23 Feb 2023 22:57:20
Watched the Liverpool vs Real Madrid match back, because I am a sucker for punishment, but while watching I noticed something that has really ground my gears this season, and it keeps happening.

Can someone explain this to me. Why does Trent continue to drop into midfield, forcing Fabs or Hendo to shuffle over to cover the full backs area?

He does it almost every time we have possession, especially when the defenders keep passing the ball to each other. This ends up with us playing the ball continually being played between our defenders, to the Goalkeeper, followed by an unnecessary clearance deep in our half.

How can you build up from the back quickly, if players are being forced to run and occupy different spaces while, at the same time, attempting to play to a faster tempo in order to unsettle the opposition?

It is clearly by design, something Klopp is a big proponent of, but I can't understand why. The moment we lose possession, the defence and midfield are out of position, Trent, Hendo or Fabs come sprinting back, basically occupying each other's space in decisive moments where we need to be compact and ready.

It is baffling. If Klopp wants Trent in that midfield space, then why not covert him into a midfielder instead?

What tactical advantage does this give us? I just honestly can't see the positives of this, and why we would do it, it causes so many problems with little signs of success.

Honestly Klopp's decision this season have been utterly baffling. Substitutions is one thing, but how he sets the teams, the instructions he gives, are so bizarre. It's like he is a completely different person.

1.) 24 Feb 2023
24 Feb 2023 06:09:00
I am klopps biggest fan, and I am so grateful of what he has achieved at the club. I have to admit though he seems very offish this season. His whole demeanour is not him at all, even his physical appearance seems to be off. He looks quite guant. Whether we finish fourth or not, I think there will be an overhaul of the squad in the summer, it's clearly badly needed. The only man I would trust to do that, is klopp. I do think fsg will make the funds available, and I think there are countless good players who would jump at the chance to join LFC. I am still a believer, and I think we all need to be once more. Name one manager in the world who can take this club forward once again? I can't name one. Klopp needs a couple of weeks rest, some players need a break too, and some players clearly shifting ( a few actually ) but I firmly believe we come good again.

2.) 24 Feb 2023
24 Feb 2023 07:12:09
Klopp doesn’t need a rest. In fact, quite the opposite, he needs to get his act together and start managing the club properly again. Under these stingy owners, no other manager could do what Klopp has done, which is why he commands so much respect and fans put so much trust in him. But, let’s face it, he’s done a terrible job this season and his prior brilliance has meant his bizarre decisions have been questioned less and sometimes ignored completely.
If we don’t spend in the summer, the owners 100% need to sell (they ought to regardless), but until then the current mess is Klopp’s doing.

3.) 24 Feb 2023
24 Feb 2023 07:59:16
Like I said Lowe, I firmly believe we will spend. Have a little faith, it will come good once more.

4.) 24 Feb 2023
24 Feb 2023 08:12:23
The best thing is the Real game is now in the past and it’s now about righting those wrongs against Palace for the players.

Not really sure what is going on those season but it’s been happening more or less all season and the number of excuses that we have offered as fans for the players and club don’t really stick. You can’t concede 14 goals in 4 games to Real, Brighton, Wolves and Brentford and honestly say these players (every single one of them) are giving it their all.

This squad has brought us fans so many good times over the last few years so they deserve every opportunity to put these wrongs right but patience is clearly wearing thin amongst the fan base. A lot of them have from now until the end of the season to probably save their LFC careers or at least leave on a positive with the fans.

On Klopp as far as I’m concerned the guy can have all the time in the world, but to turn this around he will need the sort of financial backing in the summer from FSG that they have never given previously.

Lots of things appear wrong at the club and all factors will have to play a part to put them right again.

5.) 24 Feb 2023
24 Feb 2023 08:28:51
We will spend because we have to and the owners are business people. Some posters are saying we won't to prevent their feelings from being hurt.

6.) 24 Feb 2023
24 Feb 2023 08:34:28
LFC Mango - Trent started doing this last season - hardly a new tactic and it worked last season.

7.) 24 Feb 2023
24 Feb 2023 09:01:50
He’s not tired at all. Don’t be fooled by the fact that he’s lost a bit of timber (gained last season) and is growing his greying beard out. He said it himself. He’s full of energy.

His greatest strength is building that inclusive, happy family atmosphere at the club. He is loyal to a fault. This strength, alongside his natural stubbornness, has become his major weakness over the last 18 months.

I hope the new sporting director will not be a yes man/ woman. Jurgen needs an independent opinion in the AXA bubble.

8.) 24 Feb 2023
24 Feb 2023 09:04:02
MANGO, it is definitely something we've tried to copy from Man City. Cancelo or Zinchenko used to drift into midfield.

The difference is, City often play with Walker/ Ake/ Akanji as one of the full backs. So when Cancelo went into midfield they adjusted to a back 3. This gives them 3 players plus the keeper when keeping the ball in their half.

You see the same at Arsenal now as they signed Zinchenko to copy it from City. White plays at right back, and when Zinchenko goes into midfield it morphs into a back 3 of White, Saliba and Gabriel keeping an extra player as an option to play out from the back with Ramsdale. Hence why Arsenal have stopped losing possession at the back as much this season.

The problem we have is when Trent goes into midfield, Robbo is still pushing on really high so (as you say) it limits our options to play the ball around in defence as we lack width on the right and that then makes it easy for the opposition to shuffle over and cut the passing lane out to Robbo on the left. Leaving Gomez and Virgil try and find a way out despite our set up making it easy to press us.

I am all for Klopp trying to evolve but the Trent experiment has not been copied correctly.

9.) 24 Feb 2023
24 Feb 2023 09:08:26
Walkon - love your optimism. I feel that way when every window opens no matter what. And every window closes with us going a key position short and fans arguing with one another about whether it’s Klopp, FSG, recruitment team or the non availability of of preferred targets.

In the famous words of Ed, don’t hold your breath.

10.) 24 Feb 2023
24 Feb 2023 09:10:08
We look totally shot mentally. Winning 2 nil and then shipping 5 goals is not the Liverpool we have come to know under Klopp. I trust Klopp, I trust FSG to make the money available. The bad times make the good times more enjoyable. European football of any kind is our goal for next season now. It’s what it is, so just go for it.

11.) 24 Feb 2023
24 Feb 2023 09:37:04
KingCarlos, it worked last season to an extent because Matip and Konate were miraculouslu fit for nearly the whole season. They're both very good at carrying the ball forward into midfield and beating the press. Gomez has had to play way too many games this season for a 4th choice player, and he simply does not have the ability on the ball to break the press or switch the play. I still remember people moaning about Trent moving into midfield last season too though. We were turgid at times and rode our luck a lot. I think sheer momentum carried us through in the 2nd half of the season. But it definitely affected Salah as the season went on and we Trent did it more and more. Because Salah had to come deeper and deeper to provide the out ball on the right side.

We've never implemented this tactic correctly. Last seasons results shouldn't paper over the average performances.

12.) 24 Feb 2023
24 Feb 2023 09:38:24
Did I just see the words 'stingey owners'? Of course £65m+ on Nunez, £35m+ on Gapko, £35m+ on Diaz and £36m on Konate all in the last two years. Yeah, that's properly mean that is, only £170m+

Of course we could do a Chelsea and spend gazillions, that's working brilliantly at the moment.

I'm happy to criticise those running the club when they deserve it (e. g. for buying the wrong type of players at the wrong time, for example Gapko) but let's try and keep it sensible.

13.) 24 Feb 2023
24 Feb 2023 09:47:28
Agree with MK Scouser, we've done a similar thing with the possession based stuff - we've tried to use some similar tactics to City but it does not suit our squad nor does it suit the players we have. Guardiola, in an ideal world would have all 11 players being exactly the same profile. The forwards and full backs can play in midfield, the midfielders can drop into defence or play as forwards. The likes of Foden and Bernardo are neither midfielders or forwards. Whilst Rico Lewis looks like another in the Zinchenko/ Cancelo mould of being a defender and a midfielder at the same time. If we wanted to play that way we would have to rip out most of the squad and start again. But I don't want us to, it's boring.

14.) 24 Feb 2023
24 Feb 2023 10:08:42
It works when the centre backs and the midfield are doing their jobs. They are not though. Not Trent’s fault.
Trent is one of the best passers of the ball in the world, you need to play to his strengths.

15.) 24 Feb 2023
24 Feb 2023 10:09:50
Of course we will spend. I don’t think we’ve had many if any summer windows where we’ve not spent.

I just think this upcoming window is different to any other summer window we’ve had under FSG or Klopp.

We don’t have big sales to make to help balance the books

We have quite a few players potentially leaving on free’s which will deplete squad. Which I think is a major factor. Because if you need to sell say 6 to bring in money then add 4 frees and those 6 become 10.

And it’s not just a case of minor surgery it’s major surgery which is going to cost a lot of money.

Unless we do a Napoli / Brighton and find some absolute diamonds in the rough at much lower value.

16.) 24 Feb 2023
24 Feb 2023 10:10:32
You think City are boring, thom?

17.) 24 Feb 2023
24 Feb 2023 10:17:17
Johnny. The players u have named and if u add thiago+ jota into that thems the players that have been brought in over the last 5 seasons ready to compete for a 1st team place. The problem is our competitors our bringing that amount of players in 1-2 seasons, our way of working is too slow compared to our rivals.

18.) 24 Feb 2023
24 Feb 2023 10:21:03
Guardiola plays with his full backs in midfield areas too. It works for them as their midfielders have legs and are good on the ball, unlike Henderson, Fabinho, Keita, Ox and Milner.

19.) 24 Feb 2023
24 Feb 2023 11:01:51
Johnny, the owners are stingy and that’s all there is to it. Comparing us to Chelsea and Man City is folly, - very few people have ever demanded we spend like that. Further, Klopp doesn’t need that kind of spending in order to have us competing every year.
However, the owners ensure that season after season we go into proceedings one or two short, hoping Klopp’s brilliance will take care of it. They did it under previous managers (more understandably so) but without the brilliance part.
Also, Chelsea wasting a load of money is relevant to Liverpool how exactly? Liverpool with higher spending would do much better.
While Klopp is largely to blame for this season, FSG are absolutely stingy.

20.) 24 Feb 2023
24 Feb 2023 11:11:58
Yes I do think City are boring, I found Spain's 2008-2010 team boring as well. Brilliant, the best national team of all time - but boring. That's just personal preference. I find football like that hard to watch as a neutral. Maybe if it was us doing it and dominating I wouldn't.

21.) 24 Feb 2023
24 Feb 2023 11:53:26
I don't think FSG are involved in the day to day running if the club and they definitely won't take a look at a squad and decide for Klopp that it's good enough for him to work with. That is on Klopp and his team. If he wanted to, he could have gotten rid of players that aren't good enough and replace them but he chose not to. It is and has always been his choice.

22.) 24 Feb 2023
24 Feb 2023 11:53:54
Stingy owners that spent hundreds of millions developing the stadium.
Go figure.

23.) 24 Feb 2023
24 Feb 2023 11:56:32
----Posting the same thing over and over is tedious - you need to stop.-----

24.) 24 Feb 2023
24 Feb 2023 12:02:24
MK,
We did this the cup/ title winning seasons. Both TAA and Robbo bombed forward and Henderson moving into RCB, with him and VVD pinging long balls left right and center. This was also in the days when Gini pressed, and before Milner turned 50. Eventually, we got figured out, struggling with low sitting defenses, everyone and his mother cried out for a creative Thiago-esque player, we got Thiago, and a large injury bill, and fast forward to present day. Trying to evolve with an aging squad, getting ahead of our opponents, but still playing catch-up (and losing) to the heights of some years ago.

No answers here. Only saying that we are not trying to copy present day teams, but clearly failing to evolve, and act on glaringly obvious weaknesses, while keeping identity and building on strengths.

25.) 24 Feb 2023
24 Feb 2023 12:11:53
How are the owners stingy when Klopp has had funds but chose not to buy players. Klopp with input from the SD picks the signings. We also have FFP concerns and not cash rich like some clubs. The owners have made funds available for the right signings, young players with good attitude and potential to improve. Lijnders is more of an issue rn than the owners.

26.) 24 Feb 2023
24 Feb 2023 12:53:14
Genuine question. And this is in credit to FSG

New training ground done

Stadium upgrade done (FSG low interest loan to the club so they’ll get that money back and interest)

So if there is money available for transfers so we are told.

Why do we need investors?

Not trying to be sarcastic or a leading question. I’m genuinely interested.

Personally I think we need investors because we don’t have money for transfers. If that’s the case then so be it at least I suppose FSG are trying to rectify this.

But If we are so flush that we can get a Bellingham etc if Klopp wants then what is the sales pitch to the investors on why we need their money?

27.) 24 Feb 2023
24 Feb 2023 13:43:00
Isn’t is that FSG are looking investors not Liverpool? The 2 things are entirely different and any investment will go to the owners as such? I don’t think Investors will make one iota of a difference to LFC but obviously NEW owners could.
Basically FSG having new investors doesn’t mean LFC will see one penny of it. Maybe I’m wrong ?‍♂️.

28.) 24 Feb 2023
24 Feb 2023 14:22:39
Irish get what you’re saying mate and you’re 100% correct in what you’re saying.

I might be wrong but I thought FSG were looking for investors specifically for LFC and were open to offers for a full sale back in Oct. But it was never a full sale of FSG but specifically Liverpool.

The big red bird investment last year was for stakes in FSG and not Liverpool.

29.) 24 Feb 2023
24 Feb 2023 14:27:45
Irish. Thoughts now mate.

The statement reads: "There have been a number of recent changes of ownership and rumors of changes in ownership at EPL clubs and inevitably we are asked regularly about Fenway Sports Group’s ownership in Liverpool.

"FSG has frequently received expressions of interest from third parties seeking to become shareholders in Liverpool. FSG has said before that under the right terms and conditions we would consider new shareholders if it was in the best interests of Liverpool as a club.

30.) 24 Feb 2023
24 Feb 2023 14:40:46
Spot on Flash, Rambo and Rigsby. Yeah, stingy owners that have backed Klopp to the tune of 290m since 2020 and provided well over 150m that Klopp has spent over the past 3 windows. Yeah, FSG are as stingy as Mike Ashley was at Newcastle. Pathetic.

31.) 24 Feb 2023
24 Feb 2023 14:58:22
My understanding is that if someone purchased 25% of Liverpool £1 billion for talk sake that the money still goes to FSG . I’m still not sure how it would enhance Liverpools coffers for a bigger transfer budget.

I can see Ed02 now banging his head off the table, pulling the last strand of his hair out??.

32.) 24 Feb 2023
24 Feb 2023 18:08:40
The easy answer would be switch hendo with trent stop that problem right away or is that too easy guys?

33.) 24 Feb 2023
24 Feb 2023 21:05:59
He does it to overload midfield and allow Mo space on the wing to wait around for the ball and the dribble straight into defendeds and lose the ball.

34.) 25 Feb 2023
25 Feb 2023 02:27:15
Isn’t Liverpool an asset owned by FSG?

FSG can either sell the asset - if someone meets or exceeds their valuation - or accept investment into FSG which, presumably, could be (partially) invested in Liverpool FC?

I too can imagine Ed02 shaking his head and thinking what’s the point ?.