Jurgen Klopp Wins Early Liverpool Favour by Moving Emre Can Back into Midfield

WHITE HART LANE, LONDON—Liverpool’s “new era” under Jurgen Klopp got off to a solid start, with a hard-fought 0-0 draw against Tottenham Hotspur in north London on Saturday.

The performance represented just a sliver of what to expect under the new man, due to heavy restrictions on formations, tactics and personnel, but one key early change—Emre Can into central midfield—has given Reds fans the sort of short-term confidence greatly needed from the fans.

Can is a natural, all-round midfielder and, on paper, is suited superbly to Klopp’s way of playing. He can press, he can push forward with the ball at his feet, he can tackle and he can track. A physical, committed, muscular player, he’s pretty much the prototypical modern No. 6...but former manager Brendan Rodgers played him in defence.

There’s no doubt the decision to include Can in the defensive line worked superbly initially; his excellent spell in 2014-15, where he played on the right of a back three, won him favour with the fanbase and showcased not just his crunching defensive ability, but also his marauding nature with the ball at his feet.

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That spell in the sun has long passed, though. As a temporary solution to get him into the team, it worked, but his awkwardness in the role eventually came to the fore—in the Merseyside derby, no less. His relocation to midfield as soon as possible was absolutely necessary, and Klopp pulled the trigger on the move at the earliest available moment.

The first 20 minutes provided the sort of viewing many had expected following Klopp’s arrival: energetic, all-action midfield play, with the pressing starting from the front line and plenty of involvement from the full-backs.

Can emerged as a key outlet in midfield early on, smashing through tackles and drifting into space on the left well, while Divock Origi’s closing down up top made life extremely difficult for Spurs when building play. The 4-3-2-1 formation seems a temporary solution until Liverpool’s astonishing injury list lightens, but it suited Can: able to roam a little but play in a central role, he impacted in every third and enveloped himself in the flow of the game.

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The team intensity came in fits and spurts, which was understandable. After 20 minutes, the Reds’ grip on the game lessened, and Spurs were able to begin passing out from the back and start initiating attacks. Simon Mignolet was forced into two excellent saves on Kane and early substitute Clinton N’Jie; the attacking midfielders were finding space to receive passes; and, crucially, the away side started turning the ball over in the face of pressing, rather than the other way around.

The second half followed suit; the pendulum of momentum swung from one end to the other, from red to white, as both sides battled for an advantage. The midfield was once again a war zone, but Can thrived: ripping up the turf as he closed down angles and passing lanes, he stuck out as a Man of the Match-worthy performer.

"I am satisfied with the start. [We only had] three days, we play Tottenham Hotspur—very strong, a really well-tuned team," Klopp told reporters after the game. "We knew it would be difficult, but I am really satisfied. The start was brilliant."

With Klopp having spent just a week or so with most of his new players—and in some cases, for the far-flung internationals, just a few days—it was unrealistic to expect a dramatic shift in playing style over the course of 90 minutes. This team is not conditioned to press as Klopp would like, and to ask too much of them would have represented tactical suicide in his very first game in charge.

"When he had the ball we were not cool enough. We didn’t use our skills. We didn’t see the right option. It’s normal," Klopp explained. "We had a bit of this (gesticulates waviness with arm). After three days? It’s OK."

In the short term, Klopp will fuel optimism around the club by making smart decisions and changing the mentality of the players in his squad. Moving Can into midfield and unlocking his intense, demonic best further upfield is a good start, and it's an early indicator to Liverpool supporters—as if they needed reassuring—they a tactically astute, world-class coach has taken the reins at the club.

At full-time Klopp targeted several of his players with a grizzled bear hug, Can included. The feel-good factor, the hands-on approach, is back at Anfield, and Klopp's project will steadily build steam over the coming weeks. This, he insisted, was just a start.