5 Potential Liverpool Lineups Next Season

Liverpool have got their summer restructuring off to a busy start, bringing in four new signings before we've even reached July and offloading their record signing.

With more dealings almost certain to come over the next two months, it all points to another summer of bedding in new faces and hoping that the team can hit the ground running once the middle of August arrives.

For Reds manager Brendan Rodgers, he's had a full year now to assess his needs going forward and he'll be looking to recruit players to benefit both the first team and the depth of the squad, while several others will also be let go.

Taking into account the four signings so far—Kolo Toure, Iago Aspas, Luis Alberto, Simon Mignolet—here are five lineups that the Reds could see next season, with different circumstances applied in each case and explained in each slide.

Caveats—The assumption is that Mignolet herein becomes Liverpool's regular first-team goalkeeper, as explained in this article. Only players who have been strongly linked to the club from reputable media sources are considered for inclusion in slide one.

All tactical imagery from EPLindex.com.

The Ideal XI

Should Liverpool go on to secure more apparent first-choice targets in the transfer market this summer, there might be as many as three or four more arrivals to Brendan Rodgers' team.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan is a big target for this summer (as per ESPN) for an attacking midfield position, likely to be the advanced central midfield role. Should he be added as the fourth part of Liverpool's attack, it would give them a hugely potent amount of force in the final third of the pitch, alongside Daniel Sturridge, Philippe Coutinho and Luis Suarez.

As this is a best-case scenario, it would of course involve Suarez himself remaining at the club.

The defence also needs sorting out with Jamie Carragher having retired and Martin Skrtel out of favour, with Schalke's Kyriakos Papadopoulos a stand-out candidate linked to the Reds (via Mirror Football) and Toby Alderweireld a potential versatile addition to the back-line too (as per Goal.com).

The Belgian defender's defensive awareness and less attack-minded approach to playing the full-back role would perhaps offer more solidity behind a roving Luis Suarez playing from the right flank.

Finally, a new defensive midfielder is required if Liverpool are to have realistic aspirations of making the grade into the top four, with Celtic's Victor Wanyama the most likely-seeming candidate according to the reports so far this summer (via Daily Mail).

As You Are: No Further Transfer Dealings

On the other hand, Liverpool could be as far from that ideal lineup as they are right at this moment if there are no further signings or sales.

While some would be disappointed at the lack of a new centre-back, would it be offset by keeping star striker Luis Suarez at the club?

In this scenario, the Reds would be likely to switch Coutinho to his more central role and look to get better movement into the attacking areas of the pitch from the flanks—meaning Daniel Sturridge shifts wider, Iago Aspas comes into the team and Luis Suarez starts as the free-roaming centre-forward.

Defensively, Liverpool boss Rodgers has already been left less-than-impressed by Skrtel's ability, so Kolo Toure finds himself starting alongside Daniel Agger. The full-back areas are back to how Liverpool started last season, while Lucas is also in the side.

Top-four quality? Overall, not very likely. Certainly not over the course of an entire season.

Worst-Case Scenario: Suarez Departs, No Further Additions

Suarez has continually been linked with a transfer out of Liverpool this summer (as per Mirror Football) and, though his departure would bring in a lot of cash for the Reds, it would still deprive them of their best player and one of the best forwards in world football.

Liverpool might get big money, but they are not likely to bring in a player as individually talented as Suarez.

Taking him out of the previous lineup would leave Liverpool depleted in the attack, and would naturally mean a lesser-talented player came into the regular lineup.

Sturridge would be the natural replacement to come in at the striker's position, leaving Rodgers with a decision.

Iago Aspas could move to the right side, cutting in on his left foot, leaving Raheem Sterling or Fabio Borini to come into the team on the left.

Alternatively, Stewart Downing could come straight in on the right flank.

In terms of naming the strongest XI possible, Liverpool would in fact likely beef up their midfield and shift Coutinho back to the left, bringing in Jordan Henderson:

Reina; Kelly - Toure - Agger - Johnson; Lucas - Gerrard - Henderson; Aspas - Sturridge - Coutinho.

It's a solid, functional-looking side, but is severely lacking in individuality or reliability, proven threat up front.

Calling on the Cavalry

It won't be anything like a regular starting XI that takes the pitch each week for Liverpool, of course.

Some players are less consistent or reliable, others are less resilient to injury. Others will lose their form and place in the team as the season progresses, leaving the door open for squad players to challenge.

From the present squad, there are perhaps half a dozen names in the first-team squad who will expect to play a fairly significant role next season, be it having overestimations of their own standing in the side or else by combining intermittent starts with regular appearances from the bench, a key facet that a successful Liverpool squad will need.

Jose Enrique, Martin Skrtel, Joe Allen, Fabio Borini, Luis Alberto and Raheem Sterling should all be heavily involved over the entirety of next season.

An Alternative Formation: 3-4-3

We end with a different tactical alignment, and one which Brendan Rodgers has shown an appetite for using previously—playing with three defensive midfielders.

In this scenario, we have again eschewed any further potential signings, and show a lineup bereft of the likely outbound Luis Suarez.

Liverpool's back three of Agger, Toure and Kelly has plenty of power, pace and experience, and the solidity it would offer would offset the lack of top-quality attacking talent—which the departure of Suarez and no subsequent replacement might cost the Reds.

This is due to the nature of the wing-backs, which would be pushed far higher up the pitch on both flanks, providing additional attacking support and allowing the three forwards—Iago Aspas, Coutinho and Sturridge in this scenario—to roam centrally, switching positions and causing problems with their movement.

Liverpool would have many options for these front three to be changed around including Borini, Sterling and Luis Alberto, while the central midfield pairing of Lucas and Steven Gerrard would be protected from their lack of defensive reliability and pace at times by having an extra defender behind them.

Were Liverpool to fail to make any more significant signings this could turn out to be the best way forward for the Reds—but supporters will be hoping that there are more arrivals to follow in the footsteps of the four signings already made this summer.

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