So how do we think Klopp sees this? For me it’s been the primary weakness of our side over the past couple of years – yes, even more so than central defence.
There’s 2 ways of setting up a central midfield, depending on whether you’re playing a 4-2-3-1 or a 4-3-3
4-2-3-1:
DM DM
AM
4-3-3:
DM
CM CM
In our strongest line-up last season, Klopp seemed to favour a 4-2-3-1 with Can and Henderson. But there’s a major lack of balance with this. Can seemed to be asked by Klopp to be the deeper of the 2, but he’s not a natural defensive midfielder at all. As we saw in the final, his natural inclination is to roam forward and try to put his stamp on midfield further upfield. Henderson is pretty similar in this regard – at his best he’s an all energy ball chasing midfielder who can be found anywhere on the pitch. In all honesty Henderson and Can is a dreadful combination, in a 4-2-3-1 without a DM behind them and long term would result in our midfield being more like a pinball machine than a midfield. I’m not a Lucas fan really, but he is the only player in the squad who genuinely knows how to play as a holding midfielder – i.e. sit in front of the defence, keep position and play simple passes.
So who do we need? I was almost sure Klopp would spend big on a specialist defensive midfielder. For me this would solve many of our issues. But the players we’ve been linked with have seemed more like ‘number 8’ players who aren’t really defensive midfielders. Zielinski was playing on the side of a diamond. Dahoud doesn’t seem like a DM. Add the fact that we’ve already signed a ‘number 8’ type midfielder in Grugic.
So assuming Allen leaves AND assuming Can remains as the deepest midfielder, and we play 4-2-3-1, this means Henderson, Zielinksi/Dahoud/, Milner and Grugic are all fighting for 1 position. Why so many central midfielders? Is Klopp planning more of a 1-2 midfield of a 4-3-3, which requires 2 central midfielders and one holding midfielder? Indeed, Klopp has played this a few times this season. But this would mean no number 10 like Firmino and probably a reduced goal threat. This would probably only work if we signed a right winger who knew how to score a hat full of goals.
I keep coming back to the fact that we desperately need a specialist DM – even if it means Henderson being consigned to more time on the subs bench. Why is it so difficult for us to sign a DM? Let’s hope Klopp is the first Liverpool manager to sign a decent DM since Rafa signed Mascherano 9 years ago.
There’s 2 ways of setting up a central midfield, depending on whether you’re playing a 4-2-3-1 or a 4-3-3
4-2-3-1:
DM DM
AM
4-3-3:
DM
CM CM
In our strongest line-up last season, Klopp seemed to favour a 4-2-3-1 with Can and Henderson. But there’s a major lack of balance with this. Can seemed to be asked by Klopp to be the deeper of the 2, but he’s not a natural defensive midfielder at all. As we saw in the final, his natural inclination is to roam forward and try to put his stamp on midfield further upfield. Henderson is pretty similar in this regard – at his best he’s an all energy ball chasing midfielder who can be found anywhere on the pitch. In all honesty Henderson and Can is a dreadful combination, in a 4-2-3-1 without a DM behind them and long term would result in our midfield being more like a pinball machine than a midfield. I’m not a Lucas fan really, but he is the only player in the squad who genuinely knows how to play as a holding midfielder – i.e. sit in front of the defence, keep position and play simple passes.
So who do we need? I was almost sure Klopp would spend big on a specialist defensive midfielder. For me this would solve many of our issues. But the players we’ve been linked with have seemed more like ‘number 8’ players who aren’t really defensive midfielders. Zielinski was playing on the side of a diamond. Dahoud doesn’t seem like a DM. Add the fact that we’ve already signed a ‘number 8’ type midfielder in Grugic.
So assuming Allen leaves AND assuming Can remains as the deepest midfielder, and we play 4-2-3-1, this means Henderson, Zielinksi/Dahoud/, Milner and Grugic are all fighting for 1 position. Why so many central midfielders? Is Klopp planning more of a 1-2 midfield of a 4-3-3, which requires 2 central midfielders and one holding midfielder? Indeed, Klopp has played this a few times this season. But this would mean no number 10 like Firmino and probably a reduced goal threat. This would probably only work if we signed a right winger who knew how to score a hat full of goals.
I keep coming back to the fact that we desperately need a specialist DM – even if it means Henderson being consigned to more time on the subs bench. Why is it so difficult for us to sign a DM? Let’s hope Klopp is the first Liverpool manager to sign a decent DM since Rafa signed Mascherano 9 years ago.
