Isnt your argument more or less saying our system breaks down with certain players out of the team, therefore its either a flawed system because it diesnt work without a certain player, and secondly if that system does not or cannot work without that player or players then why have we not implemented a second or third plan to balance that?
I'm saying that if 2 key cogs are missing, and the replacement cogs are slower, it has a knock on effect.
The players that covered were intially taken out of another crucial position in front of them (Henderson and Fabinho).
So another knock on effect.
The new replacement cogs are not bedded in properly.
No system can run as well, with the number of injuries we've had.
Sure, on football manager, you just go out and buy more CB's around the same level as VVD, but in the real world, not even city can do that.
We've also implemented new strategies/systems, but with a lack of training time, they're not going to work as well.
So the answer becomes to have the CB's a yard or 2 deeper, which in turn means we are out of alignment, which in turn means the FB's are a second slower getting forwards.
That second counts at the highest level.
So, say Klopp says "I want midfielders in the box".
Suddenly, there's no one in the ark, 5-10 yards from the box to pick up clearances, loose balls, or break up opposition attacks at the point of origin.
Then we're left with Fabinho, and 2 CB's who are not as quick as we need, particularly Philips, who, although he's done well turns slower than that ship stuck in the Suez canal.
OK, so we get the mids into the box, and ask the FB's to sit deeper, and come inside for cover.
Now Salah and Mane have no support, get outnumbered and lose the ball.
In short, the system is fine, and will be again once the players adapt, or we get others back from injury, BUT we are always going to be vulnerable and slightly out of sync, until VVD, Matip and Gomez come back.