Ohhh yes he's mad but in a good way, a madness that leads to (we hope) success
Jürgen Klopp's mad, crazy faces
Anyways back to the thread at hand.... what will Jürgen Klopp bring to the table, the Liverpool FC table?
Klopp and off the ball movement, i.e. winning the possession back:Counterpressing - GegenpressingLiverpool Jurgen Klopp Press - Machester City vs Liverpool 1-4:
https://m.youtube.com/v/KPQyJTASkjs"The advantages are obvious, in front of the enormous expenditure of energy. Everything is organized to suffer fewer attacks possible, preventing the opposing team to cross the midfield with a simple possession which enables it to choose always the best play.
Moreover, the system is integrated by the movements of the attackers and the wings ready in case of recovery of the ball - to run in the spaces. The action moves from offensive to defensive and offensive almost istanteneamente again, or at least the idea is that, with a rapid counterattack against defenses unprepared. The goal is the ultimate goal of this defensive system."
When Klopp sign up to be our manager everybody was talking about how we would be pressing the opposition.
What is 'Gengenpressing'? Would our current team be able to press the way Klopp wants for 90 minutes? Will this approach suit the Premier League considering there is no winter break and two cup competitions? That said, I haven't seen anybody ask those questions about Guardiola.
Anyways, very few people were talking about how Liverpool will attack once we win possession of the ball. When you see us attacking in full flow, it's seen as Coutinho and Firmino linking up or Lallana having a great game. Ever since our game at home against Man City when we started an attackIng four of Origi, Milner, Firmino and Lallana - I have been wondering just how much does Klopp focus on the attacking side of the game in training?
Penetrating Pass Combinations and our Central MidfieldThe first pass from five out of six of the passing combinations I looked at below, would be a: penetrating vertical, diagonal pass - that cut out two of the opposition's players - was played from central midfield inside our own half. That is what started the attack, broke the lines and got the team into the second stage of the attack - looking for an avalible player to make the final (killer) pass. The other was a quick lay-off combination between two players.
They were all linking up with either the central forward either dropping deep or showing for the ball, so in both occassions he could quickly play the into the gap for the on rushing attacking midfielder or directly to the attacking midfielders themselves so they can quickly play the ball forwards at pace. The second to last one being the exception. I can see now why there are people concerned our current central midfield isn't good enough to put it bluntly. Rather than pass it side to side we need players capable of playing in to our attacking players, so they can turn and play quick interchanges of passes etc..
Does that mean we need a new CM and that one of Henderson or Can isn't up to being a first team regular?
Here's a great post on our CM and it's importance:
There clearly are patterns you see when we're attacking, it doesn't matter the formation if you look at the principles of the vertical or diagonal and square pass comination, the layoff combination and the third man run combination - you see us creating space with vertical movements and then exploit that immediately. This is why I started looking at patterns of attacking play (that you frequently see) when Klopp was at Dortmund and Liverpool thus far.
The Most Used Passing Combinations seen at BVB Dortmund and Liverpool FC so far:- The vertical or diagonal and square pass comination
- The layoff combination
- The third man run combination
(I'm by no means trying to say that Klopp will look to implement exactly the same style of play at Liverpool as he did at Dortmund but the principles will stay the same - I'm positive of that, just tweak here and there.. if needed) .. anyways here's a great video on the passing combinations played:
https://m.youtube.com/v/eF-rwPe1kR0The Vertical or Diagonal + Square Pass CombinationThis kind of passing combination is used by two players, a quick interchange of passes with the intent being to get the ball to a team mate who is in a very good position to make that final pass quickly.
Blaszczykowski was more central and received the ball from Bender, the ball was then squared for Mkhitaryan.
Blasczykowski is wider and Lewandowski drops deep and he moves into the space vacated by Lewandowski.
https://m.youtube.com/v/Jv4iuEu58CoThe Lay-Off CombinationThe ball is played straight to an attacking player dropping into space, in this case it is the center forward. With Mkhitaryan is close support, he is expecting the lay-off to come from Lewandowski and it does. Now that Mkhitaryan finds himself on the ball, he has two options - Reus who cut inside to give Bender a third passing option earlier.
Reus is now making a run into space on the left and Lewandowski is making a diagonal run into space on the right.
Passing Combinations With A Third Man RunThe aim here is to play the ball in behind the defense. For it to be successful, the third man should not be in a deep position. As soon as Bender receives the ball and turns, the forward drops off to show for the ball. Mkhitaryan is already on the move, depending on where he makes his run determines where Lewandowski puts the ball - into which space.
Reus is in a more central position and he cuts the ball out. Mkhitaryan see this and starts to make a run through the center of the pitch. Reus passes the ball straight to Lewandowski who had dropped deep to close down one of thier defensive players and is now ready receive the ball - before turning and playing a forward pass on for the on rushing #10.
https://m.youtube.com/v/1_74qwbof80Creating and Exploiting Space in the Attacking ThirdSpace is vacated and defenders draw out of position, it helps if the opposition are ball watching but it doesn't matter. It's too late anyways, the players knew that there would be said space just begging for a man to make a run into it and exploit the situation. Kinda like knowing you won the lottery before happens. The combination below is mainly used to create space in the second stage of attack, space created was from a defender who didn't immediately follow the center forward.
It is Lewandowski dropping deep that opens up space for Mkhitaryan to run into:
https://m.youtube.com/v/DwgpmPiCj2o
More to come ...