Liverpool this season are looking to make a comeback to be able to challenge for their title. After last season’s major injury setback during the course of the season, the club look pumped for this season. With the club extending contracts of players from the main starting line-up such as Alisson, Fabinho, and Virgil van Dijk. Last season after the mess the club has been through, they still finished third. By the end of the season, the club was unbeaten the last 10 games winning 8 of the matches. With the new signing and the players being sold /left the club, let’s look at the best starting line-up for Liverpool
What formation would suit Liverpool this season?
Last season Jürgen Klopp for most of the season played in the 4-3-3 formation with make-shift centre-backs. The manager enforced a philosophy to have attacking fullbacks who play to the width of the field. With the forward’s play as inverted forwards. The inverted forward is a playing style where the player instead of pushing wide, runs into the half-spaces. These half-spaces are located between the full-back and centre-back. While in attack Liverpool has a formation of a 5-3-2 with two centre-backs as the 2. While the fullbacks play as the wide forwards. The midfield three play in their position to help in the rotation of the ball. The team play with the intend of counter-pressing which means pressuring the opposing team during their attacking transition.
Who would be the Most Apt Defenders in the Starting 11?
In the left-back position for Liverpool, it would be Andrew Robertson. Currently, the player is injured with an ankle injury. Last season the player had played every match in the league. He also helped assist 7 goals in the league last season and provided 1.7 key passes per 90.
In the centre-back positions, it would be the duo of Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate. Last season Konate started just 8 games but in them, he had a passing accuracy of 86%. While Virgil van Dijk didn’t play most of the season due to an injury, he is Liverpool’s best defender. Van Dijk in the match against Norwich city had a pass accuracy of 92% and had 95 touches of the ball.
In the right-back position, it will be Alexander Arnold. Last season the player had played 34 matches in the league. He also helped assist 7 goals in the league last season and provided 2.2 key passes per 90.
Who Would Be The Preferred Midfielders In The First 11?
The midfield trio for Liverpool would consist of Fabinho at the 6, Thiago Alcantara and Jordan Henderson. Last season Fabinho played as a centre back and as a Central-defending-Midfield. He had a pass accuracy of 90% and made 1.5 interceptions and 1.9 tackles per 90. He made 81.5 touches.
Jordan Henderson last season played in 21 games scoring a goal and assisting 1 as well. According to his average position, he was running around each part of the pitch. He also had a pass accuracy of 87%. Thiago Alcantara last season played in 24 games. He had a pass accuracy of 90% while providing 1.3 key passes per 90. While known to be the most creative of the three the player made 1.3 interceptions as well as 2.5 tackles per 90. The player’s average positions in the matches were in the half-spaces of the opponent defence and the entire midfield. Last season when Henderson and Thiago played as the 8’s they had a fluid rotation to provide overloads on either side of the field.
Who Would Be The Preferred Forwards In The Starting 11?
With no new attacking signings made by Liverpool, the forward three would be the classic Sadio Mane and Mohammed Salah on the wings with one small change. Roberto Firmino won’t be the number 9. It would be Diego Jota. Diego Jota can play as a false 9 and had displayed his talent last season. While both the player scored 9 goals each. Firmino averaged a goal after every 317 minutes while Jota did it in 124 minutes. Firmino has not had the same creative output as he had in the previous seasons. While the midfield can act as a source of attacking creativity with the likes of Thiago. Last season Salah scored 22 goals while Mane scored 11. The two inverted wingers were efficient in front of the goal but Sadio mane had missed a lot of chances last season.
Liverpool is said to be the dark horse in the league to challenge for the title. It will be immense for them to win the league again but if they wish to do so. They will need to have quite the run of wins to have a comfortable lead over the other teams.
