All player preferences aside, when talking about midfielders and who can/will be improved upon, I find it illogical in a Mr. Spock kind of way to lump all our midfielders together as all being poor when the midfield shows itself as dysfunctional as it did yesterday.
James Milner, likeable, professional, English....but wasn’t allowed near midfield last season and this season spent the first half mostly as a healthy scratch on the bench. He has filled in admirably and surprisingly as Gini, then Can, then Ox were taken down with illness/injury in the second half. But he is 32 and has been a pro since 17...no amount of Ribena can reverse that! So it makes sense that we will not be planning on using him a lot next season. And as has been pointed out elsewhere he has his limitations in midfield and does tend to play almost as a Winger.
Captain Hendo has virtually never been used as an 8 for two seasons. He was repositioned to the 6 role and two seasons later can anyone really say that he has taken to it like a duck to water? Energy? That could be applied in any role he has had since joining us. Has he developed match intelligence since he has had so much exposure to the 6 role with so much of the pitch laid-out before him? Not really. In his defence, he has been injured a lot over the last two seasons. But that too doesn’t work in his favour as a potential guaranteed match starter next season. Now, Klopp loves the guy and he was part of our initial resurgence into the gegen pressing machine of the 1st part of last season. But can anyone say that if we bring in a decent number 6 this summer (who isn’t a teenage prospect) to back-up Jordan, that that player will never be a starter by season’s end a la Robbo? All it will take is a couple of good starts or an injury to Hendo. Look at Gini’s 2 matches. Will Klopp actually bench a successful 6 afterwards for our returning Captain? I’m not sure.
Then there is Gini. Who was bought by Klopp to be put into midfield. Who has played almost every match since being eased into the starting line-up early last season after arriving. Klopp has played him as a an attacking 8 last season and asked him to drop back somewhat this season to help out defensively while Henderson and Clyne were out injured, forming almost a 2 with Can. He has also played in the 6 a couple of matches and even has spent time in the attacking trio, as right wingback and even as a central defender for the first time in his life. So basically, he was Klopp’s first midfield signing two seasons ago and has started virtually all matches when healthy which is almost always. Now it is asumed that with the arrival of Keita that Klopp is going back to the drawing board and declaring Gini’s purchase a failure and Gini will go to the bench or the stands to make way for Keita...despite all the evidence to the contrary?
I think we are going to see Klopp rotating midfielders next season, using horses for courses. My guess is that Milner will play less than this season and in not such important matches. And Henderson will not be automatically in the 6 spot every match and may be slowly replaced. And that Gini will play more than both of them as an 8 or as a 6 because Klopp trusts him in both roles. With Keita and a Coutinho replacement coming in, they will need another midfielder to supply them with the ball. Will they be expected to get on the end of a Milner right footed low cross from the left wing or chase a Henderson long ball into space upfield? Or will we make the best use of both of them (Ox too) by having them get quick distribution to feet as they move into the open space left by the opponents trying to get the ball off of Gini?
The insertion of Keita and a Coutinho replacement like Fekir will most certainly change the way our midfield is expected to play going forward.
Maybe...
Against Man City away we could bully them with:
6 Hendo, 8 Gini, 10 Ox
Against Burnley away we could blitz them with:
6 Gini, 8 Keita, 10 Fekir
Against Hoffenheim away in CL:
6 Henderson, 8 Keita, 10 Fekir
Against Bournemouth away:
6 Gini, 8 Keita, 10 Ox
And we’d be able to close out matches with a bit of foot-on-the-ball possession from an example trio of Gini, Lalalna and Keita.
Onwards and upwards.
