how we should approach the bus parkers

[baitman]

we are the best team in the country, come and have a go if you're hard enough and we will take you down.

but if you come not to play then you have found our achilles heel

we need to set up differently and alter our tactics. a plan B, but not a hoofball set up...

we need to play 4-4-2 [diamond] of some description, or maybe a 3-5-2, but with wingers going wide to open up the opposition back lines. two guys in the middle who will interchange to move the centre backs around.

playing mane and salah as inverted wingers is no good as they have to come inside to get their shots off. these teams will be packing the middle of the pitch and will have two or three closing down our key players as they come into the final third and by the time they get to the opposition gaol area they will be running into a wall of bodies...
we need our wide men to be able to go wide and get the ball to the byline and give us the option to go wide. they could still come inside but at least playing as a 'normal' winger gives us the option of width.

we dont really need to be playing such 'defensive' as in a normal game as the other team will sit back and not press us so much unless we get in the final third. if we play 3-5-2 then one of our centre backs can come up field 15 yards to counter the long ball, and if we play 4-4-2 then one of our midfields can cover the deeper position, so it'll be a 4-4-2 diamond.

something like this... the players used can obviously vary, but this gives an idea of what we need in the different areas.
3-5-2.

- - ings - - - solanke - -
salah - - firmino - - mane
- - oxlade - - - taa - -
klavan - - vvd - - matip
- - - - - karius - - - - - -

4-4-2 diamond.

- - ings - - - solanke - -
- - - firmino/lallana - - -
- salah - - - - - - - mane -
- - - - - - - can - - - - - - -
robertson - lovren - vvd - taa
- - - - - - karius - - -- - - - -

[Havors]

Well when a team parks the bus you only have a few things to do to either stretch them or turn them.

1. WIDTH! Double up on the wings drag their players out of the congested middle.
2. Hold the ball deep, try draw them out a touch and play balls over the top.
3. Run at them and at the gaps as soon as you see a chance... make them turn and face their own goal.
4. DONT keep doing the same things over and over expecting different results..
5. DONT make piss poor passes to the opposition

[Lecter]

we are the best team in the country, come and have a go if you're hard enough and we will take you down.

but if you come not to play then you have found our achilles heel

we need to set up differently and alter our tactics. a plan B, but not a hoofball set up...

we need to play 4-4-2 [diamond] of some description, or maybe a 3-5-2, but with wingers going wide to open up the opposition back lines. two guys in the middle who will interchange to move the centre backs around.

playing mane and salah as inverted wingers is no good as they have to come inside to get their shots off. these teams will be packing the middle of the pitch and will have two or three closing down our key players as they come into the final third and by the time they get to the opposition gaol area they will be running into a wall of bodies...
we need our wide men to be able to go wide and get the ball to the byline and give us the option to go wide. they could still come inside but at least playing as a 'normal' winger gives us the option of width.

we dont really need to be playing such 'defensive' as in a normal game as the other team will sit back and not press us so much unless we get in the final third. if we play 3-5-2 then one of our centre backs can come up field 15 yards to counter the long ball, and if we play 4-4-2 then one of our midfields can cover the deeper position, so it'll be a 4-4-2 diamond.

something like this... the players used can obviously vary, but this gives an idea of what we need in the different areas.
3-5-2.

- - ings - - - solanke - -
salah - - firmino - - mane
- - oxlade - - - taa - -
klavan - - vvd - - matip
- - - - - karius - - - - - -

4-4-2 diamond.

- - ings - - - solanke - -
- - - firmino/lallana - - -
- salah - - - - - - - mane -
- - - - - - - can - - - - - - -
robertson - lovren - vvd - taa
- - - - - - karius - - -- - - - -

Despite the "wrong" formation......

Salah missed a golden opportunity when he volleyed over
Firmino hit the post

[Shaggy]

City face the same as us and they're always getting down the sides, turning teams around and working balls across the box - Sterling scores so many of his goals arriving at the far post.

[Buzzo]

I dont think we have any issues tactically.

We do lack alternatives. When Mane (had a good chance last night), Firmino (hit the post) and Salah (if he mis hits that volley it probably goes in) arent scoring we lack alternatives from the bench.

I'm inclined to think it was just one of those games last night, but when city are in the same predicament they are looking at a bench full of £50m replacements.

Man Utd are the same and Sanchez will probably secure second for them.

I think we are better than Chelsea, Spurs and Arsenal, but if they all strengthen then we need to also.

Our problem is, when it is not going the way of the front three we are struggling to find another player to bring on with the required quality. We must replace Coutinho.

[meffin]

If Klopp can't figure out how to break these teams down, then i don't think we will. But...

Its all about shear numbers of people- so when they do it, we need to really push the full back up to become wingers, and then stick one CM infront of the CB as a play maker, pinging balls forward and starting attacks- like Gerrard did in his later years

We also need to take our chances and not miss sitters... and make more of set pieces

[baitman]

obviously coutinho is a massive loss and he was someone that could help unlock a tight defence.

we had enough quality players on the pitch v swansea but we didnt seem to be using them correctly, despite the odd few chances we made.

as Shaggy mentioned, man city will go wide and turn a team around, crosses along the line or cut back, players getting on the near post and far post to put the ball in. they are running away with the league because they are able to unlock these teams that park the bus.

this is something that klopp seems unable to get his head around...
he want to play expansive football, and given the chance we are amazing, but when we need to adjust he is left scratching his head looking for ideas.
we are struggling, i know what to do, i will bollock the fourth official. this always works out well...

[labourRed]

City face the same as us and they're always getting down the sides, turning teams around and working balls across the box - Sterling scores so many of his goals arriving at the far post.

As does Salah, we suffer from a lack of a number nine, they have two in Aguero (I think he's more of a 9 than a 10) and Jesus. Their creativity in midfield is also significantly better than ours.

[The_weatherman]

Despite the "wrong" formation......

Salah missed a golden opportunity when he volleyed over
Firmino hit the post

Lallana also missed at the death, we really should have scored, we only started playing in the second half IMO. This is a mental problem I feel.

[Lecter]

obviously coutinho is a massive loss and he was someone that could help unlock a tight defence.

we had enough quality players on the pitch v swansea but we didnt seem to be using them correctly, despite the odd few chances we made.

as Shaggy mentioned, man city will go wide and turn a team around, crosses along the line or cut back, players getting on the near post and far post to put the ball in. they are running away with the league because they are able to unlock these teams that park the bus.

this is something that klopp seems unable to get his head around...
he want to play expansive football, and given the chance we are amazing, but when we need to adjust he is left scratching his head looking for ideas.
we are struggling, i know what to do, i will bollock the fourth official. this always works out well...

Perhaps it was just an off day all round

I am struggling to think of one player who was anything above average yesterday

I think people sometimes read too much into formations etc..

We were poor but we still created 2 or 3 clear cut chances

[Lecter]

Lallana also missed at the death, we really should have scored, we only started playing in the second half IMO. This is a mental problem I feel.

The only thing I would say is I feel against the lesser teams our players dwell on the ball too long

Its almost like, well its only Swansea so I will just dribble round this guy or take a couple of touches more

The approach and tempo has to be the same against the lesser sides as it is against the top

When we have started quickly we have generally even found a way through bus parkers

When we start slow, our game becomes mired in too many touches, too much approach play and that could also be a reason why we snatch at chances

[Maxiedge]

City have the two best creative midfielders on the planet who make rest of the team look better than they are (bar Aguero who is still world class) with their ability to play defence splitting passes with perfect pace/height or whatever...

I think KDB has either created or scored everyone one of their goals. He's a ****ing monster and they type of player we're missing.

[Roboklopp]

For me we need a player like Suarez and a player like Alonso. Should be easy.

[Roboklopp]

The only thing I would say is I feel against the lesser teams our players dwell on the ball too long

Its almost like, well its only Swansea so I will just dribble round this guy or take a couple of touches more

The approach and tempo has to be the same against the lesser sides as it is against the top

When we have started quickly we have generally even found a way through bus parkers

When we start slow, our game becomes mired in too many touches, too much approach play and that could also be a reason why we snatch at chances

Aye, you could tell after 30 seconds we were gonna drop points. That intensity thing is huge. So ****ing frustrating.

[cream]

We need a creative midfielder and full backs that will actually give us width, Robertson and Gomez were poor lady night, we probably would've been better with Moreno and TTA.

Klopp actually alluded to players not doing what they were supposed to do, so maybe it's just a case of players following instructions.