Hopefully Bradders is as good as he has been previously as it looks like we will need him
View: https://twitter.com/_pauljoyce/status/1757789304565186672
View: https://twitter.com/_pauljoyce/status/1757789304565186672
Hopefully Bradders is as good as he has been previously as it looks like we will need him
View: https://twitter.com/_pauljoyce/status/1757789304565186672
If be very happy with Mo., Szobo + Bradley on the right for the Carabao final.Szobo is back running already (previous weekend). He’ll be close to a return I reckon.
It's wild init. I can't imagine any other club where any top tier talent has such antipathy to the news they're injured?Says a lot about Bradley (and another broad ranging reception to inverted full backs) that there is mostly calm, and in many places excitement that Bradders will get another run at RB.
We'll miss him, but it feels a bit like "the greater good". Hopefully Szobo is back because we'll miss the quality of one of them. Elliott is there too, perfect opportunity for him.It's wild init. I can't imagine any other club where any top tier talent has such antipathy to the news they're injured?
I'd imagine it will be a tough choice between Bradley and Gomez. Now Robbo is back it might be an easier decision to switch Gomez to the right than drop him, as he's been playing extremely well.
We'll miss him, but it feels a bit like "the greater good". Hopefully Szobo is back because we'll miss the quality of one of them. Elliott is there too, perfect opportunity for him.
He's a miss because what he offers, but the last 2 games he's clearly been not fit and looked dreadful when asked to actually move.
We'll no doubt still no doubt play an inverted full back, and it'll be Gomez
I doubt we'll see much more of Gravenberch this seasonWe need to have that box midfield for our pressing system and quick direct progression to work.
The way round not having an inverted FB is to play with a double pivot (Mac A & Endo), let the FB’s (Robbo & Bradders) get forward and then use a false 9 to complete the box.
I could see Gomez missing out then as he is the least likely of our players, including whichever keeper we play, to actually find the back of the net. To be fair Gomez has been good going forward and is underrated when it comes to crossing, but both Robbo & Bradley are still better going forward.
False 9 likely means Gakpo starting up front and dropping back to support most likely Curtis or Gravy, with the 2 wider forwards inverting - this is more like how we played in the latter stages of last season.
As I understand it, though only watched highlights, this is how we played against Arsenal, Gakpo False 9’ing & Trent holding a wider position instead of inverting.
This place would have kittens if Gravy & Gakpo represented our attacking midfield line - so pray for Curtis.
Also - Diaz would be out and if Mo is back then either Jota or Nunez is likely benched - there will be much gnashing of teeth if it’s Nunez.
Does give us flexibility and a strong bench with potentially Gomez, Quansah, Harvey, Gravy, Diaz & Jota/Nunez.
We need to have that box midfield for our pressing system and quick direct progression to work.
The way round not having an inverted FB is to play with a double pivot (Mac A & Endo), let the FB’s (Robbo & Bradders) get forward and then use a false 9 to complete the box.
I could see Gomez missing out then as he is the least likely of our players, including whichever keeper we play, to actually find the back of the net. To be fair Gomez has been good going forward and is underrated when it comes to crossing, but both Robbo & Bradley are still better going forward.
False 9 likely means Gakpo starting up front and dropping back to support most likely Curtis or Gravy, with the 2 wider forwards inverting - this is more like how we played in the latter stages of last season.
As I understand it, though only watched highlights, this is how we played against Arsenal, Gakpo False 9’ing & Trent holding a wider position instead of inverting.
This place would have kittens if Gravy & Gakpo represented our attacking midfield line - so pray for Curtis.
Also - Diaz would be out and if Mo is back then either Jota or Nunez is likely benched - there will be much gnashing of teeth if it’s Nunez.
Does give us flexibility and a strong bench with potentially Gomez, Quansah, Harvey, Gravy, Diaz & Jota/Nunez.
The box works well, and I get the desire to preserve it, but we've looked infinitely better when weve had a full back who sticks to the flank. It's opened new passing channels, it's made us less narrow, allowing Jota and Nunez to have more space to exploit.
We should have enough in the squad to not rely on it for every single game? We won every single trophy under The Lying Rag without it, and now it's essential to how we play?
Yes, sort of, because tactics don’t exist in a vacuum - teams adapt, figure them out and counteract them.
We’ve played a box in pretty much every game - the question is more around how we form it.
Bradley sticks to a traditional attacking RB, so the LB inverts.
I watched City the other morning, Stones steps up from CB into midfield and they go 3 at the back with no FB’s and 2 wingers hugging the touchline allowing De Bruyne & Silva to get forward through the centre (sounds like how Xabi sets up).
Arsenal & us both tried to do it utilising a false 9 in our last game - Havertz & Gakpo - they just did it better - so they had Jorginho & Rice in a double pivot.
Sometimes they do it with Zinchenko allowing the other midfielder more opportunity to get forward.
We could do either as well - we have the players.
What we found out last season is that having a single pivot and pushing your FB’s high while playing 2 creative midfielders, overloads your DM and exposes the centre.
I keep saying this, every tactical set up has pros and cons, risks and rewards, etc and Klopp embraces chaos as opposed to control like few other managers in the game and his direct style means we’ll create loads but will also be more vulnerable.
For me it's dropping Mac or Curtis back when out of possession and dropping Nunez or Jota back to help. It's just standard defending, as we have for years.
This "box" terminology shite only seemed to become important when Trent was shite at right back and our midfield couldn't run any more, so klopp threw him a bone to offer him some midfield stuff without actually making the full shift
See… again, the box midfield has become en vogue because teams like City started playing it to overcome other teams shifting tactics.
the balance is not between left and right it’s between forward and back - you need those two 8’s high up the pitch for the press - they’re the trigger men - Curtis & Dom are essential to us.
Without them you’re just inviting teams to either play through you or give them time to ping long diagonals in behind FB’s & CB’s.
One of the purposes of the inverted FB is to goad the opposition winger to come inside to avoid a central midfield overload - if they stay out wide to exploit the space left by an inverted FB, someone has to drop in from elsewhere or they cede the middle of the park to us - which if they do creates space for us to exploit elsewhere.
I understand all that, completely. I have no qualms over it's it's benefits on paper; what irks me is you need the 2 people in the 6 position when we're in possession. One of those 2 in the 6 isn't the most press resistant, nor the most energetic in getting back to their own position for when there's a turnover. The system works as long as all the pieces work effectively. Gomez (for all his limitations) inverted well and the team still had width, as Diaz on that side stays wide.equally, Gomez is adept at reading the game so knows when to drop back. Trent just sees we have possession and then sets camp up in midfield, then realises (usually a little late) that he needs to get back to fullback. This leaves ibou stretched for longer, pulling everyone out of position. Add in we have mo who drifts in all the time; our right side is usually completely vacant, narrowing the pitch.
The system works, I'd you have the players all committed to their role in the system. I don't believe we do.
Its shit missing one of the best players in the World in his position, no matter how we try sugarcoat the changes.
Yeah but he was back to pick up the player of the month trophy so think he goes straight back in.
I'd prefer to see Gomez on the left. Firstly he deserves to keep his place (LB), secondly some of us are forgetting how meh Robbo was pre-injury and thirdly if Klopp insists on playing one of the FBs inverted then Gomez has been doing so and doing it well, fourthly defensively he's the best of all of our FBS and adds height to set pieces at both ends and fifthly - he's due a goal!I for some reason (probably my "meh" reaction to his injury) felt the need to look at old Trent compilations just to get an understanding of how his game has changed over the years.
I mean yeah it's not exactly news but I checked anyway.
So after enduring about 20 mins of shite music and video encoded with a toaster, I noticed that Trent did a lot of things we enjoy seeing young Bradders do now. Bombing forward, taking on defenders, dribbling in the opposition box, aggressive defending and more. There's the obvious crossfield Hollywood pass here and there, but in general, he played a lot wider and with a lot more pace.
I'm not sure what the conclusion is, but my honest feeling is that while Trent is injured and out of form we need to ride this Bradley thing out and see where it takes us. I hope Klopp starts him on Saturday, worst case we've got an in form Gomez too.