06 Apr 2023 08:37:45
I've got a really crazy idea, stay with me on this one. We should switch Gakpo and Nunez over and play them in their actual positions. Gakpo likes to create chances from out wide and Nunez likes to get on the end of them. Never know, we might even score some goals.

1.) 06 Apr 2023
06 Apr 2023 09:07:32
I would like to see Gakpo on the left of our midfield three.

2.) 06 Apr 2023
06 Apr 2023 09:21:48
Irish rover I agree midfield but I’m not so sure about his goal threat from there. I wonder do we really need to rethink 4-3-3 for next season to get the best out of the squad. I think a diamond would work better with gakpo at the top of the diamond- I’m not sure who from our current squad plays the other 3 though…I guess fabs/ Tiago/ Elliot.

3.) 06 Apr 2023
06 Apr 2023 09:55:33
I assume Gakpo is playing in the middle as he's very good at retaining the ball with back to goal and linking the play ala Bobby did.

We do not have enough of the ball in the opposition's half to make use of Darwin as a no9 and nor are we playing a counterattacking style to soak up pressure and break on the opposition. We lose the ball ALL of the time and are constantly caught out of position. At least Gakpo takes care of the ball better than others.

If we were able to go back to the old tactics whereby we had more control of midfield, had a useful counterpress and were able to sustain attacks, then you could switch Cody and Darwin around as much as you like.

Btw Diaz is also really good at caring for the ball. Darwin is a bit raw and needs to work on that, but only when we have a functioning midfield and defensive line behind him.

4.) 06 Apr 2023
06 Apr 2023 10:33:20
Fly pelican. I don’t disagree with anything you’ve said about the function of the midfield but I do think we need to explore options with the existing crop rather than assume we will buy a new midfield and when (if) they hit the ground running. I think we need to work on. A different set of tactics over the summers and figure out what type of team we are. We are not a pressing/ heavy metal team, we are not a ball playing tiki taka team, we are probably closer to a long ball counter attacking team (with defensive issues) . I’m not trying to be negative here, just trying to realistic. We have a number of great players and we’re not using them right now. I have fair klopp will figure it out.

5.) 06 Apr 2023
06 Apr 2023 10:30:53
In the successful years we had

Bobby in his prime who could retain the ball in the tightest of spaces and then link up play.

Mane who was an absolute work horse and another that retained possession at will and could go left, right forwards or backwards with it.

Salah who (not an excuse) was more protected by referees years ago and also had the ability to retain possession effortlessly but was the speedy more direct forward who beat players if given space especially on the break.

Wijnaldum who despite claims he went missing 99% of the time in games he had the ability to keep hold of the ball anywhere on the pitch.

Currently we have Bobby who has declined and gives the ball away a lot more. Salah who also gives the ball away more but seems to be getting wrestled by defenders with no line of what is allowed or not allowed on other players and then Nunez and Jota who struggle to hold onto the ball for longer than a few seconds as their first thought appears to be go forward and attack.

Then in midfield we have Fab, Hendo and Milner who all seem like the effort levels are there but they are arriving to 2nd balls and challenges a couple of seconds late every time. Throw in they also look panicked in possession as the forwards aren’t holding it so we’re seeing them holding balls of my pet hate playing a 60 yard ball back to Alison whilst in the opposition half.

I think Diaz and Gakpo have the ability to hold the ball better thus taking the pressure off the midfield and then our defence because at the moment our games are like pinball machines and our players look panicked all over the pitch in possession unless it’s at a snails pace and we are going sidewards or backwards 50 yards from the opposition goal.

6.) 06 Apr 2023
06 Apr 2023 11:01:48
I would like to see Gakpo taking set pieces. He had the best big chances created per 90 from corners in Europe when we signed him.

But instead i have to watch Trent, Robbo and Tsimikas hit the first man nearly every time!

7.) 06 Apr 2023
06 Apr 2023 11:03:57
I think when Diaz is fit for first team football it’s worth chancing Gakpo in the left of the midfield three. We are struggling massively in midfield so why not. At this stage it’s better to have your “better” players on the pitch. What’s the worst that can happen? We get beat? ?.

8.) 06 Apr 2023
06 Apr 2023 11:18:50
@JK - I couldn’t have put it better myself.

“at the moment our games are like pinball machines and our players look panicked all over the pitch in possession unless it’s at a snails pace and we are going sidewards or backwards 50 yards from the opposition goal”.

Do we actually have patterns of play anymore?

For the players that’ve been together for 5 years, they look like they’ve never even met each other.

9.) 06 Apr 2023
06 Apr 2023 11:34:35
Totally agree when Nunez was playing as our no9 we were getting so much chances. OK he maybe wasn't always taking them, but the threat remained. His pace, power and movement was causing centre backs problems every game. And Gakpo was lethal from the left in both goals and assists. Seasons done so why not try Salah Nunez Gakpo for a few games then add Diaz into the mix and give Trent 5/ 6 games in midfield. We've nothing to lose now so ideal opportunity to try something different surely!

10.) 06 Apr 2023
06 Apr 2023 11:35:54
I agree that Gakpo can hold onto the ball well, but surely we didn't spend £35 million on a promising young talent to use him like a Sam Allardyce forward? Might as well have just signed Weghorst.

11.) 06 Apr 2023
06 Apr 2023 11:45:55
I see gakpo in the centre and Nunez on the left as being our standard and best set up. With Gakpo effectively the new Bobby.
However, Nunez is more than capable through the middle and gakpo is more than capable on the left. That’s before you throw Diaz back into the mix.
The versatility of the 3 is going to be a great asset going forward, we can chop and change depending on who we are playing against and depending on how a game is going, in theory.
I think the front 3 (4) have a lot of time on the training pitch ahead of them to get them working fluidly like what we saw with mane, Bobby and Salah.
But I do see a ton of potential in Nunez and gakpo and of course Diaz has already realised some of that potential but has a way to go still I reckon.
If they figure out how to play as a team then they will be scarily good.

12.) 06 Apr 2023
06 Apr 2023 12:07:20
We can move players around. But the players need to believe in what is being asked and trust their team mates too. I fear there's not much that can done at this stage of the season bar reading the riot act, which I don't think would work as Klopp has to take as much blame at the players.

13.) 06 Apr 2023
06 Apr 2023 13:10:13
Alison

Trent. Konate. Virg. Robertson

Hendo. Fab

Salah. Bobby. Gapko.

Nunez
I’d give that a go with the current squad.

14.) 06 Apr 2023
06 Apr 2023 13:19:29
I think we switched gakpo to the centre, so called Bobby role, was to get an extra man into midfield when needed, to try an tighten up defensively. And if u look at stats on goals conceded we probably have tightened up a bit since we put him there. If nunez central he plays on shoulder of last defender and his link play not great.

15.) 06 Apr 2023
06 Apr 2023 14:03:36
A lot of great comments being made on this thread and not much I disagree with. Gakpo for me should keep playing the Bobbie role cos he is very good in ball retention and can play on the half turn hence, press resistant and is rapid off the first couple of yards off the half turn.

Darwin? I think he should play up top too BUT I see why he is playibg wide left cos he can offer a threat out there with his spead and movement esp. with he and Gakpo switching positions at times and coming centrally to help the attack. Either way, we are stacked up top with versatile options so we're good there, IMO.

In midfield, we don't have the legs to compete for every ball anymore. That's just the way it is. The press or even half of it would not even help cos we can't do that either nor do we have any control in midfield and when we are pressed, we seem to panic as well. This is where the work needs to be done this summer, for sure.

Now the lineup @Ecogsi put up is quite tasty BUT we would be one man short in CM in transition should we lose the ball and that could be a prob. Worth a punt, tho. Season's dead anyway.

16.) 06 Apr 2023
06 Apr 2023 14:12:58
Imagine City playing Haaland out on the wing. Get him in the box, has he had a single tap in all season?

17.) 06 Apr 2023
06 Apr 2023 14:58:20
Personally I think the players who aren’t going to be here next season should be used sparingly.

It’s common sense as they won’t be here but it’ll also be unpopular because Bobby falls into the category.

If it was only Naby and Ox then everyone would 100% agree with the statement above.

Im not saying don’t use them at all but if we’re relying on building a system that Bobby is starting in to fix our problems moving forward when he only has a max of 10 games left for us then it would be mental.

18.) 06 Apr 2023
06 Apr 2023 15:00:02
OneKiss, we play a lot differently than City. Try to keep up.

19.) 06 Apr 2023
06 Apr 2023 19:24:55
@JK23 - haven’t we been using players like Ox, Keita, Jones, Millie, Tsimi, and Kelleher sparingly all season?

20.) 07 Apr 2023
07 Apr 2023 09:32:41
Gakpo in midfield? How to destroy a player's career step 1.