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.