut.
The defence, which has seen a lot of praise, should view this as another Arsenal, and with West Ham having a lot of injuries and a couple of suspensions, you would think that this game would be slightly more straightforward than usual. Although I don’t want the players to think that. Lucas should continue, and Can in the ‘free’ midfield role seems to work, so I would see that continuing while possible.
Benteke had a huge part to play in the last game, and I see him bullying a makeshift West Ham defence and getting on the score sheet.
James Smith: (4-1-2-1-2) Mignolet; Clyne, Skrtel, Lovren, Gomez; Can; Milner, Coutinho; Firmino; Ings, Benteke.
I think I probably need to explain myself here so here goes. I’d play a 4-4-2 diamond/4-1-2-1-2. The reason behind dropping Lucas is simply because I don’t think he is required as much, whereas I felt Arsenal away was his type of game, and he did well. I’d utilise Can as the holding player in Henderson’s absence, as it doesn’t quite look like he’ll be risked. You would hope that he would act with a bit more discipline than usual and keep it simple.
Yet again, the back four cannot be touched. Defending well as a unit and joining in down the flanks too. Gomez continuing to impress. Furthermore, Moreno seems to be working nicely as a sub to throw onto the wing late on.
Milner and Coutinho as the runners, the creative players. They can always interchange with Firmino, who I’d play at the head. I feel it could give him some freedom to express himself on his first start at Anfield.
Ings/Origi need to feature soon enough so Ings’ energy and running in behind could be useful, with Benteke continuing as he has done in the opening three games. This could be a fixture where we could obtain another three points and a few goals to really get going, against a West Ham side who have actually slipped up a bit defensively since their opening day win at the Emirates.
Your Liverpool XI, Ryan Worrall: (4-2-3-1) Mignolet; Clyne, Skrtel, Lovren, Gomez; Milner, Can; Firmino, Coutinho, Moreno; Benteke
Mignolet and the back four obviously need no changing for this game as we look the best we have been defensively for some time. Three games and three clean sheets shows how strong we have been in that position since the start of the new season. The fantastic signings of Nathaniel Clyne and Joe Gomez have helped bring a solidity down the flanks and Lovren finally finding his Southampton form has displayed the qualities of front foot defending.
The midfield should go back to a two sitting in front of the defence in this game with Lucas being the player to make way. We will have the fair share of possession so with Milner and Emre Can that should give us the legs and the defensive qualities needed to keep them out but also the attacking power and midfield supporting runs needed when we have the ball.
James Milner since joining has shown how important experience and a brilliant footballing brain is to this Liverpool side. He brings an air of calmness but also quality when on the ball in the final third. All being complemented by a great will to press high for the team.
Now time for the devastating attack. A flair-filled pacey three of Firmino, Coutinho and Moreno should do the trick to give Benteke all the tools needed to take down the Hammers’ wall. Benteke has shown the fans plenty to be excited about; a huge presence and raw power hasn’t been seen on the fields of Anfield for some time. A player like this always brings a fear factor to any opposition and he will be hoping come Saturday the West Ham players are trembling.
