When the Moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie that's

[peterhague]

I can't understand bringing in any manager that is going to totally overhaul the way we play. Tweeks yes, overhaul no. Why would you? We are leading the PL (pending win at United) and one of the best teams (and now I'd say squads) in Europe.

We need to bring in 2-3 players to make us more consistently tight at the back and maybe to under-study Mo.

If we are talking about a manager that will need to make massive changes in formations, move Mac back again and totally change our left side - count me out as endorsing that manager.

Obviously continuity is better than no continuity, but it looks like a choice between imperfect options. Ideally you want someone like Klopp who pretty much ticked every box back in 2015, but generally that doesn't happen. Generally it's a choice between high potential/high risk, and lower potential and lower risk.

 

[Frogfish]

Obviously continuity is better than no continuity, but it looks like a choice between imperfect options. Ideally you want someone like Klopp who pretty much ticked every box back in 2015, but generally that doesn't happen. Generally it's a choice between high potential/high risk, and lower potential and lower risk.

We're losing Klopp so obviously there is no perfect replacement. However as far as continuity is concerned I think Emery could do a great job and continue winning trophies with this squad.

 

[StevieM]

Jesus that line up is grim. You've got about 7 defenders and one forward!!

Would expect something more like this myself:

Alisson

Konate
Van Dijk
Gomez

Trent RWB
Endo
Jones
Diaz LWB

Salah
Mac

Nunez

To be fair your team isn’t that much different - 8 of the players are the same and Slobz for Curtis is like for like.

Mo, I could see in that role, but I don’t see Diaz as a LWB at all.

The

 

[Squiggles]

It would be surprising if FSG and Edwards bought in a manager which required as much overhaul as I've seen talked about and discussed. It's seems uncharacteristically inefficient. When Klopp arrived it felt his club were implementing his football for the long haul and not just his tenure. The high press 4-3-3 has been implemented at every age group in this club. We will have players coming through the pipeline who may know nothing else.

This is not to say he will not be a good fit, but if we are fully shifting away from Klopps embedded tactics then the transition is will a longer one then one or two summers. This squad and style is already competing for titles. Edwards and FSG should be rightly mindful that moving away from it carries its own risk and one that's entirely separate from the managerial appointment. The general point here is I would not be shocked if there's some standard set by this club that either we a) expected any manager to continue our current style or b) any transition away from it has to be slow and considered. I just can not imagine a time line when any new manger will be allowed to come in, switch everything up and leading to a mismatched squad. We're already seeing teams posted that do not contain Mac Allister or Szobozslai for instance. It's not something Edwards of FSG will allow to happen, IMHO.

If the appointment does not work we are then stuck between systems with a squad that is ill equipped to revert back. That's exactly what has happened to United over the years and each new manager is walking into a cluster fuck. The club need to carry some level of caution here and I just hope the lack of presence at Sporting Director in the last eighteen months has ensured we haven't lost sight of risk this carries.

 

[bluebell]

The inferences given is he is very defensive park the bus type. Give me 2-0 over 3-1 anytime of the week. I want to be able to see us kill a game when we are 2-0 up.
Sporting have 79 goals in 27 games which is under 3 goals a game which I believe is the best average in any of the top 6 leagues in Europe

 

[Frogfish]

The inferences given is he is very defensive park the bus type. Give me 2-0 over 3-1 anytime of the week. I want to be able to see us kill a game when we are 2-0 up.
Sporting have 79 goals in 27 games which is under 3 goals a game which I believe is the best average in any of the top 6 leagues in Europe

How many fucking times. It's not a top league and there are only 4 decent teams in the division - which is why Sporting have 2 x 8-0 wins alongside 6 and 3 x 5 goals this season. Talk about misleading FFS.

There are only 6 (at most) Portuguese sides anyone here could name (most of us could name the majority of Spanish, Italian, German and even many Dutch)! And there's good reason for that (they are shite and would likely not even survive in the 1st Div.).

 

[bluebell]

How many fucking times. It's not a top league and there are only 4 decent teams in the division - which is why Sporting have 2 x 8-0 wins alongside 6 and 3 x 5 goals this season. Talk about misleading FFS.

There are only 6 (at most) Portuguese sides anyone here could name (most of us could name the majority of Spanish, Italian, German and even many Dutch)! And there's good reason for that (they are shite and would likely not even survive in the 1st Div.).

There's people who think Wacanda is an actual country. So not being able to name Portuguese teams isn't a measure of anything.
I was "Meh" on Amorim but considering my top two choices are out of the running, I want to give this guy a chance, if he is sh1t he will get sacked.
Naglesman is the other option but he has achieved less than Claudio Renieri.
Who ever you go for, there is good chance they'll flop.

 

[737Max]

Thigo Motta could be the surprise in all of this. Doing good work at Bogna at the moment

 

[tombrown]

I can't understand bringing in any manager that is going to totally overhaul the way we play. Tweeks yes, overhaul no. Why would you? We are leading the PL (pending win at United) and one of the best teams (and now I'd say squads) in Europe.

We need to bring in 2-3 players to make us more consistently tight at the back and maybe to under-study Mo.

If we are talking about a manager that will need to make massive changes in formations, move Mac back again and totally change our left side - count me out as endorsing that manager.

100%

And, as i said before, if we bring in a manager who is so rigidly fixed on playing 3 at the back that he cannot maximise the potential of our squad, then we bring in the wrong manager

 

[peterhague]

It would be surprising if FSG and Edwards bought in a manager which required as much overhaul as I've seen talked about and discussed. It's seems uncharacteristically inefficient. When Klopp arrived it felt his club were implementing his football for the long haul and not just his tenure. The high press 4-3-3 has been implemented at every age group in this club. We will have players coming through the pipeline who may know nothing else.

This is not to say he will not be a good fit, but if we are fully shifting away from Klopps embedded tactics then the transition is will a longer one then one or two summers. This squad and style is already competing for titles. Edwards and FSG should be rightly mindful that moving away from it carries its own risk and one that's entirely separate from the managerial appointment. The general point here is I would not be shocked if there's some standard set by this club that either we a) expected any manager to continue our current style or b) any transition away from it has to be slow and considered. I just can not imagine a time line when any new manger will be allowed to come in, switch everything up and leading to a mismatched squad. We're already seeing teams posted that do not contain Mac Allister or Szobozslai for instance. It's not something Edwards of FSG will allow to happen, IMHO.

If the appointment does not work we are then stuck between systems with a squad that is ill equipped to revert back. That's exactly what has happened to United over the years and each new manager is walking into a cluster fuck. The club need to carry some level of caution here and I just hope the lack of presence at Sporting Director in the last eighteen months has ensured we haven't lost sight of risk this carries.

I've always thought that idea of getting all the youth teams playing the same style as the first team is particularly stupid.

The first team set up is always changing. You're doing well if you have the same coach for five years running. Youth development should be for the long term... like, obviously.

 

[Tinto]

100%

And, as i said before, if we bring in a manager who is so rigidly fixed on playing 3 at the back that he cannot maximise the potential of our squad, then we bring in the wrong manager

A million likes for this.

The main job of a manager is to make the most of what he’s got

 

[Frogfish]

A million likes for this.

The main job of a manager is to make the most of what he’s got

Huh. He gets a million Likes for rephrasing mine and I don't get one !

 

[tombrown]

Huh. He gets a million Likes for rephrasing mine and I don't get one !

TLDR mate

 

[Hansern]

Portugese media reporting that we've offered Amorim a 3 year contract.

 

[binomial]

I could see Amorim setting up :

Alisson
Konate - Gomez - Virgil
Bradley - Trent - Endo - Robbo
Mac - Darwin - Slobz

Holy fucking shit, WTF is that abomination.

Mac next to Endo where he should be. (Trent see ya later).
Szobo where you have Mac and either Diaz or Jota where you have Szobo (Amorim may prefer Jota).
Gomez at CB? Let's not go there. Either Sepp/Quansah or new signing.

 

[Fabio]

Holy fucking shit, WTF is that abomination.

Mac next to Endo where he should be. (Trent see ya later).
Szobo where you have Mac and either Diaz or Jota where you have Szobo (Amorim may prefer Jota).
Gomez at CB? Let's not go there. Either Sepp/Quansah or new signing.

Tbf he doesn't play with out and out wingers like we do. Szob and Mac are effectively free roaming 8s/10s. Width will entirely be from the full backs

 

[binomial]

Tbf he doesn't play with out and out wingers like we do. Szob and Mac are effectively free roaming 8s/10s. Width will entirely be from the full backs

Jota isn't really an out and out winger though is he, inside forward suits him better....and Diaz spends half his time roaming around trying to play off the main #9 anyway, he can adapt.

 

[Fabio]

Jota isn't really an out and out winger though is he, inside forward suits him better....and Diaz spends half his time roaming around trying to play off the main #9 anyway, he can adapt.

Diaz best work is wide when 1 on 1nwith a defender. He gets less joy in the half space outside the box. There's no reason why (in theory) he couldn't work as the LWB though. Presses like a monster, pace, can run with the ball from deep. The only thing that lets him down is passing really.

Jota is versatile enough to play in that space, as well as make the runs in to the box. In January when he was scoring and assisting for fun, he thrived in that space.

I've no qualms with szob and macca being the creative force however. Both can play deft passes, work their bollocks off, and could work well providing there's just the 1 main focal point of a Nunez/Jota/another striker amorim may want.

 

[StevieM]

Tbf he doesn't play with out and out wingers like we do. Szob and Mac are effectively free roaming 8s/10s. Width will entirely be from the full backs

Correct.

 

[StevieM]

Holy fucking shit, WTF is that abomination.

Mac next to Endo where he should be. (Trent see ya later).
Szobo where you have Mac and either Diaz or Jota where you have Szobo (Amorim may prefer Jota).
Gomez at CB? Let's not go there. Either Sepp/Quansah or new signing.

Virgil doesn’t like being the centre in a 3 man CB system.

JoGo will play all over the back line.

For 3 fucking seasons people have been crying about Trent going into midfield and now when it seems plausible we’re going to stick him back out wide so that we can moan about his defending.

Don’t thinking the front 3 like a Klopp front 3 - they won’t be sitting out wide and the won’t be pushing up beside Darwin- they’ll need to be dropping back into midfield - they’ll essentially be the roles Mac & Slobz currently play.

Where do you think the extra CB and permanent 2nd player in the double pivot come from? - it’s not from thin air - they’ll come from the forward line.

Diaz, Jota & Diaz are highly unsuited to playing in that deeper role.

 

[Hansern]

Virgil doesn’t like being the centre in a 3 man CB system.

JoGo will play all over the back line.

For 3 fucking seasons people have been crying about Trent going into midfield and now when it seems plausible we’re going to stick him back out wide so that we can moan about his defending.

Don’t thinking the front 3 like a Klopp front 3 - they won’t be sitting out wide and the won’t be pushing up beside Darwin- they’ll need to be dropping back into midfield - they’ll essentially be the roles Mac & Slobz currently play.

Where do you think the extra CB and permanent 2nd player in the double pivot come from? - it’s not from thin air - they’ll come from the forward line.

Diaz, Jota & Diaz are highly unsuited to playing in that deeper role.

Doesn’t he play in the centre for Holland?

 

[StevieM]

Doesn’t he play in the centre for Holland?

Dunno

Doesn’t he play in the centre for Holland?

Yeah - it seems he does, but they revert between 2 & 3 CBs at the back.

I read somewhere he doesn’t like it - but I might have dreamed that.

No issue with Virgil being central, other than if Amorim plays a system that requires that central CB to step into midfield in possession allowing the more attacking of the double pivot (Trent in my set up) to push forward.

That would allow for a more attacking player in the 8/10 position or even Mac operating deeper alongside Endo but getting forward.

I don’t think Virgil is best utilised in that position - I put JoGo there simply because he has played the odd time at DM.

I’m trying to see how this system would work.

 

[Hyena]

I could see Amorim setting up :

Alisson
Konate - Gomez - Virgil
Bradley - Trent - Endo - Robbo
Mac - Darwin - Slobz

Actually think this is very plausible, and even quite probable depending on who else we sign. We are imo targeting a new LB, a new CB, and possibly a Right sided attacker.

Bear in mind that if we are playing 3-4-3, the two mids will have more defensive burden. Can Diaz play LWB?

I do think Jota will be a great inside Left btw. He has the vision.


Alternatives:

New GK
Sepp? - Quansah - new CB
Trent - Gravy/Clark - Jones - new LB
Elliott - Jota - Carvalho/Gakpo

 

[tombrown]

I'll ask once again (3rd time) - why are you all so convinced he will play 3-4-3 at LFC just because he does at Porto? You may be right, but if you are I would be disappointed in the lack of flexibility & intelligence of a coach who takes a squad this is built around 4-3-3 and shoe horns them into an unfamiliar formation ... especially in his first season

 

[Hyena]

Because when you're a newly appointed coach at a big club one degree bigger than whatever you've been used to, the smart thing is to use a proven formation and system that you've designed you're used to rather than experiment.

 

[The Nomad]

I'll ask once again (3rd time) - why are you all so convinced he will play 3-4-3 at LFC just because he does at Porto? You may be right, but if you are I would be disappointed in the lack of flexibility & intelligence of a coach who takes a squad this is built around 4-3-3 and shoe horns them into an unfamiliar formation ... especially in his first season

Sporting not Porto. (Think I've done that before too)

 

[King Binny]

"Wedded to 3-4-3 formation" is a simplified/lazy narration.

Rather than inflexibility, it's more a case of "if it ain't broke, don't fixed it" - lowest xGA in the league in 3 of the 4 seasons in charge (inc. current one and excl. 19/20 where he took over in March).
20/21: xGA 24.6 (GA 20)
21/22: xGA 22.6 (GA 23)
23/24: xGA 21.4 (GA 27)

- variations in different phases of play

- evolutions this season (4-3-2-1 build-up shape with essentially a triple pivot ahead of the first line (2 CMs either side of the CCB who steps into midfield as before)

 

[tombrown]

"Wedded to 3-4-3 formation" is a simplified/lazy narration.

Rather than inflexibility, it's more a case of "if it ain't broke, don't fixed it"

Exactly - and Liverpool ain't broke, notwithstanding the disappointment of Sunday

 

[tombrown]

Because when you're a newly appointed coach at a big club one degree bigger than whatever you've been used to, the smart thing is to use a proven formation and system that you've designed you're used to rather than experiment.

I disagree - I think the smart thing to do is continue with the formation that has brought those players success over the last number of years and, if you really do want to get to your preferred setup, do so over time with the appropriate purchases and exits, rather than jump straight in and make changes.

I rarely get involved in football arguments, here, as I am tactically thick ... maybe that is obvious

 

[binomial]

Virgil doesn’t like being the centre in a 3 man CB system.

JoGo will play all over the back line.

For 3 fucking seasons people have been crying about Trent going into midfield and now when it seems plausible we’re going to stick him back out wide so that we can moan about his defending.

Don’t thinking the front 3 like a Klopp front 3 - they won’t be sitting out wide and the won’t be pushing up beside Darwin- they’ll need to be dropping back into midfield - they’ll essentially be the roles Mac & Slobz currently play.

Where do you think the extra CB and permanent 2nd player in the double pivot come from? - it’s not from thin air - they’ll come from the forward line.

Diaz, Jota & Diaz are highly unsuited to playing in that deeper role.

He doesn't need to be, he can keep his preferred left side if he wants.

JoGo should never be a regular at CB in a Liverpool side looking to compete for the biggest prizes.

If we're moving away from a midfield 3 and using wingbacks then I'd prefer him competing with Bradley for a place, his best asset is still being able to pick pockets of space wide and delivering pin point crosses.

We simply need a bigger goal threat in attack than having Robbo and Bradley on the wings and Szobo/Mac supporting Darwin, that isn't going to cut it. Other than Darwin, no one else there is getting double figures for goals consistently.

Jota can play that role, pretty sure Jota at Wolves played that position under Nuno when he went to 3 at the back, we do see him dropping deep to pick up the ball as he's not your traditional stay high and wide then make a run across splitting the defence type forward.

You can't have your 2 attacking support in the new system "essentially playing the roles Mac and Szobo are currently playing", have you ever watched a team that play a 343 or 3421 system? Go watch a few Leverkusen games and you'll see how Wirtz and Adli roles and positions differ to Xhaka and Andrich. They play absolutely nothing like Szobo and Mac. do in our set up.