The Hunt for Klopp’s Successor

oops wrong thread…

Apparently, we have “opened discussions” with Amorim.
Liverpool have opened discussions with Sporting Lisbon boss Ruben Amorim, 39, to replace Jurgen Klopp at Anfield. (Foot Mercato - in French)

Barcelona were also keen on the Portuguese coach but have withdrawn their interest as they think he could be on his way to Merseyside. (Sport - in Spanish)

Personally, I’m leaning more toward De Zerbi than I was. I liked the way Brighton played against us despite limited resources and several injuries. Plus I’m not keen on the idea of playing with three CBs, which is what Amorim apparently favours.

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Nah nothing really changed for me. Selecting managers who turn up at Anfield means we might as go after Wilder as I feel they did just as well as Brighton.

And we’ve bought players like that in the past.

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Formations are not the important things nowadays. The focus is now more on overloads and transitions anyway.

Really doesn’t matter how the team formation is.

3 CBs might easily look like playing someone like Gomez in a more DM’ish David Luiz role in certain transitions which wouldn’t be that different from playing as a 4-3-3 during certain phases of the game.

The more I watch Klopp’s football, the more I’m convinced that this might be the only way forward for us as a club, unfortunately. I will miss Klopp with every bit of my soul but some of the stuff that we’ve been doing over the past few years got me worrying because it just seemed unsustainable to me in the long run.

I love that the mentality seems to have returned but we’re not looking like a team that is (always) in control. That lack of control that I perceive, coupled with simply incredible amount of injuries, are two aspects that the new coach will definitely have to change, at least in my opinion. I’ve voiced those concerns before, especially after Alcantara’s failed transfer and the incomplete transition from a side that dominates through energy to one that dominates through possession.

I’d like to see the data but I have the impression that the teams who control the games through possession and have slower build-up tend to have less injuries. Just look at Guardiola’s teams…

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Never heard of him.
He better be fucking good

That was definitely the appeal with Alonso. Leverkusen could switch it up between the two styles.

I absolutely agree that a slower build-up will benefit us injury wise, and potentially in some moments during latter parts of the season if we’re challenging. My big fear has been that let’s say Klopp miraculously stayed for another 4-5 years. What state would our midfield be fitness wise? Would they be burnt out like Henderson, Fabinho and co were last year? Diaz and Nunez running themselves into the ground right now, and we’re playing so many games year after year. It’s different if we were out of cups early, or had no European football. I remember during the quadruple chasing season, we used to start games incredibly, with some of the best football I’ve ever seen, but then second half performances were tired and sluggish. I do wonder how things would’ve turned out if we’d conserved ourselves at times, but we’ll never know.

I’d love the next manager to bring that balance, with a bit more rotation.

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https://x.com/fabrizioromano/status/1776225200054427875?s=46&t=aLG9ncyUrtZ-QtZv0kz6SQ

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When we push for a deal
@cynicaloldgit eats a Portuguese meal
That’s Amorim

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Amorim tactics thread
https://twitter.com/GauravAnlyst/status/1776269746566283472

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Endo could also do, arguably already does do, the same thing.

Looks like Amorim is pretty heavy favourite with the bookies now https://www.oddschecker.com/insight/football/20240403-next-liverpool-manager-odds-what-has-ruben-amorim-won-as-a-manager.

If it comes to pass, he will be our manager in the PL in a little over 4 months :grimacing:

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Never been a fan of any kind of three at the back and I believe that formations do matter.

It seems to have ‘failed’ in the PL. At the moment no team in the top half of the table is using it. Can’t remember a manager being 'successful‘ with it for more than one season in the PL.
Brentford is another good example for that. Worst team in the league last 20 games. Last two seasons they were doing very good or at least it was nice to watch. (How would you describe watching Brentfords football at the moment @The-AllMightyReds ?)

Just because it is successful attacking football at Leverkusen and Sporting this season doesn’t mean it will work here too.

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Oh and traditionally (unless your name is Virgil van Dijk) Liverpool CBs often get injured. Why would you want to start three CBs :grimacing:

Conte used 3 at the back at Chelsea and won the league.
As far as more than one season is concerned , that could be just Conte and nothing to do with the formation.

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I remember when Roy Evans played 3 at the back when we got John Scales (under rated). All the papers wrote articles about the tactic.

Personally I hate it. 5 defenders on the pitch - even attacking full backs - seems inherently defensive to me.

But is he set in stone with it or flexible?

Why is it assumed that Amorim would play 3 at the back at Liverpool as well?

Furthermore, I doubt that Edwards and Hughes would appoint a manager whose tactics and system don’t suit the current squad.

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in the most basic analysis

3 at the back is more for defenders and full backs that arent great working together…

we play a three at the back in our over 45s competition, its because we have a …ahem…mix of quality and experience…but more that the same 4 never play together due to family commitments and 45 plus year old bodies running around a football pitch…

its a very basic formation… doesnt require a great amount of understanding between individual players like a back 4 does.

i love playing in a back four with players i ‘get’ and i fucking hate playing there with players i dont ‘get’ or trust…

horses for courses…

but at EPL level, a back 3 (or 5) seems like a luxuary

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He has always played 3ATB

Probably because he has always played 3ATB.

Managers play the systems they know. It would be a bit naive to presume a manager who has literally always played one system would suddenly play another at a different club. If his managerial history had been littered with flexibility and adaptability maybe you wouldn’t be so quick to make that assumption, but from the evidence we have available, he absolutely seems wedded to it.

I’m very dubious about this, honestly.

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We already play with three at the back, it’s just that two of them are Van Dijk.

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