Hello Steemians, now I want to share about football. This is about one of my favourite team: Liverpool and how the possibilities the line up after they sold the Little Magician, Philippe Coutinho.
For your information, I just try my english so I am so sorry if you can not understand what I mean in this article.
When Philippe Coutinho still in Liverpool, Liverpool can play with keep strong ball possesion. They win almost all possesion with very high determination from Klopp's side. The style of total attacking was named Gegenpressing.
Coutinho changed his role from attack midfielder or winger to be playmaker. He play behind the trio: Firminho, Mane and Salah in 4-3-3 formation. The combination of them make the attacking sector of Liverpool to become the best attractive play to watch.
With support from Jordan Henderson, Wijnaldum or Emre Can, Coutinho make sure the possesion keeps won. He create many chances and assists. In the first a half season, he gave 7 goals and 6 assists in his 13 Premier League matches and 5 goals and 2 assists in his 4 UEFA Champions League matches.
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"There was no sorrow in our group with Coutinho. Of course we didn't want to leave him because he is a great player and a guy who got along with the whole team. Coutinho would grace any team in the world and with us, it would not be different, besides being one of the great friends that I made in football.
Roberto Firmino at Esporte.
But in their defending zone, Liverpool make the big gap performance at defending. With a simple counter attack from their opponents, Liverpool have conceded many goals. Liverpool usually leave just two or three players in central line when they offend their opponents.
The counter attack from their opponents usually create very fast. When almost all Liverpool players keep their focus to the opponents defending area, you will look the defending zone of Liverpool in big problem soonly.
They hope to solve the problem by get the "Big Dutch Man" Virgil Van Dijk (VVD). Eventough many hopes are sent to VVD, Jurgen Klopp ask The Kop to wait until next season to see his best performance.
Liverpool Characteristics
| Strength | Score |
|---|---|
| 🗡 Shooting from direct free kicks | Very strong |
| 🗡 Creating long shot opportunities | Very strong |
| 🗡 Creating chances through individual skills | Very strong |
| 🗡 Creating scoring chances | Very strong |
| 🗡 Finishing scoring chances | Strong |
| 🛡 Stealing the ball from the opposition | Strong |
| 🛡 Defending set pieces | Strong |
Source, accessed at 12 February 2018
| Weakness | Score |
|---|---|
| 🛡 Defending against through ball attacks | Weak |
| 🛡 Protecting the lead | Weak |
| 🛡 Aerial duels | Very weak |
Source, accessed at 12 February 2018
| Liverpool's Style of Play |
|---|
| 🗡 Attack through the middle |
| 🗡 Control the game in the opposition's half |
| 🗡 Possesion football |
| 🗡 Short passes |
| 🗡 Attempt through balls often |
| 🛡 Rotate their first eleven |
| 🛡 Non-aggressive |
| 🛡 Play the offside trap |
Source, accessed at 12 February 2018
Newcastle manager Rafa Benitez, who was managing Liverpool when they winning their Champions Leagues said that Liverpool must adjust they style.
The imagery is a poor people's blanket. When you pull it to cover your head, you let your feet open. Otherwise when you cover your feet, so you let your head open. But once you can balancing it, you can get winning the league.
After Coutinho was sold, Liverpool need to covered the performance gap between defence and offence that might be make them so stuck. After win 4-3 about the first club at the top table Manchester City, they fall down for two matches.
Liverpool after Coutinho maybe make fans little boring because they will sacrifice the beautiful football to get points. That is what James Milner said that Liverpool must be 'little boring' when they lead after a dramatic 3-3 draw scored at big match versus Arsenal.
Can or Hendo as usual playing as playmaker but they also must be defensive midfielder but central defender to help their two central defender. While Chambo and Gini Wijnaldum play as attacking midfielder and Milner or Lallana backup them.
Mane and Salah who operate with their 'not normal foot side' can run fastly to open Liverpool super fast counter attack. Firmino as usual play his role as "false nine" who will become first defender to grab the ball if they loss it. Solanke, Ings and Woodburn are ready to backup them.
While in defending area, Virgil, Matip, Lovren or Klavan will be compete two last castles. At right full back Alexander Arnold dan Joe Gomez have been good backup while Clyne in recovery, likewise Moreno and Robbo in left side.
Liverpool have used 4-3-3 formation in their 20 games, while they used 4-2-3-1 for 4 games, and 4-4-2, 3-5-1-1 and 4-2-2-2 in 1 games.
So that we can jump to conclusion that Liverpool still use 4-3-3, even sometimes it looks like 4-4-2 or 4-5-1. It usually applied in normal scheme.
What is changing is the fast transition now become new strategy of Jurgen Klopp's men. When the opponents make offense strategy, they become more deep in their defense area.
Virgil van Dijk with his defense style help Liverpool to anticipated counter attack and won many aerial duels that have been serious weakness in last a half session.
The other changing is it seemed Jurgen Klop will give more chances to Loris Karius in goalkeeper position. It was amazing since media have predicted that Liverpool would use their funds from Coutinho sales to get a new goalkeeper that also showed serious problem in a half season.
I think it was wise decision from Klopp because what Karius problem is his confidence to face social media critics, how he manage the communication in field and his nerve too. So that give him a chance maybe have a big risk but it is more better than wait stability perform from Mignolet.
Okay, that's all. And I would share you a funny video about the football fans madness. Don't worry, I think I do some of that stupid things too (lol). See you, Steemians!
