So if Henderson successfully plagiarise Gerrard, don’t we have Gerrard back?
This is a good thing, no?
This fucking midfield... 2.0
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So if Henderson successfully plagiarise Gerrard, don’t we have Gerrard back?
This is a good thing, no?
I think people confuse the point about Keita defensively. He can work a shift and put his foot in, but he can also be lax too and lacking in defensive awareness off the ball. Hopefully that'll come. Fabinho equally has moments of wastefulness and poor concentration. It's not a damning, final verdict, it's a valid criticism of both, so far.
It's better than nothing yes, but Henderson learned quite a few things from Lucas as well, so we also have Lucas back.
Would rather bobby was in behind him dragging him deeper I think
Completely agree with that. Keita's pressing and work-rate is what made him seem such a perfect fit for Klopp's system – but you need incredible concentration and consistency to make it as a midfielder at a top level of the game and he still needs to work to reach that level. Good news is that there is no one better at ironing that stuff out than Klopp, just look at Hendo and Wijnaldum.
Yeah, but he'll be on the bench and everyone's arse will go when he comes off the bench with 10 mins to go while we are protecting a 4-0 lead ...
They're definitely going to have to play him in Prague, as the Europa is a route into the CL that they need to pursue. Prague have had some good results in this competition, not least by beating serial competition winners Sevilla.
Chelsea have played a game more but are sitting 3rd at the moment. They are in as tight a fight with Spurs and Arsenal as we are with City. Absolutely no doubt Hazard will start against us, they'll come for a point and play Hazard on the break. The PL is still the easiest route to a CL slot for them .. unless Arsenal win it whilst failing to make Top 4 and Chelsea finish 4th (and then they'll drop out I believe).
I'm not saying he won't play against us, only that he will also definitely play against Prague.
I'm not sure which competition Sarri / Chelsea will prioritise. They are in a good position in the league (but with a couple of tough matches remaining) and have a very good chance of Top 4 maybe even 3rd if Spurs buckle with Kane out (yes, I know their record is better without him but many factors influence that).
Prague shouldn't be a major hurdle for them. I can see Sarri starting him on the bench in the EL and in the starting lineup on Sunday.
Prague shouldn't be a major hurdle for them. I can see Sarri starting him on the bench in the EL and in the starting lineup on Sunday.
Prague have played really well in this competition and have dispatched Genk and Sevilla in the last two rounds. Chelsea will need to treat them with respect.
Sarri said in his presser that Hazard might be rested tonight, and then ready to play on Sunday..
Yeah that wouldn't surprise me - as I said above.
There's no way that Hazard doesn't start (and tear us a new one) on Sunday. 1-2.
Hal, what teams do you think we can beat?
Accrington. With a bit of luck.
I think it's mad that people still get wound up over what I post and think I'm being serious...
...and if the jinxy football gods are reading this, of course I'm being serious.
I think he’d just need a cuddle.
Accrington Stanley? Who’re dey?
Klopp's decision to introduce a little anarchy has paid off
by Sam McGuire
Liverpool’s midfield is a divisive topic. Despite sitting top of the Premier League, the Reds struggle to impose themselves in the middle third of the pitch. They may average 58.3 per cent of the possession, the third highest in the English top flight, but at times it feels sterile and many believe the players are too conservative when on the ball. The trio – harshly labelled the ‘Brexit midfield’ – of Jordan Henderson, Gini Wijnaldum and James Milner lacks creativity but is selected in big games for its solidity. Their energy stifles the opposition for large parts of the game and can, at times, work perfectly. But it’s when Liverpool need a goal that their limitations are exposed and there for all to see.
But against Chelsea, one of the biggest games of the season, Jürgen Klopp went with something different. Wijnaldum and Milner settled for a place on the bench and for a second successive match, the German tactician went with Henderson, Fabinho and Naby Keïta.
It was a brave move. Especially given how earlier on in the season, whenever the latter two were paired together in midfield, the team looked exposed during transitions. The Brazilian destroyer was left with too much to do with Keita vacating his position and pressing when it perhaps would’ve made more sense to sit deeper. Until recently, it felt like Liverpool had a midfield for the extreme ends of the spectrum but were struggling to find a balance. However, against Maurizio Sarri’s men, the Liverpool boss struck gold. Yes, Chelsea had opportunities but playing the way they did, looking to hit the Reds on the break with their pace, it was always going to happen.
It was a similar story at Stamford Bridge in September and that was with a midfield made up of Milner, Henderson and Wijnaldum. This time around, though, Liverpool looked a genuine threat throughout and managed the game and away side admirably. A big part of that was how the midfield three complimented one another. Not only did the trio put out fires and keep Chelsea hemmed in due to their intelligent positioning during transitions, but they also added to the goal threat the home side posed.
Henderson looks reborn playing in his more natural box-to-box role. He’s always had this in his locker but, credit to him, he’s been putting the team ahead of himself for the past couple of season. He tweaked his game to be what Klopp wanted him to be. But now, with Fabinho in the holding role, Henderson can be himself again and he’s seemingly relishing this opportunity. He came off the bench against Southampton to turn the game on its head and the Liverpool captain was aggressive and pro-active against Porto in the Champions League quarter-final.
The No.14 continued his fine form against Chelsea with another man-of-the-match showing. He chipped in with an assist, something he’s now managed in back to back matches, and just generally imposed himself on proceedings. He’s now playing with a purpose. He’s seeing less of the ball but doing more with it, as shown in the graphic above. More of his passes are going forward, he’s having more touches in the area and because of this he’s much more of a threat.
Yes, it’s not a large sample size but you can’t just ignore it because of that. The opposition he’s come up kind of nullify that argument with all three teams being good in their own right. Henderson’s willingness to get beyond the last man and make runs into the channel is what makes him such a valuable weapon to this Liverpool arsenal. He creates space for others and because of this, the Reds look more dangerous than they have for a while. He’s doing that on the right flank and Keïta is doing it on the left.
The Liverpool No.8 has struggled to adapt to the Premier League. Until recently, he’d shown glimpses of the player fans witnessed in Germany but wasn’t able to sustain that level for the entire 90 minutes. But he’s now beginning to impose himself both on and off the ball. The goals in back to back games will no doubt have helped his confidence and maybe that is all he needed. But the subtle change in Liverpool’s style has aided him. With the Reds now needing to win every single game, Klopp’s set his team up in much more of aggressive way. More bodies are being committed forward, the tempo us much quicker and this chaos suits the former RB Leipzig man.
In his last three starts, he’s averaged fewer passes per 90 but he’s had more touches in the opposition’s box, he’s attempting more dribbles and his expected goals and expected assists numbers have doubled. Keïta and Henderson offer the same work rate as Wijnaldum and Milner but both have more of an attacking edge to them in better areas. But they’re only able to be this expressive because of Fabinho.
The Brazilian offers a platform for others. He’s been one of the signings of the summer in the Premier League and with every passing game, he seems to improve. Liverpool have been more open over recent matches and while some have said the former Monaco man hasn’t looked as solid, the above stats all better his season averages to date. He’s making 11 more passes in the opposition’s half on a per 90 minute basis, highlighting how aggressive the Reds have been. With him not being deployed in a single pivot, he’s seeing more of the ball, averaging nine more passes in general while his pass success rate remains fairly consistent at around 85 per cent. The 4.5 possessions won in the middle third is more than double his season average while he’s making more interceptions and tackles. These stats highlight how he’s not just adapting to his new role in a midfield three, he’s really stepping up in that role.
He’s the counterweight. Keïta’s the progressive midfielder capable of slaloming his way through the gears in the blink of an eye and getting Liverpool into dangerous areas while Henderson’s the selfless runner creating opportunities for others. On paper, It’s the ideal blend and in practice, it seems to be just as effective.
by Sam McGuire
Liverpool’s midfield is a divisive topic. Despite sitting top of the Premier League, the Reds struggle to impose themselves in the middle third of the pitch. They may average 58.3 per cent of the possession, the third highest in the English top flight, but at times it feels sterile and many believe the players are too conservative when on the ball. The trio – harshly labelled the ‘Brexit midfield’ – of Jordan Henderson, Gini Wijnaldum and James Milner lacks creativity but is selected in big games for its solidity. Their energy stifles the opposition for large parts of the game and can, at times, work perfectly. But it’s when Liverpool need a goal that their limitations are exposed and there for all to see.
But against Chelsea, one of the biggest games of the season, Jürgen Klopp went with something different. Wijnaldum and Milner settled for a place on the bench and for a second successive match, the German tactician went with Henderson, Fabinho and Naby Keïta.
It was a brave move. Especially given how earlier on in the season, whenever the latter two were paired together in midfield, the team looked exposed during transitions. The Brazilian destroyer was left with too much to do with Keita vacating his position and pressing when it perhaps would’ve made more sense to sit deeper. Until recently, it felt like Liverpool had a midfield for the extreme ends of the spectrum but were struggling to find a balance. However, against Maurizio Sarri’s men, the Liverpool boss struck gold. Yes, Chelsea had opportunities but playing the way they did, looking to hit the Reds on the break with their pace, it was always going to happen.
It was a similar story at Stamford Bridge in September and that was with a midfield made up of Milner, Henderson and Wijnaldum. This time around, though, Liverpool looked a genuine threat throughout and managed the game and away side admirably. A big part of that was how the midfield three complimented one another. Not only did the trio put out fires and keep Chelsea hemmed in due to their intelligent positioning during transitions, but they also added to the goal threat the home side posed.
Henderson looks reborn playing in his more natural box-to-box role. He’s always had this in his locker but, credit to him, he’s been putting the team ahead of himself for the past couple of season. He tweaked his game to be what Klopp wanted him to be. But now, with Fabinho in the holding role, Henderson can be himself again and he’s seemingly relishing this opportunity. He came off the bench against Southampton to turn the game on its head and the Liverpool captain was aggressive and pro-active against Porto in the Champions League quarter-final.
The No.14 continued his fine form against Chelsea with another man-of-the-match showing. He chipped in with an assist, something he’s now managed in back to back matches, and just generally imposed himself on proceedings. He’s now playing with a purpose. He’s seeing less of the ball but doing more with it, as shown in the graphic above. More of his passes are going forward, he’s having more touches in the area and because of this he’s much more of a threat.
Yes, it’s not a large sample size but you can’t just ignore it because of that. The opposition he’s come up kind of nullify that argument with all three teams being good in their own right. Henderson’s willingness to get beyond the last man and make runs into the channel is what makes him such a valuable weapon to this Liverpool arsenal. He creates space for others and because of this, the Reds look more dangerous than they have for a while. He’s doing that on the right flank and Keïta is doing it on the left.
The Liverpool No.8 has struggled to adapt to the Premier League. Until recently, he’d shown glimpses of the player fans witnessed in Germany but wasn’t able to sustain that level for the entire 90 minutes. But he’s now beginning to impose himself both on and off the ball. The goals in back to back games will no doubt have helped his confidence and maybe that is all he needed. But the subtle change in Liverpool’s style has aided him. With the Reds now needing to win every single game, Klopp’s set his team up in much more of aggressive way. More bodies are being committed forward, the tempo us much quicker and this chaos suits the former RB Leipzig man.
In his last three starts, he’s averaged fewer passes per 90 but he’s had more touches in the opposition’s box, he’s attempting more dribbles and his expected goals and expected assists numbers have doubled. Keïta and Henderson offer the same work rate as Wijnaldum and Milner but both have more of an attacking edge to them in better areas. But they’re only able to be this expressive because of Fabinho.
The Brazilian offers a platform for others. He’s been one of the signings of the summer in the Premier League and with every passing game, he seems to improve. Liverpool have been more open over recent matches and while some have said the former Monaco man hasn’t looked as solid, the above stats all better his season averages to date. He’s making 11 more passes in the opposition’s half on a per 90 minute basis, highlighting how aggressive the Reds have been. With him not being deployed in a single pivot, he’s seeing more of the ball, averaging nine more passes in general while his pass success rate remains fairly consistent at around 85 per cent. The 4.5 possessions won in the middle third is more than double his season average while he’s making more interceptions and tackles. These stats highlight how he’s not just adapting to his new role in a midfield three, he’s really stepping up in that role.
He’s the counterweight. Keïta’s the progressive midfielder capable of slaloming his way through the gears in the blink of an eye and getting Liverpool into dangerous areas while Henderson’s the selfless runner creating opportunities for others. On paper, It’s the ideal blend and in practice, it seems to be just as effective.
One thing I'll add to this article is that both Milner and Wijnaldum can also be effective in Hendo's role, while Wijnaldum can also do Keita's role with a bit more control and less cutting edge. I'd love for Gini to be given an extended run in the "new Hendo role" at some point (maybe next season) – I think his goal return will justify it and his work-rate will still be there. That said, Milner and Hendo have also both delivered in that role and we also will have Ox to give the attacking midfield even more cutting edge.
One good point Sam McGuire made is that it's not just been about personnel changes – the playing style has changed and that in turn benefitted some players. This doesn't mean the safer and more controlling style of the last few months was a mistake – it set the platform for the final mad sprint to the finish line.
One good point Sam McGuire made is that it's not just been about personnel changes – the playing style has changed and that in turn benefitted some players. This doesn't mean the safer and more controlling style of the last few months was a mistake – it set the platform for the final mad sprint to the finish line.
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@rurikbird - I think you initially posted a thread on the brexit three combination with a load of stats, I did read it, and to be honest was angry at any justification for it being a long term plan or even as the idea of being some sort of solid defensive barrier to deal with strong opposition, because it really really was never that. I wanted to respond but I recall @Woland given a a short but very succint response which was enough to end the discussion in my opinion. I have nothing but contempt for the Gini, Hendo, Milner combination - its got no variety to it, and up against any decent footballing side that can play between the lines - it falls apart EVERY TIME. If it ever succeeded - then we were either lucky or the opposition were just shit. Just adding - yes I know the combination did well against Roma when Ox had to go off, but eventually Roma figured it out towards the end of the game - it always gets figured out by any good side if not initially then later in the game.
This new combination of Fab, Keita, and Hendo - has the right mix of everything you could want from a Klopp midfield that is devoid of the type of player such as Debruyne, Bernardo Silva, Hazard, and our old friend Coutinho. It's more about power and brute force of the correct mix, I absolutely LOVED what we did in those minutes leading up to our goals in yesterdays game against Chelsea and the combination is everything I had hoped it would be especially Hendo being allowed to burst forward and assist the front three. The issue as I see it currently - is timing and defensive duty between Keita, Hendo and our fullbacks - it will get sorted of that I am sure. The other issue we have is that we have no understudy to Fabinho - as the others cannot cut it and/or are not physically intimidating enough, for that reason I hope we can make something of Grujic, otherwise we need to get another tall footballing defensive Mother Fucker who is happy to sit on the bench but performs well when needed.
This new combination of Fab, Keita, and Hendo - has the right mix of everything you could want from a Klopp midfield that is devoid of the type of player such as Debruyne, Bernardo Silva, Hazard, and our old friend Coutinho. It's more about power and brute force of the correct mix, I absolutely LOVED what we did in those minutes leading up to our goals in yesterdays game against Chelsea and the combination is everything I had hoped it would be especially Hendo being allowed to burst forward and assist the front three. The issue as I see it currently - is timing and defensive duty between Keita, Hendo and our fullbacks - it will get sorted of that I am sure. The other issue we have is that we have no understudy to Fabinho - as the others cannot cut it and/or are not physically intimidating enough, for that reason I hope we can make something of Grujic, otherwise we need to get another tall footballing defensive Mother Fucker who is happy to sit on the bench but performs well when needed.
Interesting point by Neville near the end – Klopp didn't initially grant Hendo's wish of playing further forward; it was his game-changing performance off the bench against Southampton that finally convinced Klopp to give him a run at #8.
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