Joël Matip has ‘different’ role in Liverpool masterplan as Ibrahima Konaté unlocks ‘quarterback’ Liverpool has adopted a new

Liverpool has adopted a new attacking shape since April, with Trent Alexander-Arnold’s new inverted role demanding a lot of Joël Matip or Ibrahima Konaté.

All was not well on Merseyside in April, with Liverpool in the middle of a four-game winless streak in all competitions, losing three of those bouts. Something simply had to change, with the Reds positioned eighth in the Premier League table, while also having exited every cup competition on the calendar.

Jürgen Klopp decided that it was time for him to welcome a wholesale tactical change, with his assistant Pep Lijnders coming up with the idea. Liverpool had previously used 4-3-3 to attack and defend, but it was Lijnders who hatched the plan to adopt more of a 3-2-5 shape when in possession of the ball.

In simple terms, the switch consists of right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold becoming a makeshift quarterback in the middle of the park by making inverted movements. Once the Scouse defender has moved, Andy Robertson, Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté (or Joël Matip) shuffle over to form a back three, with Klopp’s two number eights pushing up to form a box shape in midfield.

Liverpool is unbeaten in 12 competitive matches since the new masterplan was embraced, with Lijnders opening up about its success in a recent interview.

“The team became compact again with the ball,” he said. “The team became together again and we were really balanced, we didn’t suffer counter-attacks how we suffered them before. A little change can be enough for players to feel free and comfortable again. The counter-press was working. Ibou [Konaté] didn’t have to sprint 60 yards with each ball we lose.”

Indeed, Liverpool has looked much better using the 3-2-5, although many supporters are still unconvinced that it should be the blueprint for Klopp’s next great team on Merseyside. Results have certainly improved, but performances so far this term have been somewhat unconvincing.

 

 

 

 

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