Liverpool Must Persist with Midfield Diamond in Order to Thrive

Some people may have felt that Liverpool's victory against Ludogorets on Tuesday night left the club with more questions than answers, at least when it comes to what exactly Brendan Rodgers' best side is.

After all, even though the Reds got their Champions League campaign off to a winning start, they were very much saved by their captain's nerves of steel in injury time, with Steven Gerrard slotting home a decisive penalty.

But out of all the dilemmas Rodgers will have been left with following that game, he should know be certain that the midfield diamond is very much the way to go for Liverpool this year. When Rodgers made the tactical adjustment just after the hour mark, Liverpool looked much improved.

That 4-2-3-1 type formation didn't cut the mustard early on, even against opponents such as Ludogorets. Whilst it had a good amount of success last year, the players Rodgers has brought into the club mean that system has to be abandoned from now on, for the good of several key players.

First of all, there's Mario Balotelli. Being the kind of character he is, Balotelli is a striker who doesn't deal in patience very much. In the first period he was forced to come and get the ball far too much whilst operating as the lone striker, leaving huge gaps up top for Liverpool. This wasn't helped by incredibly ineffective performances from the likes of Philippe Coutinho and Adam Lallana, but Balotelli was being forced into a style of football he doesn't fit.

When the Reds went to two up top (with Balotelli playing alongside Fabio Borini), his performance was markedly improved, as the focus became more central. It enabled Balotelli to hold his position much more, and that was essentially what got him the chance for his goal.

Borini himself did well, but with Daniel Sturridge waiting in the wings to come back into the side, the only way to properly accommodate both Balotelli and Sturridge is to play them up top as a pair.

And in the diamond line-up, they are sure to get buckets of chances courtesy of Raheem Sterling, who is now best suited to playing at the tip of a diamond midfield. His performances for England there recently should have hinted to Rodgers that it is Sterling's best position.

His direct approach has now come on so much that he doesn't belong out wide anymore. This is a player who can transform games on his own, and with Sterling just behind two international strikers, Liverpool have a trio of attacking stars to be feared.

Of course, that opens the dilemma of fitting just three midfielders into the remaining spots, and how deep Rodgers operates Steven Gerrard. The libero role just in front of the back four still doesn't feel like his best position, even at the age of 34, but the stats from his performance against Ludogorets don't lie.

He won all his tackles, and each and every one of his aerial duels. Gerrard is simply incredible at breaking up play and giving Liverpool's (sometimes shaky) defence a much needed breather. With him sitting slightly deeper than the two in the middle of the park, it enables them to go forward and play.

And that is exactly what Adam Lallana needs as he settles into life at the club. It was a timid performance from the former Southampton captain on Tuesday night, but with the calming influences of Gerrard and Jordan Henderson around him, he should become accustomed to his new role quickly.

Some may still feel that 4-2-3-1 is the best way for Liverpool to go this year, but with so much attacking talent now in their ranks, the diamond that England have begun to use should now be Brendan Rodgers' modus operandi in the coming months.

And with so much English talent taking to the field for Liverpool every week, that will have a dramatically good impact on both club and country.