Analysing the Surprise Selections Jurgen Klopp Has Made so Far at Liverpool
One month into his reign as Liverpool manager, Jurgen Klopp sat and reflected on his start to life on Merseyside, and the changes he had made and were required in the future, attesting that, given the structure implemented by his predecessor Brendan Rodgers, there were only minor tweaks to oversee.
"What I said about the beginning is we have to turn the small screws, so that’s what we’re doing," he told reporters. "Brendan did a really good job here, so we don’t have to show them how football works—because of Brendan’s work. We have to start to develop, we have to come together because every manager’s different."
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After Rodgers' three-year spell on the touchline at Anfield, Liverpool became something of a predictable beast—for better or worse—and as Klopp approaches the one-year anniversary of his appointment next month, the German has made a number of surprise changes.
So far, the Reds have sealed an eighth-placed Premier League finish under the German in 2015/16, as well as taking part in finals of the UEFA Europa League and EFL Cup, presenting a struggle to quantify the success of his tactical alterations.
But after a reasonable start to life in 2016/17, with a win, a draw and a loss in the Premier League and a resounding victory over Burton Albion in the EFL Cup second round, his work looks to be coming into focus.
Here, we look at five surprise selections Klopp has made so far at Liverpool, largely concentrating on the key decisions of this season, looking to unearth the 49-year-old's reasoning and whether they have proved to be successful.
James Milner at Left-Back
With Jose Enrique released from his contract in May and Brad Smith sold to Bournemouth in a deal worth up to £6 million, Klopp headed into the 2016/17 campaign with just one senior option at left-back: Alberto Moreno.
After a turbulent end to the previous season compounded by a disappointing display in the Europa League final defeat to his former side, Sevilla, Moreno's position as first-choice left-back was under question.
Despite calls for Klopp to move for a new specialist in the role over the summer—with former Liverpool midfielder Jan Molby telling the Liverpool Echo on the close of the transfer window that a move for FC Cologne's Jonas Hector would have been wise—Klopp instead opted for an in-house solution.
On joining the Reds for their pre-season tour of the United States, Premier League veteran James Milner began the transition from midfielder to left-back, and this has continued into 2016/17, with his three appearances so far all coming on the left side of defence.
This comes despite Milner telling reporters in March that "it’s not a position I want to play," but his admission that "what the manager asks me to do I will do," in an interview with the Echo's James Pearce, perhaps alludes to the thinking behind Klopp's decision.
A model of consistency and commitment, Milner has taken to his new role with a fervour—looking to master the intricate balance of defence and attack, and apply his considerable knowledge to aid this—and though a tendency to shift onto his right foot has hampered his development so far, it has largely proved fruitful.
Kevin Stewart as Squad Option
When Klopp arrived at Liverpool, he found a total of 17 players out on loan, while his first-team squad was left depleted by a series of frustrating injuries—with the unavailability of goalkeeper Danny Ward, centre-back Tiago Ilori and winger Sheyi Ojo perhaps most disappointing for the German.
This saw Klopp move to recall a host of his loanees at the first opportunity in the January transfer window, with Ojo, Ward, Ilori, Ryan Kent and Kevin Stewart making up a five-strong group to return to Merseyside.
Stewart represented something of an odd choice on paper, having made just 18 competitive appearances in the Football League on loan with Cheltenham Town, Burton Albion and Swindon Town since joining the Reds from Tottenham Hotspur in 2014.
But of Klopp's five returning loanees, Stewart made the joint-most appearances for the Reds in the second half of 2015/16—level with Ojo on 11—and acquitted himself well despite a major step up from League One football with Swindon.
Stewart has made Klopp's 18-man squad for each of Liverpool's outings this season so far, with his status as a valuable option cemented by the manager's reluctance to sign another defensive midfielder this summer.
Largely, Stewart is a dependable ball-winner, averaging three successful tackles and 2.4 interceptions per 90 minutes in the league last season, but as he showcased in Liverpool's 4-0 win over Barcelona in pre-season, scything apart the Catalan defence with two inch-perfect passes, his creative game is developing:
Klopp looks to have uncovered a gem in the 22-year-old, and as Liverpool under-23s manager Michael Beale told the club's official website at the beginning of September, "every day he comes to work and he gives you his 100 percent focus," no doubt endearing himself to the German on the training ground.
Adam Lallana in Central Midfield
"I feel like I'm still learning the role and I'll probably still be learning the role throughout the season—you can always get better," Adam Lallana told Liverpool's official website in August, referencing a major tactical change over the summer.
Lallana made 21 appearances on the wings for the Reds last season, with a further 24 coming as a No. 10, but in each of his four outings under Klopp in 2016/17, he has been deployed as a central midfielder.
This comes after the £30 million signing of Sadio Mane from Southampton, with the Senegalese occupying Lallana's natural position on the right flank—but with Klopp describing the England international as his "hunter" in an interview with Fox Sports' Keith Costigan last season, it was clear Lallana wouldn't be left out:
Instead, Lallana's relentless work rate and off-ball intelligence are now utilised in a roving, box-to-box midfield role—mirroring that of Georginio Wijnaldum, another new addition—with the 28-year-old explaining Klopp's thinking after scoring in the Reds' 4-3 win over Arsenal on the opening day of 2016/17:
"The manager says a sign of a good game is having a lot of men in the box and I think if you look at my goal there are six players in the box and he highlighted that.
That's how he wants us to play. It's attacking football but, as long as we get our protection right behind that, then why not? You've got more chance of scoring goals.
"
With one goal and one assist in three league games so far this season, Lallana has averaged a goal contribution every 122 minutes, while last season he scored or assisted once every 211.3 minutes on average—it remains early days, but Klopp switching the former Southampton man's duties looks set to pay off in 2016/17.
Roberto Firmino as No. 9
Just as Klopp is looking to employ Lallana's pressing ability in a different role, the German has looked to blend Roberto Firmino's defensive prowess with his predatory instinct to become the Reds' first-choice striker this season.
In each of his three starts in the Premier League so far in 2016/17, Firmino has been fielded as a lone centre-forward. But while this is yet to result in a goal for the Brazilian, as ESPN pundit Stewart Robson revealed of a conversation with one of Klopp's analytical staff during pre-season, the approach is watertight:
"I was at the Barcelona game, and I spoke to their analyst next to me.
[...]
He said the reason they play Firmino up front [is] because he’s the best closer-down [of the ball]. Everything revolves around what they do when they don’t have the ball.
He said [they] either play a total press—which Firmino is in the side to do, he starts it off and everybody goes with him—or they try and work out who’s the worst player at the back for the opposition, try and shift the ball to him and then close down.
"
Firmino was Liverpool's most-prolific attacker when it came to defensive work last season, averaging three successful tackles per 90 minutes in the league, and he also finished 2015/16 as the Reds' top scorer in the English top flight with 10 goals.
It is this balance of off-ball tenacity and on-goal efficiency that has made Firmino the go-to player when Klopp is building his attacking line—he offers a more well-rounded approach than the likes of Daniel Sturridge, Divock Origi and Danny Ings.
The 4-3-3 Becoming the Primary System
Klopp went from turning "the small screws" in 2015/16 to a significant system change over the summer in 2016, moving away from his tried-and-trusted 4-2-3-1 system to adopt a new-look 4-3-3—utilised in each of the Reds' outings so far in 2016/17.
This represents a major departure for Klopp, but as a number of tactical tweaks have suggested in 2016/17 so far, it proves to be a useful system to add to the Liverpool playbook:
Klopp's use of Milner as a left-back, for example, is aided by the 4-3-3, with his left-sided box-to-box midfielder—either Wijnaldum or Jordan Henderson—able to provide defensive support when the vice-captain pushes forward.
Furthermore, fielding Lallana on the opposite side of his midfield three, supported by a more diligent base such as Stewart or Emre Can, has allowed Klopp to field another, more attack-minded talent on the flanks of his three-man forward line, namely Mane.
The goalscoring prowess of Mane and Philippe Coutinho, who netted 19 goals between them in the Premier League last season, boosted by the attacking support of Lallana and Wijnaldum, has relieved pressure on Liverpool's No. 9 to serve as primary goalscorer, allowing Klopp to field Firmino as the leader of the press in attack.
There are still kinks to iron out in this new system, with two goals conceded away to Burnley in August highlighting the need for work on Liverpool's midfield cohesion in particular, but Klopp's surprise shift to a 4-3-3 has been well thought out.
Jack Lusby will be covering Liverpool throughout 2016/17 as one of Bleacher Report's lead correspondents. Statistics via WhoScored.com, LFCHistory.net and Transfermarkt.co.uk, quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.
Follow Jack on Twitter @jacklusby_ and Facebook here.
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