16 Jan 2018 13:28:04
With Hendos injuries seemingly making it difficult to play a full season, and Can potentially leaving, we look very short at no.6. Milners subbing into that role over the weekend was hardly a comforting move and clearly impacted our defensive shape

1) Do you think keita can play there effectively and would he potentially cover the no. 6 role next season if Hendo gets injured? (and has he ever done so before? It feels like he could do so IMO given his strength in the tackle but not so sure on his defensive read of the game)

2) If not, then if Can leaves us would that potentially change our midfield targets for the summer to go for a more specialist no.6 as a backup, or is Klopp happy with allrounders covering the position?

Feels like we're relying heavily on Hendos fitness record and him playing an awful lot of games if Can leaves and Keita can't play in that position.

Thoughts?


1.) 16 Jan 2018
16 Jan 2018 13:44:08
My opinion, we don't have a specialist DM in the team. if we can get someone who is good in reading the ball and can protect the back 4, then we can unleash Hendo and Kieta in the more advance role. team will not know what hit them. They will constantly pressure the opponent and win the ball back in good position. So i think a specialist DM is a must, but again don't know what Klopp wants.


2.) 16 Jan 2018
16 Jan 2018 13:38:35
Keita can play there, but he is very attack minded so can be caught out of position if there is a rapid turnover and he can't get back in time.

I wouldn't worry too much if we had Ox, Keita and Lemar as they're all willing to put in a shift defensively. Keita and Lenar won't happen this month though from the looks of it, but we have Can, Henderson, Gini and Lallana to see us through the rest of the season anyway.


3.) 16 Jan 2018
16 Jan 2018 13:40:31
It is likely that in the summer, if Klopp doesn't want to start utilizing Grujic in that area pretty much full time or become confident that Hendo is fully over his injury issues, we will see a deeper lying play-maker type player sought.


4.) 16 Jan 2018
16 Jan 2018 13:40:46
I totally agree SGRed, that's why im hoping we are going to bring someone in over the next 2weeks.


5.) 16 Jan 2018
16 Jan 2018 13:42:37
I have seen Keita play as a holding midfielder and as a box to box player. If Can goes, Klopp will buy someone else as well. IMO Keita is being brought to be an all action midfielder with end product.


6.) 16 Jan 2018
16 Jan 2018 13:56:13
Lucas wasn’t replaced. I know he was past his best and needed to move on, but we were generally better at managing the game when he was in the team, with his calmness on the ball and simple accurate passing. We don’t seem to be able to do that with the players we have now. What I wouldn’t give to see a younger Lucas coming off the bench when leading.


7.) 16 Jan 2018
16 Jan 2018 13:47:32
Well Keita could play a number of roles. He isn’t a traditional DM. But very good in breaking up of play. He is a top class tackler in the middle. His biggest strength however is going forward. He can skip past players for fun. I wouldn’t play him deep! It’s a waste of his talent.
If Can does leave then I expect Klopp to buy a midfielder. I don’t know who ( we could just speculate ) but it has to be another all action all rounder and certainly not a specialist!

I simply don’t see a future for both Hendo and Lallana beyond this summer ( AOC is giving both of them a real fight for their spot ) while we would also bring in a creative playmaker to replace Coutinho in the summer.
Klopp will certainly feel he could go on for the title next season if he could get a few players!

Thanks.