I won't reply to all of it, as it will make this the longest post in history which I doubt anybody wants.
What I would say is that understanding football on a tactical level isn't easy. For every change made, there are knock on effects most of which we wouldn't even be aware of because we just don't understand the game on that level. I'm the same. I know the questions to ask, which is why I keep asking you them - merely prompting to say "have you thought of this". I have almost none of the answers. I understand enough to know what needs to be thought about - but not enough to propose solutions. I can makes guesses though, because it would get boring fast if I just ducked every question topic with a simple "no idea". Plus we all like to give our opinions on things, predict things, suggest changes, it's part of the fun of following sport. I just tailor my posts to work on the starting assumption tactically we are doing this right, simply because tactically, Klopp's sides have always been hailed by legendary coaches in the game. Therefore the chances of me seeing something Klopp (or the "brain" behind him) doesn't is infinitesimally small. Therefore I focus my Nihilism approach to other sides - because I don't care when I (likely) will be wrong but it's fun trolling them about perceived tactical flaws. For Liverpool, I focus on discussing what is, what changes may happen, where it is going wrong - but avoid anything approaching "This is where Klopp is getting it wrong". For me it's far more likely that individuals are not carrying out instructions properly than believe the instructions are wrong.
Take marking for example. We use option-oriented zonal marking more often than not. When gegenpressing it is man oriented zonal marking. But normally, this means that each player has to decide what to do in the situation based on the perceived dangers that
could occur on how play is developing. There will be an overall task - that will be to limit space, engage at certain points, retreat at certain points, where to allow time on the ball, where not to, where to leave space to invite attacks, where not to, etc. But there is a LOT of freedom there for players to make decisions. Which is why, although I see Chamberlain as being a signing for midfield, I doubted we would see him in midfield initially. He will need to make far more decisions in there and the consequences of making the wrong ones are almost always disaster. He needs to learn how we play, the triggers, positioning, spacing, and how to react to team mates movements around him to continuously adjust. Instinctly he will want to press the ball, which means with Henderson and Can in there already with the same instincts, it would be disaster to throw him in until we've given him some instructions to fall back on rather than rely on instincts. If you had a midfield of Gini & Lucas, for example, behind him, then it would be different. He could roam and destroy like Sissoko with more tactically sound players worrying about space.
I pointed out before that there are two types of coaches (or conductors) - Rigid and Fluid.
Strict/Rigid tactical framework is like a symphonic orchestra where each musician has its own score (very different from the score of the other orchestra members) and has to stick to it, focusing on the rhythm or harmonic section according to the score received and sticking to orders received from the Director … and the symphony comes out as a magic, with the orchestra playing as a whole.
On the other side, a team with a Loose/Fluid framework is like a jazz orchestra where there’s a main theme around which each musician build its own improvisations, in this case every musician shares the main theme but plays its own improvisation covering both the harmonic and rhythm section … and the jazz masterpiece comes out as a magic, with the orchestra playing as a whole.
So this is how different coaches see the game, teach the game, recruit, etc. Your post simply tells me as a coach, you would be more in the first category. Klopp is more in the second category. There is no right or wrong. Some people understand classical music. Some understand jazz. They are both beautiful though and there is a place for both.
So defensively we have a very fluid system allowing players to make choices.
I posted in the goals conceded thread a second by second breakdown of how we go from defensively stable to goal conceded in the space of 40 seconds. Tactically - you can clearly see there is nothing wrong. You can infer the instructions the team has based on their actions. You can then see when they go off sheet.
In attack, likewise, we have a very fluid system based on some set rules. One player must remain wide. We progress using possession diamonds. 2/3 of the midfield trio must remain compact and level/behind the ball. Runners from deep during possession diamonds. There are likely more too but not much. And if you are not committing players in attack, it becomes impossible to maintain that width, have a man in the box, secure midfield and overload the flanks and play combinations.
And sure, we don't
have to play like that, but Klopp does. That is how he builds his attacking play. That is how he sees defending. He empowers his players to play in a loose tactical framework and right now they are letting him down. Suggesting it change it to something else for me is akin to asking for a different coach who sees the game in a way more closer how you do. In the same way as music is music all written on a piece of paper, but if you like Jazz music you wouldn't get in Mozart and ask him to play it. He could make a go of it perhaps, but it likely wouldn't be natural to him and wouldn't be anywhere near the quality of his classical music. Instead you just go out and get the best Jazz musician you can find.
We wanted Klopp here. We knew what we are getting. We knew it would take 2-3 years to come together. We knew there would be bumps along the way. It was all very evident following his Dortmund side. There is no law of unintended consequences at play here. It's simply certain individual players not performing as required and needing some luck in both boxes. Hope it comes soon too because it seems patience & trust with the manager is at an all time low.
