Tactics geeks of the world unite...

Really excited to see what the long term plan is tactics wise for us now.

Will we go back to the trusted 4-3-3 now we have some more legs in midfield? Will we try a 4-2-3-1 which really suits a lot of our players? Will we go with the inverted full back so Trent can push up more like the last few games of last season? Or something else entirely?

I think its pretty nailed on we're going with a 3-box-3 now. The whole system is dependent on Trent. If he can't play every game, I would see us switching back to a 4-3-3 or as you mentioned a 4-2-3-1. Personally still don't think we have the personelle for our legacy 4-3-3 approach, unless Bajcetic can get a run of games, as he's the only one in the squad that can play the 6 on his own and cover the ground, but he's still only 19.  Would assume we're going for a CB next. If our target can step up into DM role to retain the 3-box-3 would provide a lot of contingency.

I'd assume we would shore things up to a 4-2-3-1 if Trent was out for a while, to put Mac Allister/Hendo/Thiago next to Fab to protect the back 4. Overall, feel like adding Mac and Sozbo have given us so much more versatility, as while i'd still like 2 more signings, we would still be challenging by adding another top-drawer CB to challenge VVD+Konate.

I think its pretty nailed on we're going with a 3-box-3 now. The whole system is dependent on Trent. If he can't play every game, I would see us switching back to a 4-3-3 or as you mentioned a 4-2-3-1. Personally still don't think we have the personelle for our legacy 4-3-3 approach, unless Bajcetic can get a run of games, as he's the only one in the squad that can play the 6 on his own and cover the ground, but he's still only 19.  Would assume we're going for a CB next. If our target can step up into DM role to retain the 3-box-3 would provide a lot of contingency.

I'd assume we would shore things up to a 4-2-3-1 if Trent was out for a while, to put Mac Allister/Hendo/Thiago next to Fab to protect the back 4. Overall, feel like adding Mac and Sozbo have given us so much more versatility, as while i'd still like 2 more signings, we would still be challenging by adding another top-drawer CB to challenge VVD+Konate.

New CB is a must now, preferably a Left footer.

Agreed - if, as it appears, we are predominantly going to use the 3box3 a left sided CB would be ideal. Its a bit harsh on Robbo all things considering but playing him in the CB 3 doesn't suit him at all, and other than him only Virg is really comfortable there.

IMO we could make do with the midfield options we have now (although another 6 to push Fab would be nice), but to make the most of the new system we need more quality and depth at left CB.

Agreed - if, as it appears, we are predominantly going to use the 3box3 a left sided CB would be ideal. Its a bit harsh on Robbo all things considering but playing him in the CB 3 doesn't suit him at all, and other than him only Virg is really comfortable there.

IMO we could make do with the midfield options we have now (although another 6 to push Fab would be nice), but to make the most of the new system we need more quality and depth at left CB.

Defo. But it may be that robbo does have to sit deeper anyway, if we keep using trent as an inverted full back free to roam into the middle.

https://twitter.com/lfc/status/1676501166027407361?s=46&t=_4uI6CiVRqge8WqM7F37Iw


This is from a match 2 years ago , it’s a great goal but it started with TAA moving into the middle and Hendo covering at right back

Summer window still open so I’m expecting one or two others coming in, been pondering a lot as to how we could set up for the beginning of the Klopp era part 2, we will all have our own opinions as to what X1 we start with Vs the Chavs, so, just for a bit of fun let’s all pick a side using our current squad, ….assuming all are fit & raring to go…

                                                        Alisson

                                     Trent(inv)   Konate   Virgil   Robbo

                                                        Bacjetic
                                   Szoboszlai                          Diaz
                                                      Mac Allister
                                           Salah                  Nunez/Jota

Sometimes you wish you could field 11 outfield players, I’d loved to have Thiago where Diaz is, and move him forward, and have Nunez/Jota down the middle, it feels strange excluding some of our usual suspects like Hendo, Fab, Bobby, etc, but we have to move on,
It seems a bit lightweight does that midfield but of course with Trent inverted it kind of balances out, Bacj can cover Trent like Hendo would,
I’m Uber excited with Szob & Diaz maurauding up and down the flanks with Mac pulling the strings and with Trent’s world class distribution there won’t be many who can live with us,

From the bench we’ll have plenty of back up options using the quality at our disposal, Hendo of course, Thiago, Curtis, Harvey, Gakpo, Nunez/Jota, Morton, Fabinho, Matip, Gomez, Kostas, Kelleher, we might see a couple of academy hopefuls too, and I’m not ruling out one or two more coming in,

We have a plethora of options providing of course we’re not hampered by injuries but in the main we look a very dangerous and exciting prospect, we all know Jürgen don’t do half arsed, and we’re way off being the finished article, but I’m as excited by this squad as much as I was if not more of the title winning, Champions League winning, super cup winning, ClubWorld cup thingy winners, FA Cup winners, carrier bag cup winners, and charity shield bollocks winners, have I missed anything?


We’ve seen and know how the fraudsters operate, that’s not gonna change, Arse have strengthened and have perhaps added a bit more steel, Toon will undoubtedly improve again and will be in the mix,Chavs will be a fore once Poch has them sorted, Postecoglu will steady the Spuds ship but probably a season too far for them, and that leaves those Scummy F**k pigs who imo will have the worst view looking up our arse imaginable, worst of luck for your fight for top six fuckers !!

YNWA

We have a plethora of options
YNWA

You sure you’re a scouser? I don’t know any that know what that means.   

You sure you’re a scouser? I don’t know any that know what that means.   

F**k off, we know plenty of joined up words, like Liv- er-po-ol, we sing it all the time kn-ob-he-ad !!   

YNWA

I keep hearing about Trent playing this “inverted” role at the end of last season but for the last 4-5 games he simply played in midfield.initially Klopp had him returning to RB when we lost the ball but only for the first 3-4 games.  It will be really interesting to see how we start the season. We may well see Fab dropping in as an auxiliary CB at times in games to release Robbo if Klopp does persist with three at the back.

F**k off, we know plenty of joined up words, like Liv- er-po-ol, we sing it all the time kn-ob-he-ad !!   

YNWA

I thought it was just single ones like F U   

I thought it was just single ones like F U   

Would ‘FU’ mean F**k Utd  ? 🤣🤣

Just a thought but what if we were to replace Fabinho with a solid number 6 and use him as a RCB pushing Konate central and Virgil as the LCB. That looks like a solid back 3 when In possession no..

Just a thought but what if we were to replace Fabinho with a solid number 6 and use him as a RCB pushing Konate central and Virgil as the LCB. That looks like a solid back 3 when In possession no..

Have you seen Fabinho trying to run?

With Trent roving into midfield you need a very mobile and quick RCB hence why Konate is given the task.

With Hendo and Fab on the way out, it seems 100% certain we will sign another CM - probably a more defensive minded player to help balance the midfield.  The big question mark is over how Jürgen wants to use Trent. 

Will he start at RB and then roam into midfield?  If yes, then this is what we could look like in possession vs out of possession.

 

Ali
TAA -- Konate -- VVD -- Robbo
New CDM
Szobo -- Mac
Salah -- Jota -- Diaz

Becomes this in possession: 

 

Ali
Konate -- VVD -- Robbo
TAA -- New CDM
Szobo -- Mac
Salah -- Jota -- Diaz

Or, will Jürgen start Trent in midfield?  If he does, will it be with a back 3 behind him, or a back 4 behind him?  I'm very intrigued to see how Jürgen deploys TAA and how the team operates to get the most out of his unique skill set. 

With Hendo and Fab on the way out, it seems 100% certain we will sign another CM - probably a more defensive minded player to help balance the midfield.  The big question mark is over how Jürgen wants to use Trent. 

Will he start at RB and then roam into midfield?  If yes, then this is what we could look like in possession vs out of possession.

 

Ali
TAA -- Konate -- VVD -- Robbo
New CDM
Szobo -- Mac
Salah -- Jota -- Diaz

Becomes this in possession: 

 

Ali
Konate -- VVD -- Robbo
TAA -- New CDM
Szobo -- Mac
Salah -- Jota -- Diaz

Or, will Jürgen start Trent in midfield?  If he does, will it be with a back 3 behind him, or a back 4 behind him?  I'm very intrigued to see how Jürgen deploys TAA and how the team operates to get the most out of his unique skill set.

I don't think Trent will start in midfield. If yesterday's game is indicative of anything is that we'll keep the 3-2-2-3 in possession. Trent was started as the CDM because we needed someone to play that role in the midst of Henderson, Fabinho, Bajcetic, Jones, Thiago and Elliott all being unavailable and Mac being kept on the bench until the 2nd half.

Furthermore, Bradley played RB and was inverting just like TAA would if was playing RB. In the second half Tsimikas inverted from the left side. So yeah, I think the 4 men backline without the ball will stay which means we need two bodies to cover that double pivot CDM role. Is it going to be 2 additions through the market or will it be 1 + Bajcetic?

I personally would hope we add two through the market because I would prefer Bajcetic fights for a spot in the 2 playing behind the forwards rather than the two playing in front of the backline. He started as a CDM last year and was quickly moved to RCM where he looked even better. Of course that would mean Szobo (or Mac, dunno who's gonna be playing on the right), Elliott and him all fight for one starting spot, but I think there's enough versatility in Elliott and Szobo for them to get minutes elsewhere from time to time.

If Trent is gonna play as a midfielder surely we need to buy more accomplished Right Back? The likes of Gomez and Bradley are nowhere near the quality we need.

It would make sense to keep Trent at RB, let him roam infield when we’re in position and buy midfielders who have the engine, pace and defensive instincts to cover when we lose the ball and are being countered. Hopefully that’s the plan.

If Trent is gonna play as a midfielder surely we need to buy more accomplished Right Back? The likes of Gomez and Bradley are nowhere near the quality we need.

It would make sense to keep Trent at RB, let him roam infield when we’re in position and buy midfielders who have the engine, pace and defensive instincts to cover when we lose the ball and are being countered. Hopefully that’s the plan.

I think that's exactly what will happen. He will be given more freedom to come infield and create but won't become an out-and-out midfielder as he isn't that type of player IMO. Reckon we will see a DM come in and a CB and we'll try to strike a better balance where he is less exposed.

If Trent is gonna play as a midfielder surely we need to buy more accomplished Right Back? The likes of Gomez and Bradley are nowhere near the quality we need.

Bit harsh on Bradley that.

Was absolutely ripping it up with Bolton last season and deserves a chance among the first team squad.

How are younger players able to make their mark if they're not given a chance.

Bit harsh on Bradley that.

Was absolutely ripping it up with Bolton last season and deserves a chance among the first team squad.

How are younger players able to make their mark if they're not given a chance.

The thing is if he is going to play in this inverted role where he effectively becomes an additional centre mid when our lads are in possession of the ball then it had just as well be Jordan playing the role, he’s the only one who can do it. I don’t think Robbo is well suited to it on the other side, he’s too one footed and looks far more comfortable touching the chalk.
I’m all for giving young players the chance to grow and I daresay Bradley may see some game time in the Europa League this season if he doesn’t go back out on loan. I’d be worried if he’s starting in the league though. Same applies to Gomez.

Back in 2016, a skinny 18 yr old academy hopeful made his debut, against Spuds, in a 2-1 EFL cup victory, who the F**k is this fella was the general consensus reverberating around Anfield, guess who ??

Conor Bradley is also a skinny academy hopeful who ripped a few trees up at Bolton Wanderers last season on loan and has a opportunity to stamp his name like the fella above did, none of us really know if indeed Conor will tread a similar path but he’s certainly in with a more than decent shout, Jürgen likes him and that’s a massive shot in Conor’s arm,

It is entirely possible he could replace that other skinny bloke who just happens to have won everything the game can offer at the grand old age of 24, he didn’t give up did he, and he didn’t always play at his best, you can’t judge or map out a young lad’s career after just a few outings,

As we’ve seen with Curtis Jones some players take longer than others to develop, to become the player we all hope he promises to be,

Where would we be if we just gave up on such promising talents like what Conor clearly is, give the young lad a break ffs, for him he’s probably still star struck, nervous, anxious and perhaps even trying to hard to impress.


YNWA

Back in 2016, a skinny 18 yr old academy hopeful made his debut, against Spuds, in a 2-1 EFL cup victory, who the F**k is this fella was the general consensus reverberating around Anfield, guess who ??

Conor Bradley is also a skinny academy hopeful who ripped a few trees up at Bolton Wanderers last season on loan and has a opportunity to stamp his name like the fella above did, none of us really know if indeed Conor will tread a similar path but he’s certainly in with a more than decent shout, Jürgen likes him and that’s a massive shot in Conor’s arm,

It is entirely possible he could replace that other skinny bloke who just happens to have won everything the game can offer at the grand old age of 24, he didn’t give up did he, and he didn’t always play at his best, you can’t judge or map out a young lad’s career after just a few outings,

As we’ve seen with Curtis Jones some players take longer than others to develop, to become the player we all hope he promises to be,

Where would we be if we just gave up on such promising talents like what Conor clearly is, give the young lad a break ffs, for him he’s probably still star struck, nervous, anxious and perhaps even trying to hard to impress.


YNWA

I haven’t given up on the lad dude, just recognising we’re short of proven quality, we shipped a ton of goals last season and are likely to have lost our entire midfield 6 by the time the season starts. 

Bradley might we’ll be the next TAA but there’s a pretty good chance he’s another Nico Williams. We need more players imho.

Bit harsh on Bradley that.

Was absolutely ripping it up with Bolton last season and deserves a chance among the first team squad.

How are younger players able to make their mark if they're not given a chance.

Player of the season for them I believe.

I think he has looked good in the 2 pre-season games, solid enough.

Player of the season for them I believe.

I think he has looked good in the 2 pre-season games, solid enough.

My take as well, has looked OK and not out of place within the squad. Tbh I'm more worried about Matip than I am Bradley.