This has been inspired by thinking about Henderson's role, really, but it's a wider debate, and really split into two parts: Defensive solidity and attacking quality.
Everyone knew that the midfield needed serious reinforcement, even before Chamberlain got injured. There were too many slightly one-paced, flat and uninspiring collective displays, when tiredness and a lack of Coutinho-style magic was evident.
There was lots of hard work, running, sweat and toil, but often we seemed to lack a bit of spark and invention - look at the number of goals contributed by Wijnaldum, Henderson, Milner and Can. Milner contributed a lot of assists with his crossing and set-piece delivery, but apart from that there didn't seem that much of an attacking threat. This was ameliorated by the pyrotechnics supplied by Salah and co, but often our midfield options seemed a little underwhelming - and tiredness certainly came into play.
And of course, this led to the usual quackings about Wijnaldum's vital invisible role, and how midfield is now just a "platform" and the days of specialist midfielders are over, and there's no more box-to-box players or proper DMs and the all the usual fucking horseshit.
But oddly, this "platform" didn't really contribute much to defensive solidity either. Similarly, the lack of an easily identifiable DM has long been considered an issue to help address the horrible Goals Against record we've had for the last 5 years or more, and a seemingly pathological inability to close out a game and protect a lead under Klopp.
Many were screaming out for a "proper" DM. Hence Fabinho. That's what he is.
The role of Henderson is an interesting one, too. What was he last season and the season before? Seems like Klopp sees him as a "Number 6", and he was really impressive in that role (or 'pivot") for England. Was he doing that for Liverpool in such a prescribed fashion? Is it the same role? Was he a pure DM?
And what will Klopp do when he has his captain and Fabinho available? Is the "Number 6" a pure DM role and is it a triangular system that only affords one such player?
So what else? Keita seem to have hit the ground running and everyone is dead excited. But what's he? A "Number 8" in Klopp-speak, which is really a box-to-box midfielder, roaming the pitch and bursting forwards to assist in attack. Gerrard-esque? I'm not sure. But certainly his arrival does make Wijnaldum look like a bench player.
So that leaves.....the Fekir-shaped hole in Klopp's ideal midfield. The Coutinho/ Attacking Midfield creator. "The Number 10". What's going to happen here? I suspect we might see Keita shoe-horned here after the Fekir deal collapsed, with Lallana and Shaqiri in support perhaps. This might then free up space in the midfield for the likes of Henderson, Wijnaldum, Milner to get more games.
What's the thoughts of the Forum?
Everyone knew that the midfield needed serious reinforcement, even before Chamberlain got injured. There were too many slightly one-paced, flat and uninspiring collective displays, when tiredness and a lack of Coutinho-style magic was evident.
There was lots of hard work, running, sweat and toil, but often we seemed to lack a bit of spark and invention - look at the number of goals contributed by Wijnaldum, Henderson, Milner and Can. Milner contributed a lot of assists with his crossing and set-piece delivery, but apart from that there didn't seem that much of an attacking threat. This was ameliorated by the pyrotechnics supplied by Salah and co, but often our midfield options seemed a little underwhelming - and tiredness certainly came into play.
And of course, this led to the usual quackings about Wijnaldum's vital invisible role, and how midfield is now just a "platform" and the days of specialist midfielders are over, and there's no more box-to-box players or proper DMs and the all the usual fucking horseshit.
But oddly, this "platform" didn't really contribute much to defensive solidity either. Similarly, the lack of an easily identifiable DM has long been considered an issue to help address the horrible Goals Against record we've had for the last 5 years or more, and a seemingly pathological inability to close out a game and protect a lead under Klopp.
Many were screaming out for a "proper" DM. Hence Fabinho. That's what he is.
The role of Henderson is an interesting one, too. What was he last season and the season before? Seems like Klopp sees him as a "Number 6", and he was really impressive in that role (or 'pivot") for England. Was he doing that for Liverpool in such a prescribed fashion? Is it the same role? Was he a pure DM?
And what will Klopp do when he has his captain and Fabinho available? Is the "Number 6" a pure DM role and is it a triangular system that only affords one such player?
So what else? Keita seem to have hit the ground running and everyone is dead excited. But what's he? A "Number 8" in Klopp-speak, which is really a box-to-box midfielder, roaming the pitch and bursting forwards to assist in attack. Gerrard-esque? I'm not sure. But certainly his arrival does make Wijnaldum look like a bench player.
So that leaves.....the Fekir-shaped hole in Klopp's ideal midfield. The Coutinho/ Attacking Midfield creator. "The Number 10". What's going to happen here? I suspect we might see Keita shoe-horned here after the Fekir deal collapsed, with Lallana and Shaqiri in support perhaps. This might then free up space in the midfield for the likes of Henderson, Wijnaldum, Milner to get more games.
What's the thoughts of the Forum?
