Midfield Catastrophe / Conundrum / Crisis

[Frogfish]

And how to solve it. Injuries are going to fuck up our season aren't they FFS.

We were already bare bones and now with Can and Matip gone for the season we are less than that. Just a few stray tendons.

Henderson, Milner and Wijnaldum our only recognised midfielders to last us 11 more matches.

How are we going to solve it ? Tactical changes ? Personnel moving into unfamiliar positions ? What are the options ?

A. My favourite is Clyne returns to RB and AA moves into RCM which could be the saving of our CL/PL campaigns and a revelation, though that is a real Hail Mary.

B. Switch to 3 at the back (though we only have 2 1/2 fit CBs at present) ! Which would enable us to play just 2 CMs. Is this the most likely for City away ?

C. Recall players on loan. And can we ? Cardiff are fighting for automatic promotion and won't want to release Grujic. Flanno could come back from Bolton to allow us to push AA / Clyne / Gomez into MF. There's also Ejaria at Sunderland and Harry Wilson (forward) at Hull and Kent at Bristol City.

D. Hope Woodburn, Gomez recover quickly and utilise them as best we can (Woodburn in MF and Gomez as part of a Back 3).

E. Draft in Academy / U23 players : Jordan Williams, Herbie Kane, Curtis Jones or A.N.Other.

F. Push a CB into the DM position. Gomez would be favourite for me but maybe Lovren or VvD too.

We are in the shite aren't we.

 

[Molbystwin]

And how to solve it. Injuries are going to fuck up our season aren't they FFS.

We were already bare bones and now with Can and Matip gone for the season we are less than that. Just a few stray tendons.

Henderson, Milner and Wijnaldum our only recognised midfielders to last us 11 more matches.

How are we going to solve it ? Tactical changes ? Personnel moving into unfamiliar positions ? What are the options ?

A. My favourite is Clyne returns to LB and AA moves into RCM which could be the saving of our CL/PL campaigns and a revelation, though that is a real Hail Mary.

B. Switch to 3 at the back (though we only have 2 1/2 fit CBs at present) ! Which would enable us to play just 2 CMs. Is this the most likely for City away ?

C. Recall players on loan. And can we ? Cardiff are fighting for automatic promotion and won't want to release Grujic. Flanno could come back from Bolton to allow us to push AA / Clyne / Gomez into MF. There's also Ejaria at Sunderland and Harry Wilson (forward) at Hull and Kent at Bristol City.

D. Hope Woodburn, Gomez recover quickly and utilise them as best we can (Woodburn in MF and Gomez as part of a Back 3).

E. Draft in Academy / U23 players : Jordan Williams, Herbie Kane or A.N.Other.

F. Push a CB into the DM position. Gomez would be favourite for me but maybe Lovren or VvD too.

We are in the shite aren't we.

Not necessarily no... we won't have any more injuries... it is written in the stars... we have no problems and everything in awesome.

Relax.

 

[Oncy]

We’ll be fine bro

 

[juniormember]

A. I hope you mean RB! And have you ever seen TAA play midfield? That’s blind faith and I’d be shit scared of putting him in there just when he’s gaining confidence/relationships at the back.

B. We could potentially get destroyed by City’s wide players if we go 3 at the back. Or go into a defensive shell with 5 at the back, never getting out our half, and having too few midfielders able to pass through theirs.

C. I hope we do recall a few players that can slot in for some of our league games, but those games are vital too. Yeah we’re fucked!
Wonder if Wilson can come back. We’re short in attack too.

F. You scare the shit out of me Froggy

 

[Fabio]

Bring back poulson

 

[Hansern]

Shifting 2-3 players out of position isnt something Klopp will do.
Trent might find himself playing a game or two in midfield if needed, but it will be Gini, Hendo, Milner and Ox.
If Can isnt fit on Tuesday it will be Gini in the holding role.

 

[Frogfish]

Shifting 2-3 players out of position isnt something Klopp will do.
Trent might find himself playing a game or two in midfield if needed, but it will be Gini, Hendo, Milner and Ox.
If Can isnt fit on Tuesday it will be Gini in the holding role.

Can is out for the season. Henderson is eligible (ban). Lallana won't be back until the final few weeks (so he can play in the CL Final). Can Milner last the season playing every match ? Another injury ? We need bodies. AA in midfield with Clyne returning to RB is my favourite.

 

[Fabio]

Shifting 2-3 players out of position isnt something Klopp will do.
Trent might find himself playing a game or two in midfield if needed, but it will be Gini, Hendo, Milner and Ox.
If Can isnt fit on Tuesday it will be Gini in the holding role.

Yeah, think that'll be the case

@gkmacca any decent midfielders in the unders? Really feel like we've got zero depth in that position

 

[Frogfish]

A. I hope you mean RB! And have you ever seen TAA play midfield? That’s blind faith and I’d be shit scared of putting him in there just when he’s gaining confidence/relationships at the back.

B. We could potentially get destroyed by City’s wide players if we go 3 at the back. Or go into a defensive shell with 5 at the back, never getting out our half, and having too few midfielders able to pass through theirs.

C. I hope we do recall a few players that can slot in for some of our league games, but those games are vital too. Yeah we’re fucked!
Wonder if Wilson can come back. We’re short in attack too.

F. You scare the shit out of me Froggy

Yes I did ! RB.

3 at the back gives us 5 defenders, to cover overlaps, plus Milner and Wijnaldum. And AA and Robertson free to support the front 3 in attack. It would be my team for City away.

 

[Fabio]

Yes I did ! RB.

3 at the back gives us 5 defenders, to cover overlaps, plus Milner and Wijnaldum. And AA and Robertson free to support the front 3 in attack. It would be my team for City away.

We've got zero depth at CB. One knock and we're back down to 2 with zero options.

I'd rather not rush klavan back. Who knows when Gomez is back

 

[rurikbird]

Another possible option would be to play Clyne as a right-sided CB in a 3 (following in the footsteps of Aszpilicueta, Monreal etc), which would allow Trent and Robbo to push up as wing-backs and we would need only 2 CMs this way. This strikes me as a "safe" option – but is it a winning option? I don't know.

Thinking of the midfield three composed of Gini, Milner and Ox defending for 90 minutes against the City onslaught fills me with fear. I don't think either Gini or Milner can be trusted to play alone as a DM – which means it should be a 2-man midfield, with both CM partners instructed to hold position at all times. This in turn will mean wingers will need to stay closer to them to cover the spaces normally covered by our "wide" CMs and that will result in the 4-4-2 or 4-4-1-1 defensive shape. This is probably our best bet for City away:

-----------------Karius---------------
Trent----Lovren--VVD----Robbo
Ox------Milner----Gini------Mane
---------------Firmino---------------
----------------Salah----------------

 

[Athens]

Fuck the midfield, it's not needed. Sure, you can just pass the ball from defense to the forwards. Let other teams waste players in the middle of the field, where there are no goals.

 

[Fabio]

Another possible option would be to play Clyne as a right-sided CB in a 3 (following in the footsteps of Aszpilicueta, Monreal etc), which would allow Trent and Robbo to push up as wing-backs and we would need only 2 CMs this way. This strikes me as a "safe" option – but is it a winning option? I don't know.

Clyne is nowhere near as good as azpilcueta, and he's been doing it for a few years.

I'd reeeeally not want to risk it

 

[manwithnoname]

We should never have let Lucas go.

 

[Dreambeliever]

Lucas should have stayed.

However barring injury 10 games in 8 weeks is fine.

 

[doctor_mac]

I actually think Robertson could play in left midfield if necessary, and with Clyne deputising at LFB if we were really pushed. He'd have even more licence to press, and his energy in there could work really well. The other option is going 3-4-3, though as I said before the first tie, I think this actually plays into their hands.

 

[Hansern]

Can is out for the season. Henderson is eligible (ban). Lallana won't be back until the final few weeks (so he can play in the CL Final). Can Milner last the season playing every match ? Another injury ? We need bodies. AA in midfield with Clyne returning to RB is my favourite.

Can isnt out for the season according to the Echo.

 

[eecheerow]

I’d like to see Trent in midfield against Everton with Clyne coming in at right back, but I don’t think Klopp will do it. And he’s definitely starting Milner, Ox and Gini on Tuesday.

 

[tombrown]

Trent has been training as a fullback all season; I cant see Klopp moving him to midfield without a pre-season training to adjust him unless in a really dire emergency. I think he would be more likely to pull someone from the U23s than move Trent there.

Similar for Milner playing full back; so many people have suggested it so many times, but it has not happened as Klopp has him training as a midfielder

 

[Frogfish]

Can isnt out for the season according to the Echo.

I really hope that's accurate as we are going to need him. However I have my doubts - other articles I've read have suggested he's going to have to have surgery.

 

[gkmacca]

Yeah, think that'll be the case

@gkmacca any decent midfielders in the unders? Really feel like we've got zero depth in that position

I wouldn't be surprised to see Herbie Kane figure in the squad. Of the youngsters who are currently fit and in form, I think he's the most likely to get a call up. Very highly rated by the coaching staff, Klopp's brought him over to train at Melwood quite a few times, he's a rarity at that level in that he's pretty strong physically, certainly not slightly-built like many of them at the same age, and he's a good competitor, with good attacking instincts and a good shot on him, too. If you had to pick one from that age group to deal with a derby game, you'd probably pick him. Gerrard insisted Kane was always in his group when he coached at Kirkby for his badges, and he's spoken about him as a really exciting prospect. Is he ready? No. But if we're that desperate, he'll be up for it.

 

[jimmy]

I wouldn't be surprised to see Herbie Kane figure in the squad. Of the youngsters who are currently fit and in form, I think he's the most likely to get a call up. Very highly rated by the coaching staff, Klopp's brought him over to train at Melwood quite a few times, he's a rarity at that level in that he's pretty strong physically, certainly not slightly-built like many of them at the same age, and he's a good competitor, with good attacking instincts and a good shot on him, too. If you had to pick one from that age group to deal with a derby game, you'd probably pick him. Gerrard insisted Kane was always in his group when he coached at Kirkby for his badges, and he's spoken about him as a really exciting prospect. Is he ready? No. But if we're that desperate, he'll be up for it.

Let's play him.
City will get Kaned!

 

[manwithnoname]

I wouldn't be surprised to see Herbie Kane figure in the squad. Of the youngsters who are currently fit and in form, I think he's the most likely to get a call up. Very highly rated by the coaching staff, Klopp's brought him over to train at Melwood quite a few times, he's a rarity at that level in that he's pretty strong physically, certainly not slightly-built like many of them at the same age, and he's a good competitor, with good attacking instincts and a good shot on him, too. If you had to pick one from that age group to deal with a derby game, you'd probably pick him. Gerrard insisted Kane was always in his group when he coached at Kirkby for his badges, and he's spoken about him as a really exciting prospect. Is he ready? No. But if we're that desperate, he'll be up for it.

I'm well up for this, based entirely on his name and the fact that when he scores, we can all say "Herbie Goes Bananas!"

 

[doctor_mac]

I'm well up for this, based entirely on his name and the fact that when he scores, we can all say "Herbie Goes Bananas!"

There's loads of younger posters wondering what the fuck you're talking about there.

 

[Jerry Laser]

Then surely this is where some youth players have to step up to the plate....

Shame Grujic isnt still here...

I do question Klopps thinking on sending out a lot of our squad on loan knowing we had lots of competitions to play in.

 

[Woland]

Remember when we won the European Cup with Traore at CB and Baros up front on his own?

 

[gkmacca]

Then surely this is where some youth players have to step up to the plate....

Shame Grujic isnt still here...

I do question Klopps thinking on sending out a lot of our squad on loan knowing we had lots of competitions to play in.

He was criticised last season for not sending enough of them out on loan. You can't win!

 

[dmishra]

Pearce just confirming that Grujic can't be recalled.

 

[Jerry Laser]

He was criticised last season for not sending enough of them out on loan. You can't win!

That was last season, we werent in Europe for a start. We also sold Coutinho in January without a replacement.....

 

[gkmacca]

That was last season, we werent in Europe for a start. We also sold Coutinho in January without a replacement.....

Yes, but Klopp organised a new policy this season for loans that ensured the players would actually get played on loan. And we had several players who were just at the age when they NEEDED to get experience on loan. And up until about a week ago everyone was saying how clever the rotation policy had been this season to keep the squad fresh. Maybe we should have signed backup for Hendo in the January of the season when he got sent off just when we needed him for the run in? 20/20 vision and all that...it's a bit much. Sometimes it's just lousy luck. You can't neurotically keep bringing in fringe players on contracts, or holding back young players' development, just in case someone does his back in four months later.