in the first 45 at different times I saw him at RB, central mid, right wing .... and even one time Salah put him through on goal when he was in the CF position, our furthest player forward. it was bizarre.
I kinda suspect Klopp is telling him to play him that way. if not, he's OK with Trent's regressing to play like an 8-year-old or deciding he can do whatever he wants at any point in the game.
Trent has been doing that for the last two or three seasons. The right hand side is allowed positional rotation.
One provides width, one covers defensively and one looks to find space in the half spaces. As long as we have a player performing each role then it works really well.
From Trent
It always comes from the manager,” he says. “He has set up a system to allow the players to move with fluidity to help the team create moments that win games. He has allowed me to have that freedom to drift inside a little bit more. It helps offensively and defensively.
“If we lose the ball, there is an extra number in the middle of the park to go and win it back. And when I am getting on the ball, I am in more dangerous areas than just standing out wide.
“There has been a lot of focus this season on the two triangles out wide — so, we have the No 8 in midfield, the full-backs and the wingers on each side. It is about making sure, at all times, there should be someone occupying the width, someone high up on the last line and someone in a half-space or in a midfield eight.
“The manager says it is not too important who it is, just as long as we are occupying those three spaces. With that flexibility, you can do what you want — just make sure that there is someone in those positions. That’s why at times you will see me in between a centre-back and full-back making channel runs, because the No 8 has dropped in at right-back and Mo (Mohamed Salah) is out wide. There’s flexibility and also an understanding of movement and patterns.”
How do you trust someone is going to be there to cover you?
“It is all about communication, really. It is about having an understanding with the players you are playing with. But you can only have full confidence in your position. It helps if you know people are there backing you up. We have played with each other for a long enough time as a team to understand where we need to be when certain things are happening.”
He continues: “The main principle we have is, no matter what system the opposition play, we always have two centre-backs around the halfway line and Fabinho should always be screening that. If they (Liverpool’s opponents) play two up front, we will leave it as three vs two. It is like when the ball is on the left-hand side, we all know Mo is getting in the box. It is then between me and the No 8, say that’s Jordan Henderson, on who gets into the box and backs him up. It should always be one or the other.
“Mo has got no responsibility in staying back defending, that’s not where the team needs him. We need him in the box to go and score goals. You see with Hendo against Everton getting into the box, they are the areas we need to occupy. It is about numbers in the box. If the ball is on a certain side, then that winger is not getting in there, so it is up to the midfielder or the opposite full-back to. You see Robbo (left-back Andrew Robertson) and I in there a lot at the back post. But for that to happen, it is about the protection and that comes from the communication between the centre-backs and Fabinho.
