Liverpool’s Jurgen Klopp once again set his side out in a slightly different formation for the Fulham fixture at Anfield on Sunday.
With some added summer transfer acquisitions it seems that Jurgen Klopp is gradually coming back around to the tried and trusted 4-2-3-1 formation that he used with great success during his time at Borussia Dortmund.
While the 4-3-3 shape we have all come to know at Liverpool is still Klopp’s go-to tactic for the vast majority of games, this season we have seen the Reds boss trial the 4-2-3-1 in home games against the ‘smaller’ teams.
Klopp set Liverpool up this way for the Cardiff City game in late October, with Fabinho at the base of the midfield alongside Gini Wijnaldum.
This style certainly seems to suit the Brazilian as it gives him a ‘defensive’ partner behind the attacking quartet which, in turn, allows Fabinho the opportunity to venture forward at various stages.
Fabinho has an attacking threat in him and can lay on some fantastic incisive passes to the front line if given the opportunity. Against Cardiff and Fulham, he could do this safely in the knowledge that Wijnaldum was still covering should the opposition take possession and go for a counter-attack.
The 4-2-3-1 also requires Roberto Firmino to slip back into more of a ‘number 10’ role, with Mohamed Salah moving to the centre as the lone, speedy striker. Salah’s natural inclination to drift right and cut in from that side works well when Sadio Mane is on the opposite flank.
Mane possesses the pace and desire to provide a constant threat from the left, leaving Salah to focus on his central/central-right area of attack.
This formation may only be seen mostly at Anfield for now as the Reds face teams who come to sit back and soak up the pressure without leaving space in behind. Another benefit for Klopp in these situations is the ability to have a front four by bringing in Xherdan Shaqiri to the starting line-up.
Klopp can have his two base midfielders of Fabinho and Wijnaldum (possibly Henderson or Milner) with an attacking quartet of Salah, Firmino, Mane and Shaqiri, with the little Swiss international occupying the right-hand side of the line of three supporting attackers behind Salah.
This has already worked well against Cardiff, Red Star and Fulham so do not be surprised to see it in action on far more occasions this season. It was the foundation of much success for Klopp at Dortmund and Reds’ fans will be hoping for a similar outcome during his reign at Anfield.
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