Not sure why you’re getting so upset about it. Let’s move on.
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TAA-Kabak-Phillips-Robertson
Fabinho
Gini Thiago Jones
Salah Jota
or swap Fabinho for Thiago.
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No Mane???
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Not to start with, no.
Care to share why? Not arguing purely out of interest, it’s interesting to see people’s different ideas.
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I’d go 442 diamond - more defensive. That leaves only 2 up front, clearly. Mane and Salah as a front 2 doesn’t seem right and Mane’s form had been poor. Jota is back and might be a good pairing with Salah. Less predictable perhaps?
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Fair enough. I’m hoping for 4-2-3-1 myself.
Get Thiago in his natural position but also provide double cover for that defense. It can also release the full backs.
It’s the central position in the 3 that bugs me though. Not sure who would go there.
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My favorite would be Mane, though Jota would be OK as well. But neither can, since both have to play on the wider areas since there’s none else. I think Curtis or Keita are suitable too.
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Pretty critical position IMO. To my mind it’s a midfield role so there are defensive duties but also a need to be creative. Not sure we’ve got anyone that can naturally slot in there 100%.
Happy to be proven wrong though.
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Is his natural position to be more defensive? I haven’t followed his previous roles. From what I’ve seen so far he looks comfortable on the ball and can ping a pass. But he’s been largely ineffective behind the front three. I was wondering about playing him as a defensive midfielder where his passing ability might be able to speed up the transition. I’m thinking along the lines of a Xabi Alonso. In that case I’d prefer to play Fabinho further forward.
I hadn’t considered 4-2-3-1. That feels a bit like something Rafa would have come up with. What about Keita for the central role, or Jota? Perhaps play Jota just behind Salah. Jones and Gini either side but further back. Thiago and Fabinho just in front of the defence.
I think aside from Jota, the rest, specially Mane has proven capabilities in both defensive cover and creative spark, in varying degrees, I admit.
A 4-3-2-1 morphing into a 3-4-3, where is cardiffpete, he’d be so proud, and would have picked up on this with a narrative analysis that would score a 10…
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I think that’s why he was brought in. We’ve got two cracking full backs and being able to release them without having to be worried about being caught on the break. Having two at the base of midfield can give you that protection. It’s exactly that Alonso type role I had in mind and when I’ve seen him play it’s at that base in midfield basically controlling the game. It’s not defensive 100%, more of a quarterback type role if that makes sense. Somewhere where the game in front of him all of the time and they can basically pull strings etc.
I kind of think of Firmino in that centre of the 3 position as I see that position again needing someone who can thread a pass etc. Firmino does that but I full appreciate people’s concerns on his form etc. To be honest that is my main concern with that formation. Who plays in that position.
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2-0 last time was a great result, but scratch the surface only slightly, and they had chances, and you could say our goals only came on the back of their mistakes.
In other words, this will be a hard fought second leg, and there might yet be a few twists and turns. Still, I back us to advance. We have been rubbish in the Prem for a while, but the CL gives us some respite and joy. Not sure we win the second leg, but I expect a score draw and Liverpool to advance with two goals in the kitty to spare.
I like the idea of playing two strikers and adding another midfielder. As for formation, who knows… but 4-3-3 is wearing thin with all the injuries we have. A diamond or a 4-2-3-1 might be preferable.
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Yep, having some cover for the full backs sounds like a good idea. So a 4 2 at the back would make it harder for RBL to score, and we can still hit them on the break with a fast transition and both FBs going forward. I like the sound of that.
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It would be more of a 2-2 or a 2-4 with the full backs high but that’s the general idea. I’m pretty convinced that’s what Klopp had in mind at the start of the season. It seemed like a natural progression to a system that allows for a more possession based game (because teams were basically pushing us into that) along with the introduction of a player that basically delivers exactly that.
But the reality is I really haven’t got a clue what Klopp is really thinking. Good fun to second guess sometimes though
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Wasn’t it 3-D-3 as in diamond midfield aka AC Milan mid 2000s?
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Yet so did we.
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I remember a certain Madrid team many times, having an “off” season in La Liga, with tired, injured or uninterested players, going places and winning this little CL trophy…
Just sayin
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