15 May 2025 13:48:47
Who Are We Going to Be?
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I don't think it's unfair or insightful to say that we just won our title with klopps players playing a far more controlled version of klopps football.
Arne is (unlike amorim) smart enough to realise the players he has can't play his way so how about getting them to the best version of how they can play.
This summer it's very likely Arne will get the cash to shape the team to how he wants to play. But what exactly is that?
I think the answer to that question can be answered by looking at two things -
1. Who arne favours
2. Who arne and the club are targeting
Throughout the season key players for Arne have been players who all share one ability. At first I just thought it was players with high stamina but actually the key attribute they all share is the ability to break defensive lines with the ball at their feet.
Gravenberch is an obvious example but Mac, szobozlsai, Salah, Cody, Diaz are all very adept at doing that. Even robbo loves to do it he's just not as good as he used to be.
This also explains why Arne seems to favour Bradley over Trent anyway because Trent breaks lines with passing but Conor does it with the ball at his feet.
If you look at the players the club is seriously looking at they all share this trait as well. Kerkez, frimpong and wirtz all Excell at this.
I think this tells us that next season we won't be a fast transitional team like under klopp at all. We will be a possession based team using movement with the ball to create chances and fast short range passing.
The advantage is of course that it's much easier to succeed with a short range pass than smash a laser guided long range missile. It's a system which anyone should be capable in even if they're less gifted with passing range.
Secondly it's a system designed for high pressing opponents. The idea of high pressing is to force the opponent into playing it long and concede possession. Gravenberch has been so successful because he doesn't usually need to do that because he just carries the ball past the press instead, having more of those types of players means it's easier to beat a high energy press, in theory.
I think this explains why we are linked with players like frimpong, wirtz etc because they're all very capable of beating a press with the ball.
I also think this means that probably Salah will move inside to the centre next season and play a little deeper knowing that he too can beat a press and frimpong will do the hard yards on the outside as more of a traditional style full length wingback. Kerkez would do the same.
I think it could be a really interesting season next year to see how we play. If I'm right with what Im saying I think it'll be very effective in the high pressing premier league.
My only doubts really are that we are recruiting from leagues which offer tons of space and aren't physical so it's easy to beat presses in bundesliga and a lot of bundesliga players struggle when they come to premier league.
For every bobby who slots in well there is a Werner who struggles with the more robust pressing and defending.
15 May 2025 14:34:53
Frimpong is anything but possession. He is similar to Aaron lenon. As much as we have seen Slot prefers to keep the ball and foreever. And then you should also consider he is a headcoach and some singnings are above him.
15 May 2025 14:52:05
A lot of your post makes sense, but then you also write Arne favours Bradley over Trent, which is strange, because I don't recall a single league/ CL game where both were fit and he started Conor over Trent.
15 May 2025 14:55:37
I am sorry but how did you reach to the conclusion that Slot prefers Bradley to Taa. At Feyenord, Slot changed tactics every season within the possession framework. I am really starting to think that he does not have a fixed way of playing and that might be his greatest attribute.
15 May 2025 15:04:41
In fairness its been the worst player in a good while. Great we won it but Dick Hughes and Co can't take any credit for it. Let's just see how they let us down going into next season.
15 May 2025 17:15:30
You are a happy soul, Harry. Have you ever called yourself Victor Meldrew, amongst the plethora of names you keep giving yourself?
15 May 2025 17:22:29
Frimpong is class lads, I scouted him while he was at Celtic. But it’s quite hard to judge if it was just because he was playing in Scotland. What he has done for Leverkusen confirms he is the real deal.
A total menace going forward and his work rate is phenomenal, so getting back to defend isn’t a problem. Another player I wanted at Liverpool one day hopefully will join and be better than TAA ever was.
16 May 2025 03:43:36
The people pushing the Klopp's Team narrative are just desperate to diminish the league title. These mutants think that the club having a prepared squad is somehow a matter of luck, and it means more if the new manager has to build his own team.
This is why Liverpool have continuity and why Man Utd don't.