Topic: Team Analysis: Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool Tactics (*)

[Caligula?]

Is it though?  90% of the posts on this forum on this topic are about how this league is shit, the best teams in this league are shit compared to other leagues, and that the bottom half of the table wastes their money on overpriced "premier league proven" shit instead of good young players like other bottom feeders on the continent

It works both ways I suppose. Maybe the best teams in this league aren't as good as the best teams from Spain ot Italy, but just look at the top half of the table to see what I'm talking about.

How many clubs - based on size, finances, expectations - would realistically expect to be occupy the top 3-4 places in their respective leagues in Spain, Italy, Germany, France every single season? In this league currently you have no less than six clubs fighting for 4 places, each of whom feel as if they belong there.

[deFacto please, you bastards]

He needs to figure out somethinf,Henderson is not going to be ready for Arsenal.and he doesnt know how long he will be out four.

Taxtical changes need to be made, Can is incredibly poor at the moment and this set up with him is not going to work.

[mrantarctica]

The worrying thing for me is the positions we are all saying need strengthening are basically the exact same positions we said need improving last year and the year before and the year before that!

We've been saying we need

new GK since Pepe Reina
new LB since as far as I can remember
new CB since Hyypia
new DM since Mascherano
new CM since Alonso
new Striker since Torres, then Suarez
new attacking wide player since as far as I can remember - somewhere around the team where we signed Downing instead of someone awesome

[Giono]

Clyne is the least of our problems, created two good chances last night, a cross to Coutinho that the keeper saved and a nice pass to Firmino in the box that he fucked up with a poor first touch.

We're going to need at least half a dozen players in this summer again, not the time to be fucking around with areas that don't need it.

Clyne is not the worst of our problems, but he is a blunt instrument in the final third. Ya, he may have had some minor success against LCFC, but a lot of our play went down his side and he had a lot of chances to affect our attacking play and didn't contribute much. He can be improved upon.

Left back, holding mid and central defence are the biggest areas that can be improved, but our tactics are to have both wingbacks advanced up the pitch so they both should be effective in attack if the tactic is to work. I'd argue that the right side is possibly more important as it is there where Mane and Lallana generally play and where we can overload defences with some clever play by the wingback on the right. On the left, Coutinho cuts inside often so a more conventional runner down the left giving him space and stretching defences would be ok (Moreno even?).

I'd really like it if we improved both wingback spots in the summer.

[harryc]

Clyne is not the worst of our problems, but he is a blunt instrument in the final third. Ya, he may have had some minor success against LCFC, but a lot of our play went down his side and he had a lot of chances to affect our attacking play and didn't contribute much. He can be improved upon.

Left back, holding mid and central defence are the biggest areas that can be improved, but our tactics are to have both wingbacks advanced up the pitch so they both should be effective in attack if the tactic is to work. I'd argue that the right side is possibly more important as it is there where Mane and Lallana generally play and where we can overload defences with some clever play by the wingback on the right. On the left, Coutinho cuts inside often so a more conventional runner down the left giving him space and stretching defences would be ok (Moreno even?).

I'd be really happy if we improved both wingback spots in the summer.

Here is a novel idea why not play to the players strengths so if Milner and Clyne are useless as attacking full backs and there is no doubt they have been extremely poor post Christmas. Then surely it's time to change tactics.

Why keep flogging a dead horse!

[Giono]

Here is a novel idea why not play to the players strengths so if Milner and Clyne are useless as attacking full backs and there is no doubt they have been extremely poor post Christmas. Then surely it's time to change tactics.

Why keep flogging a dead horse!

Or try Milner down the right and Moreno down the left against weaker sides?

[Funky_Gibbons]

Clyne is not the worst of our problems, but he is a blunt instrument in the final third. Ya, he may have had some minor success against LCFC, but a lot of our play went down his side and he had a lot of chances to affect our attacking play and didn't contribute much. He can be improved upon.

Left back, holding mid and central defence are the biggest areas that can be improved, but our tactics are to have both wingbacks advanced up the pitch so they both should be effective in attack if the tactic is to work. I'd argue that the right side is possibly more important as it is there where Mane and Lallana generally play and where we can overload defences with some clever play by the wingback on the right. On the left, Coutinho cuts inside often so a more conventional runner down the left giving him space and stretching defences would be ok (Moreno even?).

I'd really like it if we improved both wingback spots in the summer.

I'd agree with left back but Clyne is doing fine and it'd cost too much to upgrade him considering our more pressing needs elsewhere.

He's created more chances and had more key passes than the likes of Walker and Bellerin, the difference is they play passes to strikers who can control a ball or shoot.

[KiNki]

Why keep flogging a dead horse!

cos the alternative option is glue.

[YoungKopite]

We need a striker badly. We have the perfect players to support one in Coutinho, Lallana, Firmino, and Mane. We also need a top CDM, LB, and a CB. So we basically need 4 players capable of walking into the first 11, and improving us.

[YerBaldyHead]

Hiya fellas. My maiden post on here since i thought it's about time i made an account and stopped annoying my Twitter followers. I was a combination of properly fuming and pissed that night so I don't think then would've been the right time to give my thoughts. Watched the game back today and noticed the same thing that's been bugging me all season, not just when the last 2 months.

For team that's suppose to be playing Klopp's "heavy metal football", it's quite noticeable that as a whole we're weak as piss. The team is littered with skinny nerds trying to play heavy metal on keyboards, and it sounds (looks) shite. There's an obvious lack of pace and power throughout the entire side. Two goalkeepers, one who's borderline disabled, the other a Prince Charming wannabe. Both about as commanding as William Bligh. Then there's the defence. We play with one of the highest lines in the league, yet we don't have a defender who you look at and think "yeah he's rapid". It's true there's plenty of stamina in midfield, but again, who you pointing out as a being that vital combo of pace and power? Mane is the one of exception in the whole team. The one player you'd actually say is a definte Klopp player.

For me we seem to be stuck stylistically between wanting to be this powerful, freakishly fast team that blows teams away (like a Monaco) and a safer and tidier footballing playing side (Barca). And the real problem is, we don't have enough athletes for the former, and we don't have good enough footballers for the latter.

With top 4 being in jeopardy (not that i think that would make a difference to who we would sign but that's a different topic) it's obvious to anyone how much needs to change this summer. If that piece in The Mirror about the "5 or 6 high profile signings" from a few weeks back is to be believed then we're looking £200m on incomings this summer - assuming FSGs idea of "high profile" is the same as ours. Let's say we get £50m from outgoings, that's £150m net spend. Anyone foolish enough to believe that will happen?

Anyway, question and criticise Klopp as much as you want, but never lose faith in him. I think he's the sole thing the club has actually got going for them. X

[JackWard33]

I'd agree with left back but Clyne is doing fine and it'd cost too much to upgrade him considering our more pressing needs elsewhere.

He's created more chances and had more key passes than the likes of Walker and Bellerin, the difference is they play passes to strikers who can control a ball or shoot.

This is where football stats desperately need usage rates. I'd put a significant bet on him having the ball higher up the pitch more often than any full back in the league.
He's really not good at all in the final third. His basic plan is to run in a straight line until level with the box and then try and bang in a cross. It's depressing to sit through game after game.

I think he's great defensively but we've had a huge problem in our system in recent months - teams have defended super narrow against us and allowed Milner and Clyne to have the ball high up the pitch - they're literally always available. Both of them have then resorted to lofted crosses (for who I have no clue) far too often.
In this system against a team dropping off against us Clyne shouldn't be in the team. We should have either an attacking full back to play in that kind of fixture or a more attacking player who we ask to sometimes track back.

[Funky_Gibbons]

This is where football stats desperately need usage rates. I'd put a significant bet on him having the ball higher up the pitch more often than any full back in the league.
He's really not good at all in the final third. His basic plan is to run in a straight line until level with the box and then try and bang in a cross. It's depressing to sit through game after game.

I think he's great defensively but we've had a huge problem in our system in recent months - teams have defended super narrow against us and allowed Milner and Clyne to have the ball high up the pitch - they're literally always available. Both of them have then resorted to lofted crosses (for who I have no clue) far too often.
In this system against a team dropping off against us Clyne shouldn't be in the team. We should have either an attacking full back to play in that kind of fixture or a more attacking player who we ask to sometimes track back.

Yeah great idea, lets unbalance the team even more than it already is to squeeze yet another attacking player into the team, I'm sure the defence will cope, it has done so far.

[Chris~]

Yeah great idea, lets unbalance the team even more than it already is to squeeze yet another attacking player into the team, I'm sure the defence will cope, it has done so far.

If you're going to go super attacking you might as well fully commit. It's not going to get worse against these deep defensive sides.

Other option would be having wingers staying wide and fullbacks coming inside, but you'd probably want someone other than Clyne doing that as well and we'd be moving a biggest goal threat away from the box.

[JackWard33]

Yeah great idea, lets unbalance the team even more than it already is to squeeze yet another attacking player into the team, I'm sure the defence will cope, it has done so far.

Well there are plenty of ways you could balance the team - you could ask Milner to sit when the right full back attacks and form a 3, you could play a 2-1 in midfield not a 1-2 etc etc
We have an obvious problem with our fullbacks as currently set up agaisnt teams that drop off so doing the same thing over and over doesn't make much sense

[Funky_Gibbons]

If you're going to go super attacking you might as well fully commit. It's not going to get worse against these deep defensive sides.

Other option would be having wingers staying wide and fullbacks coming inside, but you'd probably want someone other than Clyne doing that as well and we'd be moving a biggest goal threat away from the box.

We just conceded three to a team who had one goal in their last seven and we already had two midfielders playing in defence (and Can, Lucas and Milner second half).

What we need is decent striker so we don't have to go so gung-ho against these teams and be more balanced.

[cdav]

I think with full backs its a never ending cycle. Have a Arbeloa/Finnan and people want more in the attacking department. You bring in Glen Johnson for big money, then people complain about not being good enough defensively. So you bring in Clyne, and start on about not being good enough offensively. Rinse and repeat.

Clyne and TAA are fine options for this team at right back for the near future. There is many, many more pressing positions to fix before we even consider there. A left footed left back for example would be a bigger threat against teams who are narrow, at the moment we have two right footers on the left always cutting inside.

On my list of positions that are required to be upgraded, right back would be 8th or 9th on the list (not in order but a Gk, 1/2 CBs, a LB, 2 CMs, 2 wingers, and a striker). That is probably, if we can fix a lot of problems this summer (5/6 quality players), looking at a new rb during the summer of 2018 at the earliest.

[JackWard33]

I think with full backs its a never ending cycle. Have a Arbeloa/Finnan and people want more in the attacking department. You bring in Glen Johnson for big money, then people complain about not being good enough defensively. So you bring in Clyne, and start on about not being good enough offensively. Rinse and repeat.

This is definitely true however the question should be what do you want the players in your full back positions to do.
If we're going to continue playing this system we need more capable attacking players in the full back position. Not only do ours play crazy high up the pitch they're also the main outlet for our deep lying midfielder and centre backs. We need quick players who are capable of short passing and interchanging high up the pitch. Or we change the system of course ...

[-Daws-]

Is it though?  90% of the posts on this forum on this topic are about how this league is shit, the best teams in this league are shit compared to other leagues, and that the bottom half of the table wastes their money on overpriced "premier league proven" shit instead of good young players like other bottom feeders on the continent

Competition and quality aren't mutually exclusive.  It's easy to name 6 teams in this league capable of finishing in the top 2. Try do that for the other major leagues.

I think Woodburn has as good a chance as any but I don't think we should lump too much pressure on his shoulders. I don't think we have any generational talents in our youth system though.

In recent years this is true, although I think Trent has the foundations of a top full back if he can focus and mature. We've also had Sterling as a quality attacker come through, and money makers like Ibe, Spearing, Wisdom, etc. What we haven't had is that clutch of young talent we got with Fowler, Owen, Carra and Gerrard, or Utd had with the 93, Barcelona in more recent years etc. It's rare but hopefully the Melwood move will help make it more likely and regularl that good quality comes up.

In terms of tactics, I'd hoped we'd have worked more on movement in the box whilst in possession. Again we seem reluctant to make quick passes and one twos around the area and when we do we don't do it well. We need more penetration in wide areas from full backs, we need our front three closer together and their movement to be more intrinsic and we need to start taking taking riskier passes without losing our structure so much. If I knew no better idea think we were playing a 361 sometimes. Midfield is overloaded, and we are too light in their box and when retreating to ours. We dominate games in pointless areas. Change that.

We need to try something different with Burnley (Arsenal will come to play and it'll be fun), maybe Origi as more of a presence, maybe play Moreno wide and let Milner fill in as a more like for like for Hendo (should he be unavailable) than Can. Play Karius so we can have our high line. I don't see why not, otherwise we will beat Arsenal with the same team that lost to Leicester then let Burnley have all 6 points off us this season with the same side

Seems we need a switch. Yes when we have every single player available then we are excellent as we have proved (if the players were as bad as some say we'd not have been top in November), however it's a house of cards. Lose Matip it falls, lose Henderson, lose Mane. Every time, and yes that does mean we need squad depth, but we have some and we aren't utilising it to try and combat something that has been an issue in general since 2017 started.

I'd let Arsenal come to Anfield and watch the team that lost to Leicester react and get 3 points. I'd then drop Mignolet, Can Firmino and others for their performances against Leicester. Those players have had so many chances to play teams like them this year aswell as a 16 day break, yet we're getting embarrassed; it's time we changed by changing them and our strategy.

[Gifted Right Foot]

We need bastards.  Ruthless bastards. 

[diegoLFC7]

We need bastards.  Ruthless bastards.

This right here. We are by far the softest side in the league.

[FLRed67]

Yep, it seems to me that Klopp is trying to play "Supercoach". He's the one capable of turning Milner into a left-back, Henderson into a killer DM and Firmino into a false-niney centre forward.

Klopp is the man for me, will be for many years but he DOESN'T have to turn water into wine. Liverpool have plenty of money - less than City/Chelsea but more than 95% of the football world - so we should be buying 3 or 4 top players now for the most important positions.

You buy a left-back, you buy a centre-half to partner Matip and then you get the best possible deep-lying midfielder who can pick a pass AND put a foot in. You then still have to buy a couple of forwards.

Proper, cold-hearted rebuild needed, don't care if we end up with Henderson, Milner and Divock on bench duty next year.

Problem is we have not used our money wisely. The team is chock-full of players who are not good enough.

How long will it take for Klopp to build a winning team from the academy? And can we keep finishing between 5th and 8th while that build is happening?

 I think he has next year to pull it together for a title bid. I could be wrong, but. I think that is the reality for Klopp.

Problem is, the much-vaunted academy players look nowhere near ready. I suspect most will not be ready - not for the expectations at LFC, anyway.

So while Klopp may have been brought in to "do a Dortmund", my guess is we are going to see a big spend this summer.

[Solomon Grundy]

We need bastards.  Ruthless bastards. 

This right here. We are by far the softest side in the league.

We certainly could do with a few 'orrible feckers in our side. The "he maybe a wanker, but he's our wanker" type.

Thing is, I don't think you can train that into players. Those players have that sort of mentality, that sort of trait within them.

[didi shamone]

We certainly could do with a few 'orrible feckers in our side. The "he maybe a wanker, but he's our wanker" type.

Thing is, I don't think you can train that into players. Those players have that sort of mentality, that sort of trait within them.

Gerrard, Mascherano and Suarez were hated by our rivals. Although the likes of Hamann Gary Mac and Sami weren't and still had that tough character.  Either way it's not something you can train for sure. Id love a couple of nasty South Americans.

[Upinsmoke]

We definitely aren't aggressive enough. We might celebrate a goal with passion or Henderson might do his roaring thing but we aren't aggressive in the tackle, maybe Milner might add that if he played in the middle. Not advocating playing him there I'm just saying he's the only one in the team that isn't scared of getting hurt. We lack leaders, we don't lack hard work but we lack leaders and an aggressiveness to our game. We don't have one local lad coming through either with that steel.

[Chris~]

Who were the big horrible bastards in Klopp's dortmund? It's something that really isn't that big of an issue and such a lower league/old school idea. We need better tatcics/coaching for games against sides that sit deep and counter and improved player quality. Then it's probably a better plan for the winter congestion, two games in a week.

Klopp said we weren't prepared for Leicester. We had two weeks to prepare for that game, that isn't good, that should be the big thing people look at and be concerned about. What were we doing in those two weeks for our game plan to be more of the same and exactly how Leicester wanted us to play? And then we had to change our shape at half time to try and combat a Leicester side playing how they play as if they'd shocked us.

The best teams have the best players and best managers, not the snidest.

[jillcwhomever]

Who were the big horrible bastards in Klopp's dortmund? It's something that really isn't that big of an issue and such a lower league/old school idea. We need better tatcics/coaching for games against sides that sit deep and counter and improved player quality. Then it's probably a better plan for the winter congestion, two games in a week.

Klopp said we weren't prepared for Leicester. We had two weeks to prepare for that game, that isn't good, that should be the big thing people look at and be concerned about. What were we doing in those two weeks for our game plan to be more of the same and exactly how Leicester wanted us to play? And then we had to change our shape at half time to try and combat a Leicester side playing how they play as if they'd shocked us.

The best teams have the best players and best managers, not the snidest.

Klopp didn't say they were not prepared. In the press conference he made it quite clear that he pointed out to the players how Leicester would set up. That was why he was so shocked at how they played, because having told them what would happen, the players were still so slow to start. They lacked the physical fight. In the Spurs game Hendo was getting in the faces of the Spurs players and the refs and suddenly became Mr Angry, we had no one who did that on Monday. So they basically bullied us out of our style.

[killer-heels]

The issue I am having with Klopp tactically is the lack of pragmatism around sorting the defence out. Currently Pochettino, Mourinho and Conte are generally putting 2 deep midfielders in there to shield an already good defence. We are just going with one with also full backs super high up the field.

One pass. Thats all it took for Leicester to get through on goal for the first. Not a pass and move combination like ours against Spurs and a bending run from Mane. Just one straight pass and run.

Once that ball broke for Albrighton why didnt Matip and Lucas just back peddle? Why wasnt Mignolet told to start further up if we are playing higher? Why could Lucas not have been tighter to Vardy to at least made it difficult for him?

Until we sort the defence out, we will never achieve anything.

[Chris~]

So you think we had the right game plan to beat them but just lacked the fight? I can't get behind that at all.

Against Spurs we played a side who played how we wanted them to. We won because we had a plan that worked very well against how they tend to play. Not because we were angry.

[didi shamone]

Who were the big horrible bastards in Klopp's dortmund? It's something that really isn't that big of an issue and such a lower league/old school idea. We need better tatcics/coaching for games against sides that sit deep and counter and improved player quality. Then it's probably a better plan for the winter congestion, two games in a week.

Klopp said we weren't prepared for Leicester. We had two weeks to prepare for that game, that isn't good, that should be the big thing people look at and be concerned about. What were we doing in those two weeks for our game plan to be more of the same and exactly how Leicester wanted us to play? And then we had to change our shape at half time to try and combat a Leicester side playing how they play as if they'd shocked us.

The best teams have the best players and best managers, not the snidest.

Its not about big horrible bastards. Alonso or Agger wouldn't allow themselves to be bullied. Its about having strong characters and of course talent. We lack both.

[killer-heels]

So you think we had the right game plan to beat them but just lacked the fight? I can't get behind that at all.

Against Spurs we played a side who played how we wanted them to. We won because we had a plan that worked very well against how they tend to play. Not because we were angry.

We outbattled that Spurs midfield. We won most of our duels against Dembele and Wanyama. That said, Leicester avoided the midfield.

[Fiasco]

We certainly could do with a few 'orrible feckers in our side. The "he maybe a wanker, but he's our wanker" type.

Thing is, I don't think you can train that into players. Those players have that sort of mentality, that sort of trait within them.

Yeah, I agree with that. It's something you are born with. Not to label them all with the same brush but many South American players a perceived as 'snide', but that's a lot to do with their upbringing and where they played their football. You just learn to scrap for balls, to win dirty, to be a sly c*nt. Looking back we've had a few local lads like Stevie and Carra who could be horrible fuckers. I think a lot depends on where you play your football growing up.

This is going to sound stupid perhaps but is the fact that many kids are now playing most of their football in pristine academies up and down the country filtering out the street player in many of them? Many young kids now (in this country at least) play most or all of their football at a club and in some cases they get an education with it, so there is no real room to learn some traits you would on the street or anywhere like that. I don't know, maybe I'm chatting jibberish.

I want our players to be sly, the odd elbow, the odd stud down the calf, the whole team rushing in to defend a player on a bad tackle like the one of Mane the other day. I want us to time waste at the appropriate time, I want us to be fucking c*nts. Because, as has been shown time and time again, being a c*nt in this game can take you a long way.

[Je99ers]

I don't know why you are not happy about Clyne.    He has been on his own on the right flank for some time, struggling to make a decent cross into the box.   Perhaps let's try to play Clyne on the left flank and select Alexander-Arnold as the right flank.   Move Milner to the midfield on the right flank along with defence support from Alexander-Arnold.

They have PLENTY of midfielders - Wijnaldum, Milner, Henderson, Grujic, Lallana, Lucas, Can, Stewart, Ejaria, Ojo, but that's all Klopp needs to go for a defensive midfielder and two central midfielders.

Coutinho should be the main playmaker behind two strikers.   Lallana is the second choice as a playmaker (easy choice to replace Coutinho when he's not having his day after the hour).   Coutunho is nothing on the left flank, but when you play him centrally, he is the Magician!

Origi hasn't made a progress to be a good striker.  He has sometimes made good runs on either flanks until his final touch sometimes let himself down but I've wondered why he has not been there as a central striker a lot.    Klopp will have to go for Mane and Origi but they should be advised not to play too much on the flanks, focus more centrally. 

That's the formation Klopp should go for 4-3-1-2 to stop leaking silly goals, start getting narrow wins.   If Klopp realises that opponents are having their bus, he should change formation to 3-4-1-2 but ensure three defenders (NOT a midfielder) staying on the defence line.

[didi shamone]

We outbattled that Spurs midfield. We won most of our duels against Dembele and Wanyama. That said, Leicester avoided the midfield.

The two players who outbattled Spurs in midfield were Hendo and Gini. The former missing and the latter having one of his all too frequent off days. Ndidi looked superb against us.

[Fiasco]

The two players who outbattled Spurs in midfield were Hendo and Gini. The former missing and the latter having one of his all too frequent off days. Ndidi looked superb against us.

Ndidi he did.



Shoot me.

[GIPPO77]

So, new spine required.

Joe Hart for starters..?

[Gifted Right Foot]

Who were the big horrible bastards in Klopp's dortmund? It's something that really isn't that big of an issue and such a lower league/old school idea. We need better tatcics/coaching for games against sides that sit deep and counter and improved player quality. Then it's probably a better plan for the winter congestion, two games in a week.

Klopp said we weren't prepared for Leicester. We had two weeks to prepare for that game, that isn't good, that should be the big thing people look at and be concerned about. What were we doing in those two weeks for our game plan to be more of the same and exactly how Leicester wanted us to play? And then we had to change our shape at half time to try and combat a Leicester side playing how they play as if they'd shocked us.

The best teams have the best players and best managers, not the snidest.

It's not just being about the biggest and snidest team. Like some lower league tactic you say.  Klopps dortmund had a ruthlessness about them.  Not so much aggression in challenges but certainly aggression in their play.  You could say they bullied teams.  The best teams bully other teams, just in their own way.  We've shown that in stages but not with any/enough consistency. 

[Fiasco]

So, new spine required.

Joe Hart for starters..?

I hope not. Good goalie, not elite and very unlikely to improve significantly at 30 odd.

[cdav]

Yeah, I agree with that. It's something you are born with. Not to label them all with the same brush but many South American players a perceived as 'snide', but that's a lot to do with their upbringing and where they played their football. You just learn to scrap for balls, to win dirty, to be a sly c*nt. Looking back we've had a few local lads like Stevie and Carra who could be horrible fuckers. I think a lot depends on where you play your football growing up.

This is going to sound stupid perhaps but is the fact that many kids are now playing most of their football in pristine academies up and down the country filtering out the street player in many of them? Many young kids now (in this country at least) play most or all of their football at a club and in some cases they get an education with it, so there is no real room to learn some traits you would on the street or anywhere like that. I don't know, maybe I'm chatting jibberish.

I want our players to be sly, the odd elbow, the odd stud down the calf, the whole team rushing in to defend a player on a bad tackle like the one of Mane the other day. I want us to time waste at the appropriate time, I want us to be fucking c*nts. Because, as has been shown time and time again, being a c*nt in this game can take you a long way.

I agree with this, we need more fight in the team, a will to compete however the opposition wants to play. They want to make it a scrappy fight for the first 30 minutes, we should be able to beat them at that to earn the right to play. We need more players who can physically compete with anyone, especially through the spine of our team. Too many shite, limited strikers bully our defense- the likes of Vardy, Niasse, Vokes, Antonio and that ilk. Vardy should have been booted early on in the match on Monday, he wanted to fight and we just shied away from the confrontation.

The signings don't need to be 6'5 immobile pub bouncers, Kante is 5'7 but competes like no ones business. A big, aggressive central defender who may be rash but people are frightened to play against and another mobile aggressive central midfielder who has a great engine and will to compete for anything are massively required. Then a striker, a left back and another winger. Not much required is there?

[Fiasco]

I agree with this, we need more fight in the team, a will to compete however the opposition wants to play. They want to make it a scrappy fight for the first 30 minutes, we should be able to beat them at that to earn the right to play. We need more players who can physically compete with anyone, especially through the spine of our team. Too many shite, limited strikers bully our defense- the likes of Vardy, Niasse, Vokes, Antonio and that ilk. Vardy should have been booted early on in the match on Monday, he wanted to fight and we just shied away from the confrontation.

The signings don't need to be 6'5 immobile pub bouncers, Kante is 5'7 but competes like no ones business. A big, aggressive central defender who may be rash but people are frightened to play against and another mobile aggressive central midfielder who has a great engine and will to compete for anything are massively required. Then a striker, a left back and another winger. Not much required is there?

Yeah, there isn't much of Kante in height but he's strong for his size and isn't intimidated. Mascherano is another, he can't be bigger than 5'9 but he's a player who will leave everything on the pitch and who will battle for everything. You are right mate, we should be able to earn our right to play against teams like Leicester. The problem with modern football is that too many people have been brainwashed by tiki-taka, beautiful football, passing stats, assists, all of that stuff. It's important, of course it is, but in football perhaps more than any sport you have to want to win. You can play beautiful football, nice triangles, one-twos, fast breaks, anything you want. But if the other team is willing to out-run you, out-battle you and make it difficult and drag you into the trenches then you are going to have a hard time winning the game. For some reason we have never quite grasped this.

It's cliché as fuck but hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard. I'm not sure who said that but it's very fucking true in relation to us. Sure, the 'work hard' part probably means in terms of preparation and training but it also relates to how we perform on the pitch. I just don't understand the mentality of our players. I can't think of one who I look at and think 'He'll get us over the line when it's a pressure situation.' They fold, they hide, they retreat. Why is this? I've often liked the idea that teams play in a way that reflect the personality of the manager who they play for but that isn't the case with us. I don't think the players currently realize how good they have got it. It's too late for some of them I think.

This summer we need to sign a few players who will come in and stamp their authority on the place. I don't care where they are from or if they have any bad marks to their name. If they have the right quality as a player and as a leader then get them in and let them clear the place out and start making us a team who people wont see as an easy three points because we simply didn't have the guts or fight to make a game of it.

[Giono]

This is definitely true however the question should be what do you want the players in your full back positions to do.
If we're going to continue playing this system we need more capable attacking players in the full back position. Not only do ours play crazy high up the pitch they're also the main outlet for our deep lying midfielder and centre backs. We need quick players who are capable of short passing and interchanging high up the pitch. Or we change the system of course ...

Exactly. Our tactics demand fullbacks we don't have or don't play. So we get all the downside of playing advanced wingbacks with little benefit. When people scream "Where's our defence?", the defenders are high up the pitch where Klopp wants them playing.