One way of playing

[Nineteenx]

Just to be clear on this, I do not believe in just one way of playing, ahead of the last transfer window what I wanted was a forward and at least one midfielder who could play the switches and balls over the top but who could crucially play the killer through balls and balls through congested areas to connect runs so our play would evolve and we'd have greater variation of movement and ways to open teams up.

That isn't one way of playing, it's realising what you have that is devastatingly effective and building on it.

I believe that with the players we currently have our 433 is absolutely the best way to employ them, but we need to evolve and have more ways of playing within that system, which isn't a rigid 433 in any event.

The injuries have been an incredible hindrance to the obvious planned evolution with the purchase of Thiago taking place.

Which brings me to Jota, I was absolutely made up when we signed him, I watched Wolves a lot last season because I enjoyed watching Jota and nothing has changed at all in that respect, he's an awesome addition. People have this idea I don't like him because 'at the moment' my preference is for Bobby to play.

I prefer Bobby to play because the injuries have caused a few things to happen or be necessary that in my opinion means we need Bobby dropping into midfield more than ever

We have had to change our full back play so most of the time one stays and one goes, when it used to be both most of the game, to me the effect of this is that we're already a man light on what we're used to having supplement the midfield

Jota is excellent, but when he plays right now, he doesn't drop in the same, it's more like a 3 up, so we're then 2 players light on supplementing the midfield from what all the players are used to and how the team has played at it's best and we struggle to control games. Having watched Jota a lot last season to get the best from him we really need that midfielder who can play those balls to connect his runs and with Thiago out i don't think we have that.

Some people say our midfield shouldn't need supplementing, well, it HAS been supplemented by both full backs and Bobby ever since Jurgen arrived

I know some here get the hump with me, but given the current circumstances which are far from ideal and the injuries preventing the planned evolution getting underway, I just think it is best to stick with what we know works and play our best players of the past 3 seasons in their best positions as much as we possibly can as right now with so many out as much continuity of the team that won 4 trophies seems the most common sense approach, it certainly worked v Wolves

[CCTV]

We all have our opinions, I disagree with you on Fabinho.

Why do you think Fab is a midfield failure ?
I gather you typically go on about Hendo and he is a huge part of our team. But I can't understand how you rate him so poorly as a midfield option (prior to our CB woes).

With Jota and Bobby, Jota does plenty of work imo and in terms of form is flying. Bobby works alot too but hes been in poor form.

Finally I always like Xabi Alonsos view a great team should be able to play 3 systems with ease.
Given our fixture schedule this season, our desire to become more competitive on more fronts, think being able to play different systems and with changes in the lineup it's a necessary requirement.
Klopp mostly gone with 433, 4231 and variants of a 42X setup (say 4222 as an example). Seen 3 CBS on very few occasions.
There are times in games where a tactical change can reap big rewards.

New season, new challenges, it does seem like youd be happier just watching last season's game at times though :)

[Nineteenx]

I'd be happier if we could damned well get Thiago fit, play Hendo Thiago and Gini in the midfield 3 and the evolution of being able to play numerous different ways in the 433 with Bobby or Jota could get underway

PS You're the stat man, given the team evolved hugely in his absence and became hugely reliant on Hendo's distribution and orchestrating of the press, please let's have the RELEVANT Fab stats of all games he's started at CM since he returned v Southampton last season, it's not pretty reading at all, people should know that and not have to ask why i don't rate him at CM

It seems like you'd be happier watching half of our 18/19 season, the half when Fab played at DM (not CM) and it worked in the league before he got found out ;)

[dicko1969]

From the last 3 years it's been pretty much 433 the best formation for MANE SALAH and BOBBY.

Fabinho is world class as is Gini and Thiago.
Henderson is underrated.

Milner Ox Keita evidently good players.

But cometh Curtis Jones.

We need players fit and consistent.

2 things basically vital

[CCTV]

I'd be happier if we could damned well get Thiago fit, play Hendo Thiago and Gini in the midfield 3 and the evolution of being able to play numerous different ways in the 433 with Bobby or Jota could get underway

PS You're the stat man, given the team evolved hugely in his absence and became hugely reliant on Hendo's distribution and orchestrating of the press, please let's have the RELEVANT Fab stats of all games he's started at CM since he returned v Southampton last season, it's not pretty reading at all, people should know that and not have to ask why i don't rate him at CM

It seems like you'd be happier watching half of our 18/19 season, the half when Fab played at DM (not CM) and it worked in the league before he got found out ;)

I was looking for a detailed answer on Fabinho. The stats you and others have cited around with/without hendo last year essentially boiled down to a few games in the cup for the most part with teams being strongly b sides or sides with no first team players.

I'm quite happy with the season so far, a few injury/var issues aside.
Qualified with a game to spare from our cl group, no round 6 drama and a day out for the kids.

No major gap in the league as most of the teams at the top of the league are running around top 4 pace of 2 ppg. No one has and arguably maybe we should be the only team significantly above that pace.

Jota settled in well, Thiago should too if fit to play, Jones, Kelleher and even Neco have done well enough.

[LEGS]

From the last 3 years it's been pretty much 433 the best formation for MANE SALAH and BOBBY.

Fabinho is world class as is Gini and Thiago.
Henderson is underrated.

Milner Ox Keita evidently good players.

But cometh Curtis Jones.

We need players fit and consistent.

2 things basically vital

You forgot to put Henderson as world class too mate.

[Balinkay]

Yes, 19 - we should put our best players in their best positions if possible. Fab at DM and Hendo next to him. ;)

[Kev0909]

You forgot to put Henderson as world class too mate.

Yeahh he's up there with Messi

there's better midfielders in the EPL

Yeah I went there, and no he's not shit, but not world class he works well with the team, and Klopp i'd like to see how he'd do in another team, not so good i'd imagine

The midfielders next to him are criminally under-rated.

Which is why are team is special- they all work together very well, bring out the best of each other, Imo i doubt any of em would be as good in another team right now

Salah was flopping at chelsea not that long ago, mane always looked good for southamtpon but players look good now for lower teams, he's x3 better now than he was

Meanwhile other teams have a stand out individual (UTD and city to a lesser extent) Fernandes and KDB, all you need to look at is the points/results with fernandes and without, I'd rather be a complete team like us mind you, that's what keeps us going and up there, I think chelsea are getting there slowly too, one to watch for the future, perhaps not this season but next for sure.

For us salah mane firmino jota henderson wij fabinho and probably missing a few, are all equally as important (the current fit players)

Klopp has to take credit for that, we're a team not a bunch of individuals, and you can't say x player is better than x player most of the time, which is amazing.

For some reason people on here think firmino&henderson are the only players that run at all, when really they all do, salah and mane often get doubled up on, and the other midfielders work just as hard, (once again the ones currently fit) I have my doubts about thiago working as hard as the others- but he'll provide other things to make up for that, which current players lack a little, more skill and better passing range.

If wij leaves, that'll be the start of the decline in the midfield unless we find someone just as good and it'll show, and I believe it'll effect henderson and the others.

If anything all the injury's have proved that, kudos to klopp and the team we're the most complete team in the world, only team that's up there with us is Bayern

That's just my opinion anyway, but once again world class is used far too often

[skyebo]

Yes, 19 - we should put our best players in their best positions if possible. Fab at DM and Hendo next to him. ;)

When they are all fit, he may keep Fabinho at the back with VVD. Much better than Matip, and more reliable.

[LEGS]

Yeahh he's up there with Messi

there's better midfielders in the EPL

Yeah I went there, and no he's not shit, but not world class he works well with the team, and Klopp i'd like to see how he'd do in another team, not so good i'd imagine

The midfielders next to him are criminally under-rated.

Which is why are team is special- they all work together very well, bring out the best of each other, Imo i doubt any of em would be as good in another team right now

Salah was flopping at chelsea not that long ago, mane always looked good for southamtpon but players look good now for lower teams, he's x3 better now than he was

Meanwhile other teams have a stand out individual (UTD and city to a lesser extent) Fernandes and KDB, all you need to look at is the points/results with fernandes and without, I'd rather be a complete team like us mind you, that's what keeps us going and up there.

He is WC because of what he does for us I dont care what he would do for others as thankfully we wont have to see that.

You could argue Messi needed Iniesta/Xavi not eon big ears without them have they.

When he doesnt play for us you notice the difference.

You can have KDB as better than him but nobody else is you can name flashy players like Grealish but when the chips are down that is when it matters.

[skyebo]

He is WC because of what he does for us I dont care what he would do for others as thankfully we wont have to see that.

You could argue Messi needed Iniesta/Xavi not eon big ears without them have they.

When he doesnt play for us you notice the difference.

You can have KDB as better than him but nobody else is you can name flashy players like Grealish but when the chips are down that is when it matters.

I thought the definition of World class meant a player would get into any team. If that's how it works, then you're way off the mark with Henderson i'm afraid. He has improved over the last couple of years, but he was never, and never will be world class.

[LEGS]

He would defo get in any EPL team that is for sure.

As for others im not sure with La Liga or Serie A.

[Balinkay]

When they are all fit, he may keep Fabinho at the back with VVD. Much better than Matip, and more reliable.

Is he? For me it's not at all clear he's better with Matip.

[Kev0909]

He is WC because of what he does for us I dont care what he would do for others as thankfully we wont have to see that.

You could argue Messi needed Iniesta/Xavi not eon big ears without them have they.

When he doesnt play for us you notice the difference.

You can have KDB as better than him but nobody else is you can name flashy players like Grealish but when the chips are down that is when it matters.

He was out enough and we still won the league

noone is bigger than the team, that includes henderson

Wouldn't of done as good if salah was injured as much..

And I think most teams would miss there captain

And yeah, I don't really think there's a stand out midfield at all in this league apart from ours, so you're probably right if KDB had him or WIj next to him, they'd win the league

[skyebo]

Is he? For me it's not at all clear he's better with Matip.

For me he is. Matip had one good season ( his first ) then went backwards, his form only improved when VVD came in. The fact people think he is much better than Lovren is no yardstick either. If Klopp thought Matip was better than Lovren he would have got straight in after his injury, instead of waiting for Lovren to get injured to get his place back. For me, neither are good enough for a regular place.

[Kev0909]

For me he is. Matip had one good season ( his first ) then went backwards, his form only improved when VVD came in. The fact people think he is much better than Lovren is no yardstick either. If Klopp thought Matip was better than Lovren he would have got straight in after his injury, instead of waiting for Lovren to get injured to get his place back. For me, neither are good enough for a regular place.

Another position- VVD making the other CB'S look better too, fabinho is helping at the back alot- it's not just about individuals, I love this team :D

[LEGS]

He was out enough and we still won the league

noone is bigger than the team, that includes henderson

Wouldn't of done as good if salah was injured as much..

And I think most teams would miss there captain

We did he was good before Klopp came I think without his red card against City we may have won it that year he was brilliant that year.

Suarez was the king that season and imo for that 12-18 months was the best in the world.

Yes we would miss Salah or Mane loads I agree.

I responded to Fab and Gini being WC not my words btw and I think Hendo is better than both of them....Thiago is obviously class but he has played 2 games.

Hendo might struggle in Italy with a slow game but I can spin that and say some struggle with the pace of the game here.

[Kev0909]

We did he was good before Klopp came I think without his red card against City we may have won it that year he was brilliant that year.

Suarez was the king that season and imo for that 12-18 months was the best in the world.

Yes we would miss Salah or Mane loads I agree.

I responded to Fab and Gini being WC not my words btw and I think Hendo is better than both of them....Thiago is obviously class but he has played 2 games.

Hendo might struggle in Italy with a slow game but I can spin that and say some struggle with the pace of the game here.

Yeah i'm not saying he's average or not important don't get me wrong , I just feel like they all work well together as a unit, I don't think they'd do as good in another team, not just henderson I mean the front 3 too, the other midfielders, etc

Only other team I can think of that's as complete/like ourselves is Bayern who are pretty damn good and fav's for the champions league but they're not that reliant on one player, mind you lewandowski is a beast- but how much does the team help him?, but they lost thiago and still killing it

It's helped the majority of the team have been together for a good while now

[skyebo]

We did he was good before Klopp came I think without his red card against City we may have won it that year he was brilliant that year.

Suarez was the king that season and imo for that 12-18 months was the best in the world.

Yes we would miss Salah or Mane loads I agree.

I responded to Fab and Gini being WC not my words btw and I think Hendo is better than both of them....Thiago is obviously class but he has played 2 games.

Hendo might struggle in Italy with a slow game but I can spin that and say some struggle with the pace of the game here.

We were conceding goals all throughout that season, with Henderson in the team, and without him. If he would have played those 3 games he was banned for, i doubt it would have changed anything. Rodgers had a way of playing and fair play to him, though it cost us because we couldn't defend.

[Kev0909]

Even after all the money spent, man city still seem a team of expensive individuals, but nothing compared to man utd!!

Who's anywhere near as complete as us in this league? - by that I mean playing as a team working for each other, bringing the best out of each other.

Only team I can think of is chelsea, who aren't that close yet- but give it a season or 2

I suppose spurs could be?? they seem to do good together, and on paper they've got a weaker squad compared to man city/ man utd- but they could do with a few more players- I think mourinho is bringing out the best in em though even if it's shithouse football

Even up in scotland, it's the same for rangers & gerrard, he's got the best out of them all working as a team, for each other- celtic probably still by far have the better squad due to the money, but gerrard has done wonders, much like klopp has done here

At the moment in spain atletico madrid have always done rather well considering the powers above and money, they do well as a team, they're currently top of the league

real madrid & barcelona are a mess at the moment, no team just individuals once again, real madrid to a lesser extent, i hope atletico carry on and win it.

On a side note Bobby Adekanye remember him? came on for Cadiz against barcelona at the weekend they won 2-1 !! ok only for 10 mins but was surprised to see his name pop up

[Steveo]

@ Kev.

Spurs looking galvanised. Every player knows their job.. Jose has a team in his own image again.

[Kev0909]

@ Kev.

Spurs looking galvanised. Every player knows their job.. Jose has a team in his own image again.

exactly some "average" signings (apart from bale), but it works, they work together probably the most complete team after us, I think chelsea will be on par with em if not better next season, but you do feel spurs are missing a couple of players to win the league, only will take 1 or 2 injury's

[Balinkay]

Give it time, the wheels will come off soon enough. This time next year at worst.

[vin]

For me he is. Matip had one good season ( his first ) then went backwards, his form only improved when VVD came in. The fact people think he is much better than Lovren is no yardstick either. If Klopp thought Matip was better than Lovren he would have got straight in after his injury, instead of waiting for Lovren to get injured to get his place back. For me, neither are good enough for a regular place.

Playing next to the liability that Lovren was didn't help. Players always tend to play better when they are confident. He's a good player. Would be interesting to see if FAB & VVD would be a good pairing

[skyebo]

Playing next to the liability that Lovren was didn't help. Players always tend to play better when they are confident. He's a good player. Would be interesting to see if FAB & VVD would be a good pairing

They were just a bad pairing. Lovren became a better player when paired with Van Dijk. As i said earlier, i would like to see those two together.

[ianlfc]

I actually love us having one way of playing. Considering the way the kids have stepped in while we have all these injuries, we have a style of play so that if anyone gets injured be it the first,under,23,18,16 teams we've a player who can step up and fill in and he knows whats expected of him.
Wenger had the same with Arsenal also the great Barca team were the same.
Going into a game teams worry about us not the other way around and it's worked out well so far with Jurgen so no point in changing.

[RedNoodle]

The trouble with one way of playing is that if other teams figure out how to nullify/effectively play against that way of playing, you could well be in big trouble.

Personally I want my team to be able to mix things up when necessary.

[LEGS]

The trouble with one way of playing is that if other teams figure out how to nullify/effectively play against that way of playing, you could well be in big trouble.

Personally I want my team to be able to mix things up when necessary.

I agree and so does Klopp as we don’t have one way of playing.

We can now go with 3 or 4 attackers, play long and over the last few years we are better at keeping the ball.

When Thiago is back we will improve even more as he is a winner and a great passer of the ball.

[Insidious]

@ Kev.

Spurs looking galvanised. Every player knows their job.. Jose has a team in his own image again.

It's typical for Jose's teams to look good in their second season. Then in the third season the Wheels fall off somewhat.

If Spurs are going to achieve anything under Jose, history suggests that this season is the time. They have to be better than us, better than City and better than Chelsea. I think being better than all three of those is a big ask, but we will see.

I fancy them to get 78-84 points. I don't think they'll win the League though.

[Balinkay]

I don't think they'll break 80.

[Kev0909]

I don't think they'll break 80.

same they're a few players off imo

think chelsea will finish above, as they have more depth especially going forward

Liverpool
Man city
Chelsea
Spurs

(I hope)

[vin]

Kane or Son getting injured for more than a couple of games will halt them. Realistically, I don't think they'll sustain a challenge.

[Balinkay]

They won't keep winning with a shot a game. That will eventually fail when Kane / Son loses a bit of form. Question is when that will happen. If it's in 2022, they'll be fine.

I recon it'll be towards the end of the winter marathon or just after it.

[Nineteenx]

I was looking for a detailed answer on Fabinho.

For about the 500th time

He is absolutely hopeless at the collective press, as a sitting DM he was fine, asked to play further forward as a CM as the role evolved to under Hendo he is a fish out of water.

The analysis team want a kick up the fucking backside for not highlighting his shortcomings to Jurgen

In the press, on numerous occasions we're attacking, should our attack break down the opposition have the opportunity of a 3v3 with a man on either CB and a man on Fabinho, during his absence this situation frequently occurred AND the midfield 3 were rotating positions in his absence so the man in the position Fabinho is in in this example was Hendo, Milner, Oxlade, Lallana, Gini and not once in that run of games, not a single fucking time did a single one of those players get caught ball watching, get drawn into an attacking position leaving that player so if our attack broke down there was an instant easy transtion and a 3v2, as happened numerous times in the 7-2 v Villa.

Fabinho leaves that man all the fucking time, ALL the fucking time, I've seen him do it about 20 times in only about 5 games, he did it 4 or 5 games in his first game back v Southampton which we won 4-0 in the end, but could easily have lost given the opportunities we presented them with. He did it v Arsenal for their goal, he just does it all the time, he simply can't read the game as a CM and doesn't have the awareness of his reponsibility and that he CANNOT leave that player, not ever, if he does and the play breaks down, it's an easy transition and a 3v2 for the opposition

He is reactive not proactive, in the game v Arsenal for their goal, Gini was high pressing, Fabinho was in the potential 3v3 position as described fully 20 yards away from Gini, Gini misses his tackle, Fabinho has a rush of blood (reactive) charges 20 yards forward leaving his man of the 3 wide open, it goes to him easy, then to the forward, they score. He lets the press get broken all the frickin time

He has absolutely zero of the distribution we need for the kind of service our forwards and full backs thrive on, he can't play a switch, he can't play the ball over the top from deep, he can't play the ball through to release the full back with the ball just in front of them they can run onto. Against Atletico they just let him have the ball, didn't even once try to press him, just marked everyone else and were like "What are YOU going to do" and he did nothing. It was so fucking painful to watch, all the runs and movement from the forwards and full backs that had been there in his absence were all still there and he was just incapable of finding them and giving them the service they needed even once in the entire fucking game.

The team evolved in his absence, we developed a fluid midfield 3 with Gini Hendo and any other that were an actual midfielder, they rotated positions, each covering the No6 position when a player had gone from there to press ahead of them and never once left the opposition player for a transition, whoever found themselves in that position. The former DM role he was bought to play evolved to a CM role, he is NOT a midfielder

[Kev0909]

Anyone remember that peach of a ball by fabinho over the top of the defense that led to a goal? a few times he's done this

Or his screamer(s)? good to see wij scoring finally mind! doesn't switch the ball? yes he does

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpLJiUf41dc&ab_channel=MKcomps02

everything in this video v utd is him I dunno who you're on about poulsen?

you're mad

** Only one game in link, as i'm not posting his youtube highlights as anyone can look good, but they also show what kind of player he is BEAST

Just because you post a wall of shite doesn't mean we're all going to start thinking he's shit, get over henderson and look at other players will you

LFC TV

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTawf8SdreU&ab_channel=LiverpoolFC

Fuck it i'll post that as it's LFC!!! nope never presses, never wins the ball nope

You think brighton would of bossed us in midfield if fabinho was in there? I THINK NOT!! we're soft as fuck in midfield without him there's a reason we won the league by alot last season, fabinho being one of those reasons

[Nineteenx]

The stats you and others have cited around with/without hendo last year essentially boiled down to a few games in the cup for the most part with teams being strongly b sides or sides with no first team players.


Fabinho at CM after his return Cup Games with B teams

Atletico 1-0
Watford 3-0
Atletico 2-3 when we were winning when he was introduced
Everton 0-0
UAEFC 4-0
Burnley 1-1
Aston Villa 7 (SEVEN) - 2

That is 5 losses and 2 draws in 19 games and THAT is not even close to be good enough, in league games it is 13 points dropped in 17 games, THAT is our record with Fabinho at CM since he came back, you think that's good enough and the lads world class in midfield, knock yourselves out

[Kev0909]

Fabinho at CM after his return Cup Games with B teams

Atletico 1-0
Watford 3-0
Atletico 2-3 when we were winning when he was introduced
Everton 0-0
UAEFC 4-0
Burnley 1-1
Aston Villa 7 (SEVEN) - 2

That is 5 losses and 2 draws in 19 games and THAT is not even close to be good enough, in league games it is 13 points dropped in 17 games, THAT is our record with Fabinho at CM since he came back, you think that's good enough and the lads world class in midfield, knock yourselves out

how many of them did loverboy henderson start? i'm sure all them results was fabinho's fault

you should get yourself off to the dr's

[Nineteenx]

how many of them did loverboy henderson start? i'm sure all them results was fabinho's fault

you should get yourself off to the dr's

2 but at RCM not CM so CM lacking distribution and ability in pressing and orchestrating the press as detailed, 1 draw 1 defeat and it is Fabinho's lack of ability at CM we're discussing, and as he doesn't lend himself to a fluid midfield 3 either as all those who played in his absence did, our at RCM you can't affect what he is or isn't doing

The record prior to Fabinho's return with Hendo at CM 15 straight wins in League and Champions League and WCC 11 of those with clean sheets

[Nineteenx]

Anyone remember that peach of a ball by fabinho over the top of the defense that led to a goal? a few times he's done this

Or his screamer(s)? good to see wij scoring finally mind! doesn't switch the ball? yes he does

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpLJiUf41dc&ab_channel=MKcomps02

everything in this video v utd is him I dunno who you're on about poulsen?

you're mad

** Only one game in link, as i'm not posting his youtube highlights as anyone can look good, but they also show what kind of player he is BEAST

Just because you post a wall of shite doesn't mean we're all going to start thinking he's shit, get over henderson and look at other players will you

LFC TV

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTawf8SdreU&ab_channel=LiverpoolFC

Fuck it i'll post that as it's LFC!!! nope never presses, never wins the ball nope

You think brighton would of bossed us in midfield if fabinho was in there? I THINK NOT!! we're soft as fuck in midfield without him there's a reason we won the league by alot last season, fabinho being one of those reasons

Villa 7-2 Napoli 2-0 Atletico 1-0 Watford 3-0 UAE FC 4-0 The Bitters 0-0 Burnley 1-1 (the only homel eague game we failed to win last season) all with Fabinho at CM yeah i'm sooo sure Brighton wouldn't have bossed us, stop living in the first half of the 18/19 season you muppet

[dicko1969]

Henderson is underrated but not worldclass.

World class by definition is...

Souness
Iniesta
Xavi
Zidane
Pirlo
Zico
Socrates
Matthaüs
Seedorf

Hendo is a great midfielder for the type of pressing 433 modern football, and klopp's ethos.

Possibly a future legend captain; EPL EC and WCC winner.

Not bad for someone who struggled for his first 5 years at a big club, and almost left for Fulham.

[Kev0909]

Henderson is underrated but not worldclass.

World class by definition is...

Souness
Iniesta
Xavi
Zidane
Pirlo
Zico
Socrates
Matthaüs
Seedorf

Hendo is a great midfielder for the type of pressing 433 modern football, and klopp's ethos.

Possibly a future legend captain; EPL EC and WCC winner.

Not bad for someone who struggled for his first 5 years at a big club, and almost left for Fulham.

Agree with you thank god he didn't!

Perfect klopp player, and it really is a great story from how he was, compared to now

Amazing what a good manager can do ey? and the right system and getting the best out of the players and obviously henderson has done great himself

I'd rather have a team like we do, than a team of individuals and some real "world class players"- yet we're miles better than said teams due to being so good as a team, working together, etc

It's why we've won the league/champions league, not UTD or city- no matter how much money they've spent, city seem to be getting it a bit together now mind, so that's something to look out for

We've come far from the gerrard/torres/suarez show

[Insidious]

I'd rather have a team like we do, than a team of individuals and some real "world class players"- yet we're miles better than said teams due to being so good as a team, working together, etc

Yes indeed.

The system is the star. That's not to say we don't have some excellent players, but that's more about having excellent "fits" for the system. During the Rafa years (and let's be clear, I adore that man) we occasionally had "square peg in round hole" situations - with Klopp players with appropriate skill-sets get by-and-large, even if they are played "out of position" - Fabinho for examples slots in perfectly well to the midfield and also slots perfectly well into the defensive line. Milner can play almost anywhere. Shaqiri can be used in midfield with the right combination despite being bought as depth for the front three. Origi can.....okay, Origi definitely isn't a left-winger :lol: but you get the overall idea.

It's system first, appropriate acquisitions for system second. What really excites me is the idea that, further down the line, we may even be able to upgrade eventually. We're so bloody good and yet you always feel that we have more in us - it's utterly mental how many matches we win (winning is good!) and think "could have scored 4 there really" - so if in time we had "the" centre-back partner for Van Dijk, or THE elite centre forward that has the finishing ability of someone like Lewandowski but still can perform the "Firmino role" or if we find further little tiny tactical tweaks to wring more from the existing players..... it's just amazing where we are and how encouraging the younger talent around the club is.

Trent is genuinely fantastic in his position and Curtis Jones is going places. Another couple at that age bracket and a couple of the Elliott/Koumetio age bracket and the future continues to look super.