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Pre Match: Burnley (H)

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Brizzle

Brizzle

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Time to stop dwelling and get ready for the next one. Burnley at home.

I was thinking at the weekend around thoughts of us being too scared to concede, that the game against them earlier this season was one of our better moments of character this year as we went 1-0 down and turned on the fight. Maybe in one of these games that we have drawn we would have been better conceding first and turning it on (similar to Palace).

Anyway.... I realise I started dwelling there. I'm torn on this one - get Millie back into AM, or start Shaq. I'd also go with the same front three and keep Firmino as a bench option - he's not sharp.

-----------Alisson------------
TAA--Matip--VVD--Robbo
--------Gini----Fabs---------
------------Shaq--------------
Salah----Mane----Origi

Naby did well against them last time out and Milner scored so many options - as long as we don't have both Gini & Hendo starting I think we're in a good place.
 
Milner had the worst spell for us I've ever seen him have for anyone on Sunday, I'd like to give him a week off to extend his rest as far as possible before Bayern.

That said, Gini was fucking awful too & has
played way more than any other midfielder this season for us so desperately needs a rest as well.

Burnley will be compact & disciplined, this much we know. We'll need to break their lines, so either we play Shaq or Keita in midfield to do it, or we Keep Origi upfront & put Firmino in midfield to do it.
 
I'd like to see both Keita and Shaqiri, I think they have been unfairly omitted from games lately, even from coming off the bench.

Lallana coming on over Shaqiri on Sunday is still grinding my gears.
 
Back 5 picks itself and I’d go Fabino, Henderson and Keita in midfield. Let’s give Milner and wijnaldum that extra time ahead of Bayern.

Front 3 will be the usual suspects. We need Salah to find his goal scoring form. Hopefully that’ll lead to a wonderful streak.
 
An 'exciting' midfield might be Fabs, Keita and Shaq. Would love to see something like that given a go.
 
Keita was awesome last time out against Burnley; he made their midfielders look like tree stumps as he glided past them at will. I'd be extremely disappointed if he doesn't start. By the same token, I'd be surprised if Shaqiri gets a start – the fact that he didn't play a single minute against Watford and Everton shows that he's firmly in Klopp's doghouse. It might be unfair, given his excellent contributions earlier in the season, but in truth he's produced very little since December, whether starting or as a sub, Klopp doesn't trust him in midfield and it doesn't make much sense to switch formations and other players' positions to try to accommodate a player unless he's in great form.

All that said, I would seriously consider switching back to 4-2-3-1, even without Shaqiri starting. Our 4-3-3 has largely been unconvincing this season and exposed the glaring disconnect between the creatively challenged midfield and our front 3, which on recent evidence can no longer can be considered a world-class counter-attacking unit. We need more numbers in attack to maintain the same level of goal-scoring threat, so I would perhaps try something like this front 6:

------------Mane------------
Origi------Firmino----Salah
------Keita-----Fabinho----

The basic simple idea would be to use Keita's ball-carrying ability and Fabinho's vertical passing to get the ball to Firmino stationed between the lines of Burnley's flat 4-4-2, from where he can pick a pass to the 3 runners, with Salah and Origi making diagonal runs from the outside and Mane occupying the CBs. I don't think crossing from Trent and Robbo will be such a big weapon against Burnley as it was vs Watford; we need to run at them and keep the ball on the ground at all times.
 
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The key thing is to blitz them in the first twenty minutes. Start slowly and cautiously and Burnley will settle into their negative game plan and it'll be sheer torture for 90 odd minutes.
 
Shaaq cannot defend at all. Makes it risky to give him a sniff in midfield in a tight game. 4231 could be an option.
 
momoWASboss said:
Back 5 picks itself and I’d go Fabino, Henderson and Keita in midfield. Let’s give Milner and wijnaldum that extra time ahead of Bayern.

Front 3 will be the usual suspects. We need Salah to find his goal scoring form. Hopefully that’ll lead to a wonderful streak.
Click to expand...
We know Burnley are going to sit deep and let us try to break them down - that midfield doesn't seem enough to me.

I was going to post something similar to Rurik but fuck it his lineup looks so sweet. If that can't sweep them away ...

------------Mane------------
Origi------Firmino----Salah
------Keita-----Fabinho----

And we trust in the Back 5 to keep Burnley at bay when they break or hoof it. I do think this could be another Watford if we go for it and lose those conservative shackles that we've worn for most of 2019. Win 3-1.
 
We should obviously balance the midfield with some creativity, but Burnley are a physical side and we need to be prepared for that as well.

Alisson
Trent Matip Virgil Robertson

Fabinho Gini
Milner
Salah Firmino Mane

Same procedure as against Watford.
 
Hansern said:
We should obviously balance the midfield with some creativity, but Burnley are a physical side and we need to be prepared for that as well.
Click to expand...

They are physical when it comes to fighting for high balls and such, but they are weak in terms of agility and balance, which are also important physical attributes. I think we should force them away from their comfort zone by having quick and agile players like Keita run at them, rather than trying to beat them at their own game. Obviously we still need the likes of Fabinho and Van Dijk to cope with their long-ball game, but that's a given.
 
rurikbird said:
They are physical when it comes to fighting for high balls and such, but they are weak in terms of agility and balance, which are also important physical attributes. I think we should force them away from their comfort zone by having quick and agile players like Keita run at them, rather than trying to beat them at their own game. Obviously we still need the likes of Fabinho and Van Dijk to cope with their long-ball game, but that's a given.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I agree. It was more a comment towards starting both Shaqiri and Keita in midfield. Keita to start instead of Milner is an equally good solution.
 
Im on board with 4-2-3-1 in these games where we have to break down well drilled defence. Klopp has put the handbreak on against Utd and Everton picking a cautious midfield to control rather than attack. Burnley will almost certain cede control in an attempt to stiffle us so Klopps belt and braces approach would play into their hands. We need to be in the front foot, play to our strengths and trust the defensive unit to do its job

-------------Allison
TAA--Matip--VvD--Robbo
------Fabinho--Hendo
Salah-----Keita-----Mane
-------------Firmino

If Firmino isnt 100%, and I mean 100%, then put Mane up top and Origi wide left. A half fit Firmino is just Sturridge with more flicks.
 
RedStar said:
Im on board with 4-2-3-1 in these games where we have to break down well drilled defence. Klopp has put the handbreak on against Utd and Everton picking a cautious midfield to control rather than attack. Burnley will almost certain cede control in an attempt to stiffle us so Klopps belt and braces approach would play into their hands. We need to be in the front foot, play to our strengths and trust the defensive unit to do its job

-------------Allison
TAA--Matip--VvD--Robbo
------Fabinho--Hendo
Salah-----Keita-----Mane
-------------Firmino

If Firmino isnt 100%, and I mean 100%, then put Mane up top and Origi wide left. A half fit Firmino is just Sturridge with more flicks.
Click to expand...

Firmino at 100% hasn't been good enough this season. He's scored 9 league goals. That's fucking terrible.

He's got less goals than the likes of Mitrovic, Glenn fucking Murray and Sigurdsson and has only scored two goals in the last 10 games
 
Yes. And of course worse still, he's been poor at doing all of the movement and work that normally excuses his disappointing strike rate. The decline in that huge part of his game is extremely worrying.
 
I wonder if as a trio they are pressing less (i'm sure there is a guy on twitter who does pressing stats) - there are times when it feels like Bobby goes to press but he has no back up and thus it is likely to be a fruitless exercise.
 
Keita has to play..

Midfield combination is not working. Need some creativity in there..

At least till the ox is back
 
RedNinja said:
Keita has to play..

Midfield combination is not working. Need some creativity in there..

At least till the ox is back
Click to expand...

The lack of creativity, goals, assists, passes that aren't sideways and even basics like "running forward with the ball" are all obvious issues with a midfield three selected from Wijnaldum, Milner, Henderson and Fabinho. This is why the addition of a genuine, top quality creative attacking midfielder was crucial and everyone knew it.

We thought that the cheap addition of Shaqiri might be it, after the Fekir deal fell through, but even though he has scored 6 league goals (that's only three less than Firmino, who plays every game, and as many as the rest of them put together) he's been inconsistent, and struggles with the defensive requirements.

Then there's Keita, and nobody seems sure what he's supposed to do, or be, and neither is he, but initial guesses where that he was the mobile midfield connection between a solid number 6 holding player - Fabinho - and an attacking midfield number 10. Which we don't have (although Firmino was tried there several times). But he can certainly move at pace with the ball, even though he's done fuck all with it so far.

But just because he's different to our water-carrying workhorses, does he merit a place just based on that? He hasn't played well enough and so he isn't getting a game.

Sadly, it seems the shocking decision to not buy a quality AM, or a genuine striker, has left our title bid spluttering out at just the wrong moment.
 
Keita is absolutely not an Attacking midfielder.. he has struggle in that role all season... He plays better in the middle of a midfield 3. That's his natural position.. As you say between No 6 and No 10

He needs to be playing with a view in front of him, playing a deeper role in midfield accommodates that..

It was evident in the game against Bournemouth being played in a the middle of a midfield 3 how much he and the team benefitted from it..

Your right about Frim.. he has been dropped back to accommodate that missing void this season.. but his form as well as Salahs has dipped as a result

I would go with Fabs, Keita with Winjaldum at the top of the midfield 3..

As soon as OX is back he has to play, even if he is coming on from the bench initially.. He will offer that creative outlet and drive we have been lacking all season from midfield..
 
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manwithnoname said:
Firmino at 100% hasn't been good enough this season. He's scored 9 league goals. That's fucking terrible.

He's got less goals than the likes of Mitrovic, Glenn fucking Murray and Sigurdsson and has only scored two goals in the last 10 games
Click to expand...

I'm amazed no fingers have been pointed his direction this season. He's been way off it. Disappointing.
 
He was great at dragging the central defenders out of position, or recovering the ball from the blindside of an advancing midfielder and then instinctively laying it off to a teammate. His awareness of who is around him and weight of his touches are usually impeccable.

Playing deeper in congested midfields has largely negated those qualities that served him so well last season.
 
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