A lot of concerns are being raised of late on the lack of creativity in midfield, with some fans stating the combinations in midfield that are being selected are very negative and stifling are ability to create chances and as a result, get the goals that win games. Here's my take on it:
A manager's system is typically built from attacking intent, defensive intent and formation. As we know, Klopp's core concept is 'gegenpressing' which means that his teams are set out to apply pressure. One of the main advantages to this is that you don't require every player in the team to have huge amounts of technical ability. The concept demands more physical ability; you need to be strong and agile with lots of stamina and endurance. To use an example, a player like Milner, without being disrespectful, who is not the most technically gifted, looks incredible in Klopp's system as he has all the attributes required.
The system relies on taking the ball of the opposition in key areas and quickly getting behind them to create chances. The downside to the system is that if you are playing against an opposition who consolidates or fortifies and their emphasis isn't on having any of the ball or making attacks, you have a problem if you don't have the capabilities for creativity in midfield. It's at this point that the system will not be as effective and then requires the forwards to create their own chances to score. This is the case at the moment for Liverpool in certain games, we have very little technical and creative ability in midfield which is the reason we have seen 0-0 a lot lately, which highlights that our midfield is doing a great job protecting our back four but struggles to open the door for our forwards at the other end.
If we look at Dortmund's side under Klopp, in an attacking midfield role, they had Reus, Kagawa and Mkhitaryan. These players are wonderful technicians and played in front of two midfielders who would break up play (let's say Bender and Gundogan for example). At Liverpool, since Coutinho departed, we don't have that player with bags of creativeness (although we are hoping Keita will be that player) and as a result of this, we play with a combination of 3 players who are fantastic in Klopp's pressure system but lack the attacking talents of the aforementioned players, this is the root of some of the problems we are having in my opinion.
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