Klopp's Liverpool Style Guide to Winning Games

[redmike65]

So then the club has its man, we know what we think works (what the previous manager knew but then forgot), Klopp has his own favoured formation/s but also has to work with a pre-determined squad with no quick opportunity to ring the changes in personnel.

Klopps big thing was quick, high energy pressing so called "gegenpressing", moving the team as a unit from defence to attack and back again. A sort of thugs version of the Barcelona approach - if the opposition has the ball you work hard to regain it quickly and then turn defence into immediate attack.

Now of course this is something we all know and loved from 2013/14 when after a quite start Liverpool really hit their groove and had games won or as good as by half time with pressing, harrying and quick transitions back to front. Can this squad (the one without Luis Suarez indefatigable energy and will) be coached to play in the same general manner?

It sounds daft to suggest Ings might be the key but he is the one who shares the same "street football" ethos in the attack from which Sturridge and/or Benteke can benefit. The first 11 still features Coutinho and Hendo from that 13/14, side throw in Firmino and Milner who are high energy type players plus the up and down width of Clyne and Moreno and maybe the leap back to that style is not as big as might be thought.

Typically Klopp set his BVB team up 4-2-3-1 which is something Rodgers never made work to any level its fair to say, but maybe that was nothing to do with players per se just his inability to put them in the rights places and it must be said playing Sterling as the striker was always a big ask in any formation.

I'm 4-4-2 diamond all day I have to say and hope, really hope that he sees he has the players for that right now and tries it.

[I, Ravel Morrison]

I've a strong feeling we'll be playing a variant of the 4-4-2 diamond right off the bat against Spurs. Klopp would have no doubt taken a close look at our 2013/14 season by now and take a shine to it since it bears similar hallmarks to his own philosophy.

I think we could well see Ings and Lallana having initial starring roles (until the likes of Benteke and Firmino return to fitness) with their ability to press, to augment the harrying and pressure that Sturridge wouldn't provide on his own upfront. With Coutinho dropping deeper to make the plays, supported by Milner and Can in the middle of the park. I see Milner being a surprise package as a #10 as well.

[Fosterbloke]

Could Coutinho play the Sahin role?

[dww]

Michael Cox has a hopeful view of it - although his observations are a bit different to some of the assumptions made on here (particularly interesting to me are the bits about his changing style at Dortmund):

http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2015/oct/09/liverpool-jurgen-klopp-tactics-exciting-combination

[Hemingway]

That's a good article. Makes the important point that gegenpressing isn't Bielsa and how functional it can be. It's about the first 5-7 seconds after losing possession, and if you don't get it back immediately you drop back into shape. That's one of the interesting things from Klopp's first interview, when he was asked about style of play and he said "The first thing you need in football is a good defence." (Got some work to do there, Jurgen. ) It can be full-throttle and attacking, but it's not full-throttle the way BR could be trying to win 4-3. That first title year at Dortmund they only let in something like 20 goals, the best defensive Bundesliga team in awhile. We may well see that before we see the all-out attack it became.

Cox also mentions a possible 442. That shape is more Roger Schmidt than Simeone, and Schmidt's made it work but the midfield gets exposed a lot. I wouldn't be surprised to see something like the 'hidden diamond' he used a few times at BVB. That's probably the best mix of what you guys want to see with the diamond and what Klopp's historically done. It's set up looking like a straight 442 but with a lot of movement - one CM dropping back, one pushing forward, the wide midfielders playing narrowly - that turns it into a sort of pseudo-diamond.

[greenbloodred]

Emre Can as a midfielder and not a defender will be a good start

[RedReet]

Emre Can as a midfielder and not a defender will be a good start

I'd like to see Can moulded into a Ballack type player, but I can't see it with so many attacking midfielders already on our books.

I'm not sure he's guaranteed to play in midfield undert Klopp either, German managers seem to quite fancy him at full back.

[el matador]

That's a good article. Makes the important point that gegenpressing isn't Bielsa and how functional it can be. It's about the first 5-7 seconds after losing possession, and if you don't get it back immediately you drop back into shape. That's one of the interesting things from Klopp's first interview, when he was asked about style of play and he said "The first thing you need in football is a good defence." (Got some work to do there, Jurgen. ) It can be full-throttle and attacking, but it's not full-throttle the way BR could be trying to win 4-3. That first title year at Dortmund they only let in something like 20 goals, the best defensive Bundesliga team in awhile. We may well see that before we see the all-out attack it became.

Cox also mentions a possible 442. That shape is more Roger Schmidt than Simeone, and Schmidt's made it work but the midfield gets exposed a lot. I wouldn't be surprised to see something like the 'hidden diamond' he used a few times at BVB. That's probably the best mix of what you guys want to see with the diamond and what Klopp's historically done. It's set up looking like a straight 442 but with a lot of movement - one CM dropping back, one pushing forward, the wide midfielders playing narrowly - that turns it into a sort of pseudo-diamond.

He said something very crucial when asked about the style we would play. He said something in German and it roughly translated as transitional football. That has two meaning

1. We will look to play a counter attacking style ie Dortmund
2. We will become experts at managing the two transitional phases of the game

A. When we immediately lose the ball
B. When we immediately regain the ball

For A, as you say 5-7 seconds of pressing the ball, not cutting off passing lanes and if not successful dropping into a mid block 442.

For B, instead of getting the ball back and then taking 10 passes in our own back line like Rodgers way, the fullbacks, wide players and the striker will be off. It will be up to the coutimho-firmino axis to find those runners.

Under Brendan Rodgers we were shocking bad at A and B, but things are really going to be different under Jürgen klopp.

[brightred]

Michael Cox has a hopeful view of it - although his observations are a bit different to some of the assumptions made on here (particularly interesting to me are the bits about his changing style at Dortmund):

http://www.theguardian.com/football/...ng-combination

Very interesting article.

The various formations show how we actually have a talented bunch of players, something Klopp said today. However I don't think I will ever feel optimistic about a defence with Lovren in it.

[brightred]

He said something very crucial when asked about the style we would play. He said something in German and it roughly translated as transitional football. That has two meaning

1. We will look to play a counter attacking style ie Dortmund
2. We will become experts at managing the two transitional phases of the game

A. When we immediately lose the ball
B. When we immediately regain the ball

For A, as you say 5-7 seconds of pressing the ball, not cutting off passing lanes and if not successful dropping into a mid block 442.

For B, instead of getting the ball back and then taking 10 passes in our own back line like Rodgers way, the fullbacks, wide players and the striker will be off. It will be up to the coutimho-firmino axis to find those runners.

Under Brendan Rodgers we were shocking bad at A and B, but things are really going to be different under Jürgen klopp.

Possibly the most incite full thing he said. Football is 50/50. He makes it sound very simple, something the players should find refreshing.

Sometimes Brendan sounded like he was reinventing the wheel.

[RichC]

Michael Cox has a hopeful view of it - although his observations are a bit different to some of the assumptions made on here (particularly interesting to me are the bits about his changing style at Dortmund):

http://www.theguardian.com/football/...ng-combination

Good read.

I think it highlights the squad certainly isn't that far away from being good maybe even very good IF it's utilised properly.

[BigChief]

Good read.

I think it highlights the squad certainly isn't that far away from being good maybe even very good IF it's utilised properly.

Don't have much doubt about that, give or take 2 or 3 players which I think have no hope of developing. I just couldn't (and still can't) understand what the feck happened to Rodgers' logical thinking. If he only did half his job right he would have gotten more out of the players and ultimately better results.

No wonder the players were playing like they had no leader or direction.

Players like Texeira and Origi aren't just good enough for cup runs. They're good enough to rip smaller PL teams apart with the right work. I have finally heard the full PC and Klopp made a very important point about bringing better teams to our level (so playing our best players and working hard) and then playing the not so good teams and killing them (by utilising squad players who are talented and biting at the chomp to become first team players). This rotation of motivation (I made that up , its mine) is what drives a club forward.

[SB]

Don't have much doubt about that, give or take 2 or 3 players which I think have no hope of developing. I just couldn't (and still can't) understand what the feck happened to Rodgers' logical thinking. If he only did half his job right he would have gotten more out of the players and ultimately better results.

No wonder the players were playing like they had no leader or direction.

Players like Texeira and Origi aren't just good enough for cup runs. They're good enough to rip smaller PL teams apart with the right work. I have finally heard the full PC and Klopp made a very important point about bringing better teams to our level (so playing our best players and working hard) and then playing the not so good teams and killing them (by utilising squad players who are talented and biting at the chomp to become first team players). This rotation of motivation (I made that up , its mine) is what drives a club forward.

you made that one up too didn't you ?

[Rigadon]

Genuine question - what's Klopp's transfer history like?

[redmike65]

He doesn't have one in isolation as he worked under a DoF - Michael Zorc at Dortmund. I'm assuming they didn't just buy people and tell Klopp to get on with it though.