If you can’t beat them, join them. Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp may have thought so when he adopted a similar approach to the Premier League’s top two sides in the last 10 games of last season.
Liverpool struggled all season but rebounded in the closing minutes after Klopp decided to push one of his full-backs, Trent Alexander-Arnold, into the mid-box on possessions. Just like what Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta did at Manchester City and Arsenal.
At City, Guardiola instructed John Stones to join Rodri in midfield when his team had the ball, but this was counterbalanced by opposing full-back Nathan Ake.
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Ake nominally played on the left side of the back four, but in practice he had limited rights to move forward, as evidenced by just 12.3 touches in the attacking third per 90 minutes. was a third center back.
Even as the Stones pushed through midfield, the Dutchman remained deep and ready to block any counter-attack. In effect, it was a safety net.
Meanwhile, Arteta imitated former manager Guardiola by placing former City midfielder Oleksandr Zinchenko on the left flank of midfield.
Opposite full-back Ben White was allowed to be more aggressive (as evidenced by his 20.2 touches per 90 in the attacking third), but he is the same as right-back. There was no overlap with the winger in frequency. A more traditional setup.
When Arsenal had the ball, White gained a more forward position, but was still aware that there were some restrictions on his freedom.
Both Guardiola and Arteta are looking to convert centre-backs to make their systems work, but Klopp has hired a natural full-back in Andy Robertson as Alexander-Arnold’s counterweight. Not only that, he also brought in a full-back who was playing frequently. More like a winger.
The last 10 games have seen a more conservative Robertson, but the degree of change has certainly been exaggerated. He averaged 26 touches in the attacking third over the 90 minutes of that leg, significantly more than White and Ake, and surprisingly more than he had in the first three quarters of the season. rice field. Klopp took a significantly more positive take on things.
Some would argue that this has to do with the talent he had available to him during the season, with Liverpool theoretically mimicking Arsenal and City with a left flank during the summer transfer window. He points out that he wants a centre-back (from Fabrizio Romano/Here We Go Podcast).
There is no telling how Klopp’s new regime will evolve after a complete off-season, but regardless of who joins or what adjustments are made, Robertson will be the big one given its historical significance. It is hard to imagine that he will not start in partial matches. .
In fact, as explained here, Liverpool have already hinted in favor of attacking-minded full-backs by forgoing the lucrative sale of Robertson replacement Costas Tsimikas.
In essence, Klopp appears to be trying to find another way to make the reverse full-back approach work. Does that mean using another player, or simply using another means to provide a counterattack firebreak and ensure the team doesn’t get left behind too exposed?
Liverpool won seven of their 10 games last season and the signs were promising, but it’s worth noting that the losing side ended up averaging 13th place, with four of them finishing in the bottom seven. Deserved.
Maintaining an elite points-per-game streak for the entire season will be much more difficult, especially if the opposing team spends more time deciphering the new system.
Klopp may have taken inspiration from the successes of Guardiola and Arteta, but his template appears to be the most daring.
But if Liverpool can find a way to incorporate two playmaking full-backs without compromising the balance, the benefits could be even greater.
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