We've played against low block tactics regularly for years, it's not new this season, what's new is our inability to cope with it.
Indeed. Between 2018 and 2020 we dispatched the bottom half clubs like clockwork - many of which set up to defend for 90 minutes.
I don't think this season is a good indicator of Klopp's template or how the next few seasons will pan out. The impact of injuries has affected the whole system to such an extent that almost every part of what made us so good last season has been impacted. Some examples include:
1. Losing Virgil/Gomez (and then Matip) affected how Alisson, Trent and Robertson played - especially the latter two who were more risk averse and mindful of protecting whichever combination of CB's we had each week. Their assists have inevitably dropped, and we've had less players in the attacking third, which in turn affects the impact of the front 3 to some extent. We also lost Virgil's aerial ability from set pieces at both ends, plus his elite passing.
2. Without overlapping fullbacks, opposition defences have been playing much narrower, meaning Mane/Firmino/Salah have had to drift out wide more often to receive the ball in space (where they are less dangerous). The fact that Salah has scored so many considering the circumstances of this season is incredible.
3. Not having that defensive wall (and pace) of Virgil/Gomez/Fabinho has meant our central/attacking midfielders are in two minds on whether to push forward to support the strikers, or hold back to protect the defence and stop the counter attacks.
4. Without Fabinho/Henderson together in midfield we've lacked the control and high press that allowed us to regularly receive the ball in transition when the opposition were at their most vulnerable. This is where I believe we would have seen Thiago at his best - playing most of the game in that pocket between midfield and the strikers and causing chaos.
5. With all the injuries, we've been unable to rest players very often, leaving them fatigued and less effective in our usual high energy system that was so effective at wearing down the bus parkers
There's loads of other finer details that have been affected (which have been discussed in other threads), that have all contributed to the system/template not being as effective as in the previous 3 seasons. However, I certainly don't think it's the players that have lost the ability to beat a low block, or even the system that's at fault. It's the fact that we haven't had the same players, in the same positions, playing the same system - these factors have had by far the biggest effect.
This is why the suggestion of teams having 'worked us out' is so laughable. In 2018/19 and 19/20 we destroyed them all, and the only reason we haven't done it again is because of all the things listed above and more - not because they are any better or know how to deal with us.
Hopefully we'll see a return to more normality next season where we'll also hopefully see the Thiago we expected this season, plus other players like Keita/Ox/Shaq perform at a higher level because the system around them is working properly.