Liverpool Players Beginning To Buy In To Klopp’s Philosophy

The headlines following Liverpool’s emphatic 4-1 victory at Manchester City were all about the devastating effectiveness of the away side’s high-pressing game. City simply could not cope with the relentless pressure applied by Liverpool’s forward line and their patched-up defence were forced into mistake after mistake which Jurgen Klopp’s side duly punished.

In contrast, Liverpool under Brendan Rodgers were a much less full-throttle prospect. Rodgers brought with him Swansea’s possession-based philosophy, but his Liverpool sides would often enjoy the lion’s share of the ball without creating decisive moments in the match, particularly when Luis Suarez was sold and Daniel Sturridge’s injury problems emerged.

Jurgen Klopp – Credit: danae47 (Flickr Creative Commons)

Klopp’s appointment represented a complete departure from those tactics and many questioned whether his new squad had the right players to adopt the gegenpress tactic that the manager had used so successfully with Borussia Dortmund. At Dortmund, Klopp understood that his team could maximise their opportunities by utilising the gegenpress to win the ball back high up the pitch. He said: “The best moment to win the ball is immediately after your team just lost it… The opponent is still looking where to pass and he will have expended energy to make his tackle or interception. Both make him vulnerable”.

At Dortmund he always held on to a number of industrious, ultra-fit players such as Kevin Grosskreutz, Jakub Blaszczykowski and Lukasz Piszcek. These players would serve as the foundations for the constant harrying and pressing game which Dortmund would continually use to win matches with goals from counterattacks whilst not necessarily employing possession-based football. But the more technical players such as Lucas Barrios, Shinji Kagawa and Mario Goetze were not allowed to shirk these responsibilities either and were forced to adopt the system.

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All of Dortmund’s players would also have to remain disciplined in keeping compact while they pressed as a team, because any spaces that emerge when a team presses can be easily exposed by threaded passes. There must be no chinks in the armour.

Philippe Coutinho playing for Liverpool FC against Swansea at Anfield Road on 17 February 2013. Date 17 February 2013, 16:03:33 Source Flickr: Coutinho Goal Author Dean Jones — Date 17 February 2013, 16:03:33Source Flickr: Coutinho GoalAuthor Dean Jones

Critics cited players such as Adam Lallana, Roberto Firmino and Philippe Coutinho as unsuited to the physical demands of the system. Lallana in particular has often been substituted in his starts for Liverpool, failing to last the full game. But Klopp appears to have already moulded his players into pressing as a unit. Playing the more industrious Lucas Leiva, James Milner and Emre Can sets a pattern and places accountability for Lallana, Firmino and Coutinho to chase as hard as their teammates.

There will be some growing pains as the players adapt to the style of play, Liverpool suffered defeat just last time out to Crystal Palace at Anfield. And there is a tendency to overreact to big results in the media, especially coupled with the Liverpool fan’s portrayal of Klopp as the messiah as soon as he arrived. But the early signs are positive and if the manager can continue to forge his team into his demanding system, Liverpool may well see more results like Saturdays’.

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