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Pre-season friendly or not, scoring seven goals in any game is an encouraging sign, and while Jürgen Klopp may not have been particularly impressed by the way Liverpool somehow managed to go 2-0 down against Blackpool at Anfield yesterday, Ultimately, it was a productive exercise in preparation for the first game of the season against Leeds United next weekend.
Most enjoyable was the latest piece of evidence suggesting that Takumi Minamino is really growing in stature as a Liverpool player, building on his influential second half cameo in the Community Shield against Arsenal last weekend. Another goal and an assist here won’t have hurt his confidence.
It’s not worth it that Klopp’s options were slightly limited by the absence of Gini Wijnaldum (international duty), Jordan Henderson (not fit enough to appear yet), and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (injured), but nonetheless, it was intriguing to see how and where he decided to use Minamino, not as a direct alternative to one of the three forwards in the usual 4-3-3 fashion, but rather as an orthodox number 10, wandering in the spaces between midfield. and the attack.
Meanwhile, Naby Keita and Fabinho (replaced by Curtis Jones in the second half), were mostly operating side by side and close to each other as a double pivot, in what seemed like a kind of 4-2-1-3. .
Minamino found it perfect, to be able to lift the ball into deeper areas, carry the ball forward, and reach the space in and around the area, often intelligently swapping positions with Roberto Firmino rather than the two of them getting in the way of the another (which has been a recurring theme when the two have played together in the past).
With more field in front of him to move around and not as many defenders immediately surrounding him each time he received the ball, Minamino seemed much more comfortable, effective and secure in his own place within the system.
Previously, when asked to replace Sadio Mané or Mohamed Salah out of bounds, his lack of explosive natural rhythm has limited his ability to impact proceedings from that part of the field, finding himself frequently displaced and forced to turn around, because not it’s your game to break the line and enter from behind.
Similarly, in trying to replicate Firmino’s role as the spearhead of the attack, it has been difficult for him to get to the ball often enough in the right spaces and at times (especially at the beginning), perhaps he struggled a bit. with the physicality required in that position. That’s not to say that it can’t eventually morph into a viable option there over time, but it’s an incredibly complex role that very few players can master.
When playing behind the three forwards licensed to join and trade with them, however, Minamino seems like a totally different perspective, much more like the player who made such an emphatic impression for Salzburg at Anfield in the Champions League last season. His ability to receive the ball under pressure, turn it around and move it quickly towards a teammate is one of his key assets, and he does best in that offensive midfielder role, which also makes him extremely difficult on defenders.
Playing him there presents a marked shift in Klopp’s tactical outlook, as he has shown very little inclination to use a player of the No. 10 type throughout his tenure at Liverpool thus far, aside from the period in the first half of 2018/19 when he switched to 4-2-3-1 and dropped Firmino there, with Salah playing up the middle.
However, teams evolve, and just because 4-3-3 is the model on which Liverpool’s success has been built so far does not mean it should remain the standard squad going forward. Having the option to play more than 4-2-3-1, 4-2-2-2 or 4-4-1-1 in certain games against certain types of opponents makes perfect sense given the options Liverpool currently have. . to have.
It’s a means of getting Minamino next door on a regular basis, and it would also open up more opportunities for Curtis Jones, Harvey Elliott, and possibly even Xherdan Shaqiri (if he can really be fit and available for an extended period of time), the latter. he had thrived on that kind of training in his first season at the club.
Given his form during the preseason and the uncertainty about Henderson and Wijnaldum’s respective situations at the moment, Minamino has made a strong case to be considered for the starting lineup against Leeds next weekend, which, even a few weeks ago, it would have seemed very tall. unlikely.
Finally, it appears that he has been able to settle down after such a difficult integration period, and with greater clarity in terms of his tactical role in the team, he is fully prepared to have a significant impact in the weeks and months to come.
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