Topic: The Klopp Template

[tubby]

I think some credit to our opponents for starting games against us like it's a cup final.  It seems to be the accepted tactic now against us to hit us hard early on and then hang in later.

What we've done really well all season is to not go two goals down during those periods.  We then just run through tiring sides in the second half of games.

I'm not sure if it's deliberate from Klopp/Ljinders but it feels like périodisation on a much smaller scale.  Conserve energy in the first half whilst making sure the game isn't lost and then win it in the second half when it really matters.

I think it's just that we play such an open and chaotic game.  We're not like City, who starve opponents of the ball and control the game.  We leave ourselves way more open at the back and that means chances for the opposition.

That's why the shouts of teams trying harder against us but surrendering to City before a ball is kicked are wrong.  We play completely different styles of football, that's all it is.  They're control, we're chaos.

[FlashGordon]

I think it's just that we play such an open and chaotic game.  We're not like City, who starve opponents of the ball and control the game.  We leave ourselves way more open at the back and that means chances for the opposition.

That's why the shouts of teams trying harder against us but surrendering to City before a ball is kicked are wrong.  We play completely different styles of football, that's all it is.  They're control, we're chaos.

For all their control, they've conceded 3 more than us. That's with us having played a game more as well.

[tubby]

For all their control, they've conceded 3 more than us. That's with us having played a game more as well.

That's a fair point, which I think is because they're just not as strong as they have been previously.  They have a much smaller squad these days.

[newterp]

Klopp is brilliant at changing games from the bench.  But we wouldn't have to do it as often if we didn't keep conceding the first goal, which is something he's not been great at sorting out.

Interestingly for about 4 years we bemoaned Klopp's subbing patterns. He's really loved the 5 sub rule.

[stockdam]

There are a lot of things that could be written about Klopp’s “template” and the previous post makes an important point. The 5 sub rule is perfect for the way Klopp builds a squad to be able to play in slightly different ways. Our midfield and forwards are asked to press hard which means that the players will tire and bringing on subs keeps the intensity up.

Klopp has built a very strong squad that doesn’t have stand out stars. Yes Salah, VVD and Alisson are probably the first players on the sheet and have been the most consistent performers. However they certainly don’t act like primadonnas. The bond within the squad is more important than individual players. At this time of year the rumours of Mbappe surface again. He’s a great player but the danger is that he could upset the squad dynamics. He could become the centre of attention of the media and this could create divisions in the squad. That wouldn’t be Mbappe’s fault but I really don’t see him fitting in to the squad. You can see during interviews that each player supports the others and it’s about the team above all else. Most of the players on the bench know that they have an important part to play.

The players who Klopp brings in; especially the midfield and forwards, can play in different positions as all of them may be asked to play in slightly different styles. It’s the unpredictable flexibility that the team has is a big asset. Salah is possibly the least flexible forward we have but that’s because he is so good on the right.

Even within a match or phase of play we need to have players who can move into different positions. For example if Salah moves inside then Trent needs to move into the space that Salah has vacated but he then needs to be almost as good as Salah in beating a player and crossing the ball etc.

So for me, the key thing in Klopp’s squad is being able to play in different positions and to be able to come off the bench and slot into the role that the shape of the game needs.

For that reason we don’t tend to buy players who are exceptional at one thing but are weak when asked to do something else.

[BobPaisley3]

Is Nat Phillips definitely back? I think he might have to play FA cup games if we’re going deep in everything. Imagine VVD and Konate go again on Wednesday and then Chelsea and Arsenal back to back the week after. Norwich is the perfect chance to rest them and play Quansah but with who? Could play Gomez but he’s played a lot lately.

[SerbianScouser]

Since the fullback inversion:

31 Pl games 72 points 1 loss. Unreal turnaround considering our low points last season.

[tubby]

Since the fullback inversion:

31 Pl games 72 points 1 loss. Unreal turnaround considering our low points last season.

We didn't do it today though.

[FlashGordon]

We didn't do it today though.

Joe was inverting a little bit. Obviously not as much as we see from Trent but he did it every now and again.

[Knight]

Joe was inverting a little bit. Obviously not as much as we see from Trent but he did it every now and again.

Yes it was interesting.

[Phineus]

Since the fullback inversion:

31 Pl games 72 points 1 loss. Unreal turnaround considering our low points last season.

Brilliant and I still don’t think we’ve cracked the role of LB in this system yet either, be interesting what long term plan for that is.

[jepovic]

That was a very impressive performance. Tough conditions, strong opponent, but we looked really solid and ruthless.
90+ min comeback winners are great fun, but this looked like a team that could win it

[afc tukrish]

Joe was inverting a little bit. Obviously not as much as we see from Trent but he did it every now and again.

Agree with this especially in the second half, sorry, after the interval...

[clinical]

Finished 5th

lost a few experienced players. Spent less then Man Utd, Chelsea, Spurs, Arsenal and City in the summer and now currently 1st.

Jurgen Klopp might be the most underrated manager of all time. Simply because he manages Liverpool.

[lionel_messias]

Finished 5th

lost a few experienced players. Spent less then Man Utd, Chelsea, Spurs, Arsenal and City in the summer and now currently 1st.

Jurgen Klopp might be the most underrated manager of all time. Simply because he manages Liverpool.

Yeah for sure. The conundrum with him is he likes to operate with an underdog spirit, yet of course he uses top players, which we tend to wait for, in terms of transfers.

The average Joe sees how much players like Darwin Nunez cost but not how relatively peanuts we had spent on midfielders for literally years.

He's also carefully brought through Curtis Jones, Trent, Bradley, Quansah, Elliot, the list goes on and on. Did anyone think Curtis might not become a top performer in the Premier League - Jurgen Klopp didn't.

Did anyone think attack-minded Gini Winaldum, from relegated Newcastle, would make an amazing all action box to box midfielder? Jurgen Klopp did.

He's been greater, as a manager, than people thought he would be, and he was hugely hugely rated at Dortmund.

[PaulF]

Nice watch if you have 8 mins spares.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYVoX0aK83U


Also, would I be broadly right in saying 'inverted fullback' means a fullback that instead of travelling up the line to form overlaps as a traditional wingback is one that comes inside as they travel up the pitch?  They seem to agree with this definition in the video.

[BobPaisley3]

Nice watch if you have 8 mins spares.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYVoX0aK83U


Also, would I be broadly right in saying 'inverted fullback' means a fullback that instead of travelling up the line to form overlaps as a traditional wingback is one that comes inside as they travel up the pitch?  They seem to agree with this definition in the video.

Essentially yes and although used in different ways, we tend to embrace a box midfield when Trent inverts, with him alongside the deeper midfielder (the 6) forming the bottom points of the box and the two 8s forming the top end.

[Historical Fool]

Since the fullback inversion:

31 Pl games 72 points 1 loss. Unreal turnaround considering our low points last season.

It’s a testament to the system that title winning form has been maintained with two nearly completely different midfields.

[lionel_messias]

It’s a testament to the system that title winning form has been maintained with two nearly completely different midfields.

Yeah, and it really looks like the whole squad is buying into this. Klopp, Pep and the coaches appear to be in master mode at the minute. The integration of academy players, the Gomez form, Harvey Elliot. The list goes on.

Long may it continue, as we see a set of players energised and pressing like a pack of wolves. Of course one of the keys to the template is keeping everyone motivated and sharp when they rotate in, just look at the likes of Gakpo and Jota for proof of this.

Onwards and upwards.

[Draex]

I was slightly nervous with Salah going to the AFCON but Jota and Nunez in particular have stepped up to the plate, also helps with our midfield adding to the goals on a consistent basis as well.

[kasperoff]

Is this the best squad we’ve had? We just had Trent, Robertson and Salah unavailable for extended periods of time and hardly noticed. Good players like Matip and Endo are away and it barely registers.

[rscanderlech]

Is this the best squad we’ve had? We just had Trent, Robertson and Salah unavailable for extended periods of time and hardly noticed. Good players like Matip and Endo are away and it barely registers.

Best squad, starting front three a bit weaker than 2020, but starting midfield superior, and best depth at full back that we've had.

5 subs really helps us, as our depth allows us to kill any stubborn resistance in the final 20-30 minutes.

[Coolie High]

Is this the best squad we’ve had? We just had Trent, Robertson and Salah unavailable for extended periods of time and hardly noticed. Good players like Matip and Endo are away and it barely registers.

Quite easily, we have top players in every position, to the point our third choice fullbacks are not too far off our first choice ones. The midfield though is absurd, the level of depth we have there is only matched by Madrid, this squad should win it all in the next few years.

[RedG13]

Quite easily, we have top players in every position, to the point our third choice fullbacks are not too far off our first choice ones. The midfield though is absurd, the level of depth we have there is only matched by Madrid, this squad should win it all in the next few years.

Madrid doesnt have the Depth in the backline or the front line that Liverpool has

[Vegeta]

The best depth ever for sure, imagine another 2-3 signings in the summer, will easily be the strongest squad in the league. We have never had a team that has so many goals from all angles; even our peak teams under Klopp felt like the goals were all just coming from the front 3.

[Coolie High]

The best depth ever for sure, imagine another 2-3 signings in the summer, will easily be the strongest squad in the league. We have never had a team that has so many goals from all angles; even our peak teams under Klopp felt like the goals were all just coming from the front 3.

We already have the strongest squad in the league IMO.

[RedG13]

The best depth ever for sure, imagine another 2-3 signings in the summer, will easily be the strongest squad in the league. We have never had a team that has so many goals from all angles; even our peak teams under Klopp felt like the goals were all just coming from the front 3.

It 2 deep in the back line, 7 or 8 deep if not more in the MF, and 5 quality Forwards with the best goalie, and 2 very solid 2nd and 3rd choice keepers.
Legit the only question I have for the summer is what the LB plan with Robertson Age

[daniel.owen89]

It feels like klopp is now able to implement rafa's level of rotation and there is basically zero quality drop. He could make 6/7 changes and the fans won't even bat an eyelid because there isn't really a week area

[Ray K]

@BassTunedToRed
Liverpool’s shots in their last eight home games:

26, 34, 29, 13, 34, 21, 29, 28

(Arsenal home being the outlier). Up Jürgen's mad reds.

[JP!]

I'm a lot less worried about a post-Salah world after watching our last few games. That front 3 last night was unplayable.

[Knight]

I'm a lot less worried about a post-Salah world after watching our last few games. That front 3 last night was unplayable.

Jota from the right is a bit of a revelation right now.

[Draex]

I'm a lot less worried about a post-Salah world after watching our last few games. That front 3 last night was unplayable.

It's brilliant that our 1st choice are not guaranteed to come straight back into the team, that level of competition is going to push us on.

[tubby]

Jota from the right is a bit of a revelation right now.

Bradley playing down the right and not inverting has really helped in that respect.  When Trent came inside, someone else would have to maintain the width, either Salah or Szobo, but with Bradley bombing up the wing and giving us that width, Jota can play inside more.  Think when Trent comes back into the team, we'll see him (or whoever is playing wide right) having to play wider.

[Draex]

Bradley playing down the right and not inverting has really helped in that respect.  When Trent came inside, someone else would have to maintain the width, either Salah or Szobo, but with Bradley bombing up the wing and giving us that width, Jota can play inside more.  Think when Trent comes back into the team, we'll see him (or whoever is playing wide right) having to play wider.

He didn't last night, possibly one of the reasons we lost all control when the subs came on.

[tubby]

He didn't last night, possibly one of the reasons we lost all control when the subs came on.

I meant Jota would have to play wide, not Trent.  He was straight inside, first chance he got.  But then Robertson provides the width from fullback on the other side instead of inverting like Gomez does.  We always want someone wide either side.

So with Trent in the team it's usually Robertson on the left and Salah/Szobo on the right.  Without Trent, it's Bradley on the right and Diaz on the left (or Jones, if we're playing Jota/Gakpo instead of Diaz).

[lionel_messias]

Observe the Klopp template last night and feel a joyful glow as academy players execute his plans with pace and vigour.

Observe the Klopp template last night and feel sad that he will not be overseeing it next season, however a new man will.

The club is in rude health.

[Draex]

I meant Jota would have to play wide, not Trent.  He was straight inside, first chance he got.  But then Robertson provides the width from fullback on the other side instead of inverting like Gomez does.  We always want someone wide either side.

So with Trent in the team it's usually Robertson on the left and Salah/Szobo on the right.  Without Trent, it's Bradley on the right and Diaz on the left (or Jones, if we're playing Jota/Gakpo instead of Diaz).

Ah yes get you, Jota certainly looks best being able to cut inside, really helped Bradley kept the width, seemed to really help Van Dijk with sweeping long diagonals we had a lot of joy out wide including Diaz. We can't forget this when Trent comes back, the inverted stuff works but you also have to work with the space you're being given.

[Knight]

I meant Jota would have to play wide, not Trent.  He was straight inside, first chance he got.  But then Robertson provides the width from fullback on the other side instead of inverting like Gomez does.  We always want someone wide either side.

So with Trent in the team it's usually Robertson on the left and Salah/Szobo on the right.  Without Trent, it's Bradley on the right and Diaz on the left (or Jones, if we're playing Jota/Gakpo instead of Diaz).

In certain ways I'm not sure the right side really works very well (all relative obviously, in reality it's working very well like everything is right now) because both Trent and Salah want to come inside and Trent inverting forces Salah into playing wide. But as Salah ages we actually want him more central as much as possible. I'm pretty confident Salah would be a more effective player at this stage of his career if he didn't have the responsibility to provide width on the right and, instead, the RB and the RCM did that job.

[Phineus]

I agree, having proper width on right side (and quality width, based on last night) means we can get Trent, Dom & Salah more central which is where they’ll hurt every team.

[PaulF]

Observe the Klopp template last night and feel a joyful glow as academy players execute his plans with pace and vigour.

Observe the Klopp template last night and feel sad that he will not be overseeing it next season, however a new man will.

The club is in rude health.

Klopp to head up the youth setup in a year?