Joe Allen: Picking a Liverpool Starting XI to Include the Swansea Midfielder

Liverpool's new manager Brendan Rodgers followed up his first signing, Fabio Borini, by making former Swansea City midfielder Joe Allen his second signing for the club, leading Reds fans to see where and how he will fit into the team to improve the quality and ability of the squad.

With the pair having forged a solid working relationship last season at the Liberty Stadium, both player and manager are well acquainted with each others' wishes and capabilities.

Allen makes Liverpool's midfield list a long one, now reading seven players for the central zone alone.

Here are the Reds' strongest XI available including all current players—and fitting in Joe Allen.

Spanish stopper Pepe Reina had an up-and-down year last season but remains one of the Premier League's top talents—in fact, make that one of the world's top talents.

The archetypal sweeper-keeper, Reina will be pleased at being involved in the beginning of Liverpool's build up play, and he is certainly more than qualified to do so.

With the Reds also looking at playing further up the pitch as often as possible, his terrific starting positions and reading of the game make him an indispensable member of the team.

After starring in Euro 2012 for England, Glen Johnson is back for Liverpool looking leaner and fitter than he did last season.

The athletic full-back is already off the mark in goalscoring this season, having netted a screamer from outside the box against FC Gomel.

Johnson certainly has competition for his place in the squad, but he can be certain—as long as he keeps up his level of performance—of playing more often than not as long as he remains fit.

His ability to stretch play in the final third by overlapping, his willingness to run at defenders and his own improved defensive capabilities mean he is a certainty for the starting XI.

Here is one of two positions that can be debated. Jose Enrique is going to start the season in the team, barring injury, but he will need to significantly up his regular level of performance to stay there.

There is still time for Brendan Rodgers to bring in a replacement or additional competition, while youngster Jack Robinson is looking better with every passing match in the first team.

Another—preferred in some quarters—option is to switch Johnson to left-back and let Martin Kelly get regular match time on the right.

As it is, Jose Enrique has more time to impress and get himself up to speed with the rest of the squad.

Daniel Agger is arguably the player that Reds fans are (or were) most concerned about losing this summer, even ahead of Dirk Kuyt, Andy Carroll or Maxi Rodriguez.

The Danish centre-back is a pivotal piece of the Reds' defence and is key to how Liverpool will play out from the back under Brendan Rodgers, even without taking into account his ability to overload in midfield and make up an additional player in the final third within seconds.

Alongside him, Martin Skrtel improves on end and is a completely different player without the Dane.

Seb Coates and Jamie Carragher provide depth, but these two must stay and play for Liverpool to have success.

Fresh from netting a rare goal for Liverpool in a home friendly against Bayer Leverkusen, Lucas Leiva is well and truly on the road to recovery after his long absence.

The stylish Brazilian has delighted Reds fans with his full-blooded approach to the friendly matches and the games against Gomel, despite being only a few weeks back into full training after eight months on the sidelines.

His short range passing ability, work rate and vision make him an excellent component in this midfield triangle, and he will be another key player for the manager.

Joe Allen fits in here: the link between the holding and the attacking midfielders.

Brendan Rodgers will expect him to get on the ball as often as possible, picking it up from deep and either helping to recycle possession quickly to allow his teammates time to move into space, or else to search out a more advanced player in Red.

Whichever one it is, ball retention and passing efficiency are key attributes which Rodgers wants from his "second" central midfielder.

Charlie Adam has clearly been deemed not good enough, Jonjo Shelvey could yet be seen as the more attacking of the trio for his best position and the jury is still out on Jordan Henderson, who will doubtless have an important part to play this season because of the sheer number of games the Reds will face.

As the third piece of the midfield puzzle, captain Steven Gerrard will provide the final thrust and goalscoring threat from the centre of the park.

Gerrard has superb off-the-ball movement and technique and will relish getting a regular supply of the ball in the final third with Allen as the feeder.

This trio allows Rodgers to either play one-behind-two, with Allen able to get forward as well as Gerrard, or two-behind-one, leaving Allen slightly deeper alongside Lucas and Gerrard, making him able to interlink and switch positions with the front three.

Fabio Borini, Rodgers' first signing, has shown enough this summer to suggest that he'll be a fine purchase by the manager. On-the-ball ability coupled with a lack of real competition for his place in the side means he'll almost certainly be a regular from the start of the season.

Continuing to score and provide goalscoring chances as he has done so far will make him a serious upgrade on Liverpool's wide play from 2011-12.

Borini will nominally start left side, but his extremely clever off-the-ball movement means he'll pop up in the centre too—as well as switch with the player on the opposite side.

Stewart Downing in one of the wide forward positions is the other "debatable" selection for this XI.

In preseason and in the Europa League qualifier against Gomel, he has done well enough to suggest that he will start the campaign in place, but he also played well at the beginning of last season before alternating between "anonymous" and "dreadful" for long spells.

Joe Cole and Raheem Sterling will both have supporters for getting a chance, though in truth, neither are suited or ready to play 90 minutes regularly at present. Andy Carroll could also take his place in the team playing centrally, moving the chosen forward to the flank.

Which brings us to...

Luis Suarez.

A real maverick creator, an unpredictable playmaker and a magical striker all rolled into one.

His goal shot conversion rate can improve, that much is inarguable. However, the amount of chances he creates for himself and others is uncanny; the man is as talented as they come on the ball and backs it up with a prodigious work rate.

Liverpool simply can't do without the Uruguayan to achieve their goals.

He will be instrumental in getting Liverpool into the top four—and with Joe Allen now providing additional ammunition and hopefully quality chances for him, the Reds will look far more dangerous in the final third than they have done in the past three years.

Follow @karlmatchett