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Two months after the 2020/21 season, Jürgen Klopp has used nothing less than eight different midfield combinations in all competitions.
Of course, that includes the League Cup playoffs against Lincoln City and Arsenal in which Marko Grujić and Curtis Jones started as a double pivot in a heavily rotated Liverpool both times, but still, Klopp has lined up seven setups of different midfield in the Premier. League and Champions now.
Perhaps that shouldn’t come as much of a surprise given that the midfield is by far the most comprehensive department in the Liverpool squad, so naturally this is where Klopp has the most chance of rotation amid such a dense match schedule. .
Except, in reality, Klopp hasn’t had a lot of options. absolutely, with Thiago Alcântara, Jordan Henderson, Naby Keita, Fabinho and James Milner all hit at various points by injury problems (and illnesses) of varying severity, while Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has been unavailable since injuring his knee at the preseason. . As such, Gini Wijnaldum and Curtis Jones are the only senior midfielders on the team who have been in good health thus far.
Therefore, selecting who starts in midfield has been more of a case of availability than who Klopp would have ideally chosen if his resources had not been exhausted, a situation that has been further complicated by the injury crisis in the center. meaning Fabinho essentially had to be reclassified as a defender to fill the Virgil van Dijk void (until he injured his hamstring against Midtjylland).
Given that Fabinho is expected to return to action soon (hopefully immediately) after this international break, the fact that Joe Gomez is now also out with a long-term injury means that they will almost certainly need him to replace exclusively. as a central defender alongside Joel Matip until at least January.
Consequently, it has been virtually impossible to determine what Liverpool’s strongest or best-balanced midfield setup really is. The Fabinho-Henderson-Thiago triumvirate that started the Merseyside derby looked magnificent (despite the frustration of how the game finally played out that day), but Klopp hasn’t been able to wear it since and probably won’t be able to. so soon given the need to use Fabinho in the last four.
Once Thiago has fully recovered from Richarlison’s horror challenge, which has taken him out of the game since October 17, Klopp will be able to select a trio who, somewhat remarkably, have yet to start a single game for him. Liverpool and it’s only been five minutes. together on the pitch (in injury time against Everton, after Wijnaldum replaced Fabinho in the 91st minute).
Henderson, Thiago and Wijnaldum should be the platform Liverpool are looking to build on during the festive period. Apparently he has just about everything you could want from a midfield trio playing on a Klopp team: Henderson’s laser-guided long-range passing and vocal leadership, Wijnaldum’s body strength to hold off opponents, and propensity. to contribute with great goals in the great moments. , Thiago’s sublime vision and his ability to receive the ball under pressure.
All of them are exceptionally smart game readers, have vast experience playing (and winning) at the highest level, and combine their technical excellence with a relentless work ethic. What’s so intriguing about them as a unit is that, in theory, any one of them could easily play any position in midfield in Liverpool’s standard 4-3-3 system.
Henderson could be the only pivot with Thiago and Wijnaldum advanced on either side, or Thiago could play the role of number 6 and allow Henderson to rampage from box to box as he has done so effectively in the past with Wijnaldum filling in the gaps in. Between. Alternatively, Thiago and Henderson could sit next to each other and give Wijnaldum the freedom to play almost as a licensed No. 8 / No. 10 hybrid to reach scoring positions frequently as he does so successfully for the Netherlands.
Or maybe we will see them change and rotate positions within the games depending on what the situation calls for at any given time, as they are smart and responsible enough to figure it out among themselves as they go along.
Of course, players like Jones and Keita will still have opportunities in this next series of games, as Klopp will undoubtedly continue to rotate in midfield, particularly in the remaining games of the Champions League, and even more so if Liverpool finish qualifying with two. Games to spare as they beat Atalanta at Anfield. In particular, Thiago’s playing time will need to be meticulously managed to keep it in top condition and minimize the risk of further injury.
However, as far as possible, Liverpool should line up with Henderson, Wijnaldum and Thiago moving forward from here. One of the ways Liverpool can make up for the absence of Van Dijk and Gómez is to try to exercise maximum control and authority in midfield, so that they dominate the ball and provide ample protection to the four makeshift defenders when they are at out of possession.
Unleashing this trio could be the defining factor allowing Liverpool to successfully navigate this next bumpy stretch and stay firmly on track towards their main goals heading into the New Year.
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