I think we were exposed during transitions because of Fabinho, not despite having him. What I’ve seen of Mac Allister he’s a very sensible and solid player - yes he’s technically talented and has the ability to pick a pass out but he’s not an out and out attacking player even though Brighton often used him in advanced positions. He’s way more of a central midfielder who has the technical capability of playing further forward, than an attacking midfielder who can cover in midfield.
In my opinion we wouldn’t have signed him if we were only looking at him as an ‘attacking midfielder’, he could offer a lot more in the deeper role and is a diligent , intelligent and hard-working player (not in the Mason Mount way of running around but doing nothing). Mac Allister is I think more than good enough defensively to play the type of role I expect to see - which is a link man between defence and midfield, staying fairly central, making late support runs. I think think we see him become a true CM.
Trent showed himself to be excellent in the press when he moved into the hybrid role but there was some refinement clearly needed to how that position is played, and to how Konate covers the space. Now we have pre-season to work on that instead of dropping it in with 11 games to go.
That box allows a heavy, heavy press for much of the game (another reason why I think young players are required, to enable that intensity to be kept up). Trent, Mac, Jones and - reputedly - Szoboszlai are excellent in the pressing game. And while it is true to say that Trent is in a midfield role only during our attacking phases - and the transition from attack to defence - we dominate possession almost every game we play and particularly with the box (our possession stats for last eleven games was 59, 73, 80, 72, 67, 57, 54, 66, 66, 69). Trent is going to be there a lot, making us have two deep lying midfielders during attacking phases and transitions, that negates the need for a pure 6 and may actually make having one be a detriment to the system anyway. We were a dominant team in possession with Fabinho and Henderson playing. When we have Mac Allister and Szoboszlai in there instead that control will only increase.
I was critical of Klopp for sticking with Fabinho so much this season and for not having a replacement ready but I now believe that the reason was he didn’t want another Fabinho. All the top sides are moving away from his type of player. Rice isn’t a pure 6, he’s a defensively minded 8. Rodri is one of the worst defenders in the league, still a brilliant deep midfielder though because his role in possession is way more important, and because they bring Stones out of RB to act as a second central midfielder. Arsenal are trying to get Partey out. Real Madrid don’t have a destroyer, they’re going to have Bellingham or Camavinga in that role. I really don’t believe Fabinho would have decided to leave if he wasn’t told his role was being reduced.
I think the plan is to smother the other sides with possession, hit them fast in the counter press to win it back or force a long ball where we back van Dijk, Konate and Robertson to win it or hold it up while we reset into the ‘standard’ defensive shape. Offensively, you have the standard three forward, with Gakpo dropping a bit deeper. Then you have two attacking midfielders capable of breaking the lines just behind them, then you have two deep midfielders who are both able to kill you with their passing. Having this system creates far more problems for the opposition than it does for us.
Anyway, no doubt we will get to the start of the season and Klopp will have us back in our 433 with Henderson playing the deep pivot and everything I’ve said will be irrelevant 
