Topic: Liverpool's Midfield

[PoetryInMotion]

Great post and a helpful clarification to my post. Just in terms of your final line, I'm not really talking about positions, I'm talking skillsets more. There is a difference in position between the 6 and the 2 8s to some extent but I completely agree Klopp wants all rounders. So the 'progressive' 8 (and 'progressive' here refers to skill set and role on a pitch, not position so much), needs to be able to do lots of what Henderson and Gini offer. But I want to say it the other way round too. Henderson/Milner when they plays as 8 need to be able to do lots of what Ox or Keita offers. Again we come back to Keita, because he offers elite level 'defensive' actions and elite level 'offensive' actions. With a firing Keita on the pitch you've got someone who's pressing and ball recovery and tackles is better than everyone else in the midfield and who's ball progression is better than everyone else in midfield. He just can't get going.

BTW I'm certainly not talking about one of the 3 midfielders being a 10. Firmino is probably our 10. So for example, even if he were good enough for us (which he probably isn't) Maddison doesn't fit in a Klopp team for this reason. He's not a wid/ inverted forward and he's not an 8 (in terms of the role that he can fill).

I don't disagree with this at all. He is probably the most talented No. 8 in the world now and he's a great all-round midfielder. But talent alone is not enough, he's yet to cement his place in the side. He has a good chance to do so in the future (at least in the remainder of this season/next season) as Milner is already 30+ and Hendo and Wijnaldum are approaching 30 and need their minutes managed. Hopefully, his fitness improves and he shows us consistently what he can do.

However, I disagree that Wijnaldum/Henderson cannot play a more attacking role. Hendo can play it to a decent level, while Wijnaldum can play it to a great level as seen for the Netherlands quite often. Of course, Fabinho is the most defensive minded of all our midfielders, and even he too has a good progressive pass in him.

[lionel_messias]

I don't disagree with this at all. He is probably the most talented No. 8 in the world now and he's a great all-round midfielder. But talent alone is not enough, he's yet to cement his place in the side. He has a good chance to do so in the future (at least in the remainder of this season/next season) as Milner is already 30+ and Hendo and Wijnaldum are approaching 30 and need their minutes managed. Hopefully, his fitness improves and he shows us consistently what he can do.

However, I disagree that Wijnaldum/Henderson cannot play a more attacking role. Hendo can play it to a decent level, while Wijnaldum can play it to a great level as seen for the Netherlands quite often. Of course, Fabinho is the most defensive minded of all our midfielders, and even he too has a good progressive pass in him.

I think Keita raises an interesting issue here. As you say, he just can't get going. I believe Naby was the upgrade many people wanted, he's great with the ball at his feet, he drives forward, he can dribble and he "breaks lines" as they say.

But his fitness issues are pretty serious. You would have to say Klopp will have to think about this if he cannot show sustained fitness between now and the end of the season. A fit Naby could be the driving force in another Champions League run but Klopp needs his midfielders in good shape or they are not of use to him, especially the way we play.

[DanA]

I think what is most important for this team is not what our midfield is doing on the ball but what is happening off it. In that respect, all of our midfielders are very experienced in this system, and all of them are capable of performing their role to a high level. But I do think those that are most positionally aware (Fabinho, Wijnaldum, and Henderson) tend to play the most consistent and are favoured by Klopp. Positionally, I think Keita has the most to improve, and despite being IMO the most talented of the group, he's on the fringe.  Keita might get there, but I'd take Hendo, Gini and Fabinho well before the others at the moment.

[Magix]

People are too hung up on who's starting; our midfield on the whole is quite progressive nowadays. Doesn't matter if Keita starts or not because he can impact the game either way, because we've the option of calling on him.

[MaradonaPisstest]

What's everyone's feeling on Oxlade-Chamberlain at the moment?

I know he's not yet back at those standards before his injury but we seem to be finding it easier to play through the centre recently with him starting.

[lfc_bhoy]

I think Keita raises an interesting issue here. As you say, he just can't get going. I believe Naby was the upgrade many people wanted, he's great with the ball at his feet, he drives forward, he can dribble and he "breaks lines" as they say.

But his fitness issues are pretty serious. You would have to say Klopp will have to think about this if he cannot show sustained fitness between now and the end of the season. A fit Naby could be the driving force in another Champions League run but Klopp needs his midfielders in good shape or they are not of use to him, especially the way we play.

It's easy to forget he's only 24 as well. Jordan had a whole spate of injuries throughout his career but has turned it around recently. Naby could well just have the large amount of games he's played early in his career taking a minor toll. I trust our staff to sort out whatever it is and have him more available going forward. Because I agree, he's easily our most technically gifted and all-around most talented midfielder. For better or worse too I think we have the depth to allow him to get healthy, he'll be absolutely worth waiting for.

[christofu]

In short, I think you're fixated in rigid terms with regards to positions. Klopp is not one-dimensional and he is flexible. He picks the best side to win a game on a given day based on their availability first and then he has his trusted set of players, and then depending upon fatigue/rotation and then finally depending on opposition. He goes to some trusted players more than others in big games - the ones who he hasn't trusted like Benteke, Sakho, Ibe, Moreno, Mignolet, Can etc. have all been shown the door and there are others who aren't as regularly picked as some. The point is Keita has quite a bit to prove in terms of availability and consistency to belong in his most trusted set of midfield players even though his talent has never been in doubt. The midfield that Klopp has so often gone for in big games is the one he trusts the most and for an year at least, it has been Fabinho, Henderson and Wijnaldum and there is no evidence for anything contrary to that. I'll be happy for Keita and Ox to prove themselves consistently at that level and if they do, I think they are great options to have as well and if they do so, Klopp will no longer have 3/4 regular midfield players and then some more options, but would rather have a set of 5-6 very good midfielders from whom he would like to pick and choose depending upon the game-plan/situation/opposition etc.

Good discussion and lots of great points on what Hendo & Gini bring to the midfield. I know 'trusted' has been mentioned a few times and what has continued to impress me over the last 12-18 months is our ability to control games and manage within games. We seem to be able to 'feel' our way through games, not over-commit ourselves in the wrong areas until we have established where they can hurt us, and also be able to deal with any of their adjustments as they throw them at us. At the same time our decision making to use the right attacking weapons at the right time of those now available to us has been 1st class. I see Hendo & Gini being crucial to this and probably Milner next (used exceptionally well off the bench in recent times) in terms of trust. I do think its just a matter of playing time for Fab/Ox/Keita to attain this so looking forward to the next 12-18 months!

[Eeyore]

This is probably a case where the majority of protagonists in this conversation agree much more than can come across in a forum debate. I'm guessing there are some who think we'd be much better off with Chelsea's midfield or City's midfield, but that's a minority, and frankly stupid, opinion. City's midfield wouldn't have everything that Klopp wants from his midfield, including physicality, tactical awareness in terms of space and ability to run, and run and run. Chelsea's midfield is the midfield of a team who couldn't beat an arsenal team who played most of the game with 10 men.

However, to my knowledge that isn't what AL (as far as I know) and I have been saying over the past page. I think in a Liverpool midfield we need what Fabinho/Henderson offer in the 6 position. Protect the space in front of the CBs, keep the ball moving and recycle possession, mop up, press intelligently without leaving holes, progress the ball up the pitch to a certain extent. Before Fabinho's injury I'd have said Fabinho is the better 6 but Henderson is the incumbent of that role currently on merit and keeps that spot imo. You don't even need to dip into the intangibles in terms of leadership that Henderson offers to argue that he keeps the 6 spot but those things are an additional bonus. I think we need an 8 like Gini, who is tactically astute and able to cover gaps and fill holes, as well as being press resistant, physically top notch and very good at keeping hold of the ball. I don't think Guardiola would want Gini as an 8 (or at least not as an 8 in the way he plays the role for Klopp, he's so flexible he could probably go and be a Guardiola 8 without too much trouble) but Klopp does and that's great. I suspect Keita could probably play this role and as long as the injuries clear up will probably be the replacement for Gini, although the lack of physicality compared to Gini is a  a concern. And then Klopp often wants to play another 8 who is slightly more progressive - Milner, Keita, Ox, Lallana, Henderson have all fulfilled this role for Klopp and each of them have different strengths and weaknesses. I would say, and so would others, that the midfield balance is as it's strongest when the final 8 is a player comfortable receiving the ball in the half space, is comfortable in tight spaces and is able to either dribble or pass progressively (or both preferably). However, when we play a midfield of Fab, Gini, Henderson we compensate in other ways, as seen in the period where they started more often than not at the start of this season. And that midfield offers more of other things which is really great. But has the midfield, and thus the team, looked slightly better with a midfield of Hendo, Gini + Lallana/Ox/Keita? I think so. Now others will want to major on the physicality, aggressiveness, tactical discipline and astuteness, ball recovery ability, possessions recycling e.t.c. e.t.c e.t.c. that Fab, Gini and Henderson offer and focus on the positives which is great. They're rightly recognising the huge importance of that to a Klopp midfield and we need that to happen because some might be tempted to accuse the Liverpool midfield of being very average and just workmanlike whilst not understanding what's happening. And folk might be tempted to look at Guardiola's midfield and think the grass is greener, which just isn't true. I just don't think that those who talk up the value of the 'progressive' element as one thing to prize in a Klopp midfield should be accused of disrespecting the team. 

Really good post mate.

[Eeyore]

That is a bit more clear, and I do agree with certain points but there is a reason Klopp wants all-rounders in midfield than specialists. That's why it's plain wrong to say he wants a rigid No. 6, No. 8 and a No. 10 in midfield (forget positions, I'm talking roles here). For Klopp, balance means that his midfield is able to shuffle and perform one another's roles to a good level. When Hendo's not dropping deep, Wijnaldum or Keita have dropped deep to receive the ball from CBs. Against Man United, Wijnaldum took part in all sorts of attacking situations and even scored a goal from offside position. When Keita is caught high, Henderson covers his side and so on. They cover for one another in defense, plugging gaps, circulating the ball or attacking and all of them shuffle between roles when required depending on match situation. When Henderson played further forward, he was shooting a fair bit from in and around the box. Fabinho could play penetrating passes even from a deeper position (see his assist against Man United last season or his assist against Wolves last season).

Has anyone said a rigid 6, 8 and 10 though. Let's face it to be at a Club like Liverpool you are going to have to a good all around midfield player.
When talking about a six, a link and a more attacking role I was talking about the key requirements those roles require. For us to have real balance and to be the best midfield we can be I think having a player with elite levels in those three areas.

We have all rounders in midfield who execute the instructions from midfield to a T. All of Fabinho, Wijnaldum, Henderson, Keita, Lallana or Milner can do multiple things to a high level (even if none can do most of them to an elite level with exception of a few strengths for each). Ox is the least all-round player in our midfield and requires others to plug gaps a bit more. Last season, Klopp tried to play Shaqiri in midfield and it became a Coutinho like situation wherein he was disappointed with the tactical execution defensively and stopped the experiment sooner than later.

Some good points there. However I think we have look at why we need so many gaps plugging. Klopp previously liked to have one conservative full back and one aggressive full back. However with Coutinho sold, Lallana, Ox and Keita injured Klopp found a solution. That involved effectively going to a back two, pushing the full backs ridiculously high and using Trent as our playmaker.

Those changes have been great but mean we are more vulnerable on the counter which necessitates the need for a midfield adept at plugging gaps.

In short, I think you're fixated in rigid terms with regards to positions. Klopp is not one-dimensional and he is flexible. He picks the best side to win a game on a given day based on their availability first and then he has his trusted set of players, and then depending upon fatigue/rotation and then finally depending on opposition. He goes to some trusted players more than others in big games - the ones who he hasn't trusted like Benteke, Sakho, Ibe, Moreno, Mignolet, Can etc. have all been shown the door and there are others who aren't as regularly picked as some. The point is Keita has quite a bit to prove in terms of availability and consistency to belong in his most trusted set of midfield players even though his talent has never been in doubt. The midfield that Klopp has so often gone for in big games is the one he trusts the most and for an year at least, it has been Fabinho, Henderson and Wijnaldum and there is no evidence for anything contrary to that. I'll be happy for Keita and Ox to prove themselves consistently at that level and if they do, I think they are great options to have as well and if they do so, Klopp will no longer have 3/4 regular midfield players and then some more options, but would rather have a set of 5-6 very good midfielders from whom he would like to pick and choose depending upon the game-plan/situation/opposition etc. 

For me it is about tactical flexibility. Personally I think Fab, Hendo, Gini is overly reliant on Trent. Put Gomez or Williams in there at right back or if the opposition push Trent back we lose a lot of creativity.

We are a machine at the moment and are far too good for most teams. Even with Fabinho and latterly Milner we have won 12 on the spin. I think the Champions League could be a different matter though. Napoli have posed us problems over the last two years by being extremely disciplined and I think Atletico are capable of causing us similar problems. I think it is in those games in which we need a bit more dynamism and thrust from midfield with a player like Ox or Keita who is capable of breaking the lines and disrupting the oppositions game plan.

[Sangria]

For me it is about tactical flexibility. Personally I think Fab, Hendo, Gini is overly reliant on Trent. Put Gomez or Williams in there at right back or if the opposition push Trent back we lose a lot of creativity.

We are a machine at the moment and are far too good for most teams. Even with Fabinho and latterly Milner we have won 12 on the spin. I think the Champions League could be a different matter though. Napoli have posed us problems over the last two years by being extremely disciplined and I think Atletico are capable of causing us similar problems. I think it is in those games in which we need a bit more dynamism and thrust from midfield with a player like Ox or Keita who is capable of breaking the lines and disrupting the oppositions game plan.

I think our plan B is the dual attacking FBs, which we've relied on because our plan A, which I think is the line-breaking CM, have been injured so much. It's why we have 2 line-breaking CMs, but only the first choice attacking FBs.

[Eeyore]

I think our plan B is the dual attacking FBs, which we've relied on because our plan A, which I think is the line-breaking CM, have been injured so much. It's why we have 2 line-breaking CMs, but only the first choice attacking FBs.

Yeh me too.

I also look forward to seeing Plan c when we have the option of doing both depending on the situation.

[Sangria]

Yeh me too.

I also look forward to seeing Plan c when we have the option of doing both depending on the situation.

Plan C can be said to be slight tactical shifts which are possible because we have multi-functional players who can, within a single game, move in, out, forward, back, or whatever else Klopp wants to do. Our all-rounder CMs epitomise that, but Mane and Salah can also play with equal utility anywhere along the front line, Gomez can reinforce the flank as a CB or an RB, etc.

The theory of total football is based on breaking man marking with players moving across the zones and others filling in. We're not playing against man marking, but the basic component of the multi-functional player helps game management by allowing the coach to change tactical emphases depending on the game situation. Mourinho would appreciate the difference between footballing philosophy which the Ajax-Barca school fetishises, and the flexible pragmatism which you could say the Liverpool tradition is.

[Frizzo]

Fantastic discussion fellas. Really good read. I'm too daft to add anything constructive so you guys just keep it up please.

[Bjornar]

I think what is most important for this team is not what our midfield is doing on the ball but what is happening off it. In that respect, all of our midfielders are very experienced in this system, and all of them are capable of performing their role to a high level. But I do think those that are most positionally aware (Fabinho, Wijnaldum, and Henderson) tend to play the most consistent and are favoured by Klopp.

This is how it looks to me as well, good post.

[jillcwhomever]

Jordan Henderson change explained as Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp vows captain hasn't finished http://a.msn.com/01/en-gb/BBZerVE?ocid=st

[Clint Eastwood]

In Fabinho, Henderson, Gini we found a midfield that as perfect for the way we play. They gave the license for our full-backs to have such a valuable contribution in our attack, and ensure we still stayed defensively solid. They've got that athleticism and understanding of the position to plug gaps, recover second balls and recycle, and get back to snuff out counter attacks. Gini Wijnaldum hasn't registered an assist since he won the penalty against PSG at Anfield last season. His last league assist goes as far back as a Danny Ings goal against West Brom in April 2018. That's an indicator of how much Klopp sees his midfielders as a cog in the machine as opposed to creators, and our midfield is dysfunctional at the moment with no Henderson and a very rusty Fabinho.

In hindsight it was probably pretty unfair sticking Jones and Lallana in midfield with Fab. Jones is great but you can't expect him to be well drilled in playing this role. Adam Lallana is totally done playing in this team too, particularly in midfield. He presses like an absolute mad-man and we've evolved from that, he leaves spaces behind him and is slow to get back, and is infuriatingly bad at tackling. He reminds me of Sturridge in his final couple of years here, he can do amazing things with the ball around the box, but is ineffective at playing 90 minutes in such a physical side like ours.

I do feel that Keita struggles with this aspect too. His defensive statistics are actually quite good, but it's more his positioning that stats can't tell you. If he manages to stay fit for any decent amount of time then he can definitely improve in this aspect but at the moment it's proving a challenge.

I'm not suggesting that all of our current problems are due to i.e. Henderson's absence, but our midfield is so important to the way we play that it's the first place I'd be looking to resolve our current issues. Henderson's injury coming at a time when Fab was returning from a lengthy lay-off and Milner also being on the sidelines seems to have really disrupted the dynamic of the midfield to a somewhat surprising extent. Hopefully this should just be a temporary blip, but we also need to think about future planning with Henderson and Gini turning 30 this year. The drop in quality with one, let alone both, of those two missing is pretty significant.

[deFacto please, you bastards]

A change of shape may be needed, perhaps playing salah centrally and going with two midfielders instead, particulalry against Atletico.

[kaikarden]

A change of shape may be needed, perhaps playing salah centrally and going with two midfielders instead, particulalry against Atletico.

Would that mean Firmino would play as a CAM and then have Origi out wide? Origi on the wing is painful to watch at times and against Atletico, where they are expert at isolating wide players and winning the ball off them, would make it a difficult match. Our creative output from wide areas was dead at the Metropolitano.

[Chris~]

Would that mean Firmino would play as a CAM and then have Origi out wide? Origi on the wing is painful to watch at times and against Atletico, where they are expert at isolating wide players and winning the ball off them, would make it a difficult match. Our creative output from wide areas was dead at the Metropolitano.

It doesnt have to be Origi on the left/wing. Keep Mane there and could put Minamino or someone in a kind of right mid/wing position so Trent still has someone to link up with.

[Knight]

It sometimes felt to me like we were expecting Neco to do what Trent does for us against Tuesday. Klopp even mentioned Neco failing to pass into Minamino after the game. My question is, shouldn't we be able to adjust to the lack of Trent (who is on a different planet to Neco), and utilise our 8s more effectively to get the ball into Minamino? Our attacking patterns have been very stale recently even with Trent. I'm surprised that personnel hasn't allowed a slight shift in our build up to be honest, I think I would have thought that a midfield of Fabinho, Jones and Lallana would have progressed the ball through midfield quite well, particularly with the midfield Chelsea had out. But they just didn't. Perhaps the approach we've seen so much this season is more tactical than I'd been willing to admit before. I've always said that with the right personnel on the pitch we'd progress through midfield more. Maybe that's wrong and whoever is playing our attacking patterns look to use Robbo and Trent as the primary progressive and creative forces. But if that is true it currently isn't working and surely another string to our bow in terms of ball progression and creativity from midfield would be a huge help.

[deFacto please, you bastards]

It doesnt have to be Origi on the left/wing. Keep Mane there and could put Minamino or someone in a kind of right mid/wing position so Trent still has someone to link up with.

This.

[redk84]

soooo nobody thinks maybe keep gini or milly closer to fab for the moment to "nurse" him back into form just for the immediate few games?

[deFacto please, you bastards]

soooo nobody thinks maybe keep gini or milly closer to fab for the moment to "nurse" him back into form just for the immediate few games?

Not against Atletico, no.

[LallanaInPyjamas]

soooo nobody thinks maybe keep gini or milly closer to fab for the moment to "nurse" him back into form just for the immediate few games?

I do. It's not only about 'nursing' Fabinho, though that is a factor, but also about getting our tempo and relentlessness back. Gini and Milner may not have the attacking qualities of Keita or Oxlade, but they are more ingrained in our system at its best. They win the ball back more quickly, protect the counter-attack better, and get the ball to our creative players more quickly, too.

I don't think Oxlade or Keita have done enough to be trusted in such a huge game like Atletico to be honest.

[Tony19:6]

I'd start Fab on Sat, he will be vital against Atletico.

Before his injury he was widely regarded on here as the best DM in the business, not sure he will get the full game against against Bournemouth, but for me he should play - it seems to take him a few games to get him back to his best

I think Millie will get minutes against Atletico too, whether Hendo makes it is down to the medical team / Jurgen.

[Knight]

Think it’s safe to say a Gini, Shaquiri, Milner midfield doesn’t work!

[rscanderlech]

Think it’s safe to say a Gini, Shaquiri, Milner midfield doesn’t work!

There was only one way to find out for sure!

[tubby]

Is it time to look at the way we set up our midfield and try to get more goal contributions from that area of the pitch?  It's always been a functional midfield under Klopp and the goals from the front three and creativity from the fullbacks has justified that approach.  But when the chances start to dry up for the forwards and we just end up spamming cross after cross with nothing to show for it, we should really be looking to the midfield to provide more of a goal threat, if only to mix things up a little.

- Gini is more than capable, he's excellent at breaking into the box (as he's shown for Holland) but he's got a real safety-first approach in our midfield, working hard, covering advancing fullbacks and not being particularly expansive with his passing.
- Henderson is similar to Gini and is a more direct passer with a decent cross on him and can also burst forward, but he's also busy covering the fullbacks.  Not the best finisher either.
- Thiago will provide more creativity but he's not going to be making runs past the forwards, he sits deep.
- Ox, Minamino and Shaq all offer more going forward but they're clearly not part of Klopp's ideal midfield, probably due to their lack of defensive diligence in comparison to Henderson and Wijnaldum.  And even when they do play, they have the same instruction to drop in behind the fullback when Trent or Robbo push on.
- Jones looks like he fits the bill, offering the tactical understanding of his defensive duties and with more game time, his offensive contributions will really grow.
- Keita is always injured.

We never really play through midfield.  Tonight we had two midfielders at centre back, Thiago, Gini and Ox in the middle, all players who are comfortable in possession, but we just couldn't play through the middle against a rigid 442 and get Bobby on the ball in that 10 position.  We just don't move the ball through the middle at all, always goes wide.

We've got the players who can do it and I'd just like to see some runs through midfield to move the opposition around and give them something else to think about.  City are a different team to us, I know, but they're really good at this and one of the reasons they always score those cut-back goals is because they all have licence to pop up in different positions by making those runs in behind.  Their central midfielders drift into way more advanced positions that ours do and their movement is much more fluid.  Leeds have players who bomb on all over the pitch and it really messed up West Brom's ultra defensive tactics.  Slowly working it wide for crosses into packed boxes is the last thing we should be doing against teams who sit deep and compact.

The defensive midfield and creative fullback tactic has worked so well for us but it just feels like with games like today, it'd be good to have another option.  A more fluid and attacking midfield is less stable defensively, sure, but it'd be good to have another string to our bow.

[Schmohawk]

Is Naby injured again? Haven’t seen him mentioned by Klopp.

[killer-heels]

Is Naby injured again? Haven’t seen him mentioned by Klopp.

Obviously.

[Hedley Lamarr]

Is Naby injured again? Haven’t seen him mentioned by Klopp.

Not again, just still.

[Schmohawk]

For some reason I thought he was back in action the other day but that must have been a dream.

[Simplexity]

For some reason I thought he was back in action the other day but that must have been a dream.

I mean, not like it would matter. He would just be injured again within 5 games anyway.

[LallanaInPyjamas]

I've no idea how Oxlade is still getting chances to start games .... if he plays we have to change system. He's not a front three player and he's not a midfield three player. The system doesn't work with him in it and I'm afraid he's a long, long way from being good enough to justify the imbalance he causes.

A 4-4-2/4-2-3-1 shape with him wide right I can get on board with but otherwise he's not good enough for LFC. The midfield is going to need a big rethink in the summer.

[killer-heels]

I've no idea how Oxlade is still getting chances to start games .... if he plays we have to change system. He's not a front three player and he's not a midfield three player. The system doesn't work with him in it and I'm afraid he's a long, long way from being good enough to justify the imbalance he causes.

A 4-4-2/4-2-3-1 shape with him wide right I can get on board with but otherwise he's not good enough for LFC. The midfield is going to need a big rethink in the summer.

He played wide right today and was terrible. He was slightly better second half moving away from the right.

[LallanaInPyjamas]

He played wide right today and was terrible. He was slightly better second half moving away from the right.

That's not how I saw it and its not what the average positions indicate either. He had license to join the front three through the middle, but Salah was the right-sided player.

At his best his energy and overlapping runs can free Mo up to move inside more often but I dunno .... just don't think he offers anywhere near enough frankly.

[JackWard33]

I've no idea how Oxlade is still getting chances to start games .... if he plays we have to change system. He's not a front three player and he's not a midfield three player. The system doesn't work with him in it and I'm afraid he's a long, long way from being good enough to justify the imbalance he causes.

A 4-4-2/4-2-3-1 shape with him wide right I can get on board with but otherwise he's not good enough for LFC. The midfield is going to need a big rethink in the summer.

In our system we should be turning him into a right back

[LallanaInPyjamas]

In our system we should be turning him into a right back

Great shout - Trent sure needs some competition right now. Would be nice to have a dynamic overlap on both sides too.

[Suareznumber7]

He played wide right today and was terrible. He was slightly better second half moving away from the right.

He wasn't really wide right, was he?  Seemed to me that he was playing a similar role to what Hendo usually plays but, since they are two completely different players, he obviously played it differently.  I was really hoping that we were going to play a different formation then what we usually do yesterday with Gini playing alongside Thiago and Bobby as the #10.  I just don't think Ox is good enough for us in a midfield 3 at the moment. 

[BER]

Swap Gini/Thiago and swap Trent/Ox.