Future Liverpool?

I'll raise you a fabinho.

Rafa parked 2 no 6s.

Klopp has 1 to cover the lot.

 

I'd take Mascherano over Fabinho

 

seconded

 

A lot obviously depends on how good Slot is, and how well we do over summer transfer. I won't be astonished if we finish anywhere between 4th and 7th. I'll be pleasantly pleased if we get another top three and feel it would be a huge underperformance anything below 7th...

... but I'm not expecting us to spend a lot over the summer- our costs are going towards getting new manager and new coaches, and furthermore, FSG typically hasn't trusted new managers to make good signings. I suspect Slot has already been told to make do with what he's got.

 

Ok, but not nearly as good as Mash.

 

Maybe so. But we can't.ignore the fact he was a major reason why our side.actually won some stuff.

 

If you're going to use the Man Utd logic of "look at the trophies" then Fabinho was better than Gerrard.

Or, of course, you could count trophies Mascherano won at Barca and he destroys both.

However, it's a team game so let's not be silly...

 

My biggest worry about next season is the short time Slot will get with the team to get over his tactics due to the Euros .From what i can make out there is a considerable difference in the way Feyenoord set out to move the ball compared to now

 

No I'm not.

I'm saying he essentially a major reason why our team could do what it did.

He was a single 6 with 2 8s ahead running about pressing so to be defensively sound he had double the work.

Mascherano had a major partner in alonso to be two 6s doing the same job while Gerrard was allowed do do whatever he felt like.

Playing 6 on your own is a massive ask.

This is why city play 3241 or tried before to pull the two full backs narrow ro make a 3 in a 2341 type of set up (aguero)

The common city them is strength in the middle and not to far to go to cover wide areas but genuine width high up to hurt side and press.

Our theme now is either 2-2-2-3-3 ( two cbs totally isolated from each other by width, 2 6s with trent moving in there, two advanced 8s with the left full up there somewhere, 3 forward all playing narrow.

For me the joy and I mean joy of seeing bradley come in and stay wide when aren't got injured was massive. The game flowed better it looked better.

I'm firmly in the camp that we will benefit from klopp going in this regard. There's huge draw backs elsewhere as a result but I for one am looking forward to seeing improvements.

I was watching us not enjoying it but it was klopp so.... now im hoping we will play a different style of high press and attacking football but have more balance.

 

We will just have to put up with it as the fsg types have booked preseason in USA so we will have zero real prep time.

We want exposure in USA in 2025 with the world cup coming up in 2026. All commercial and now we will have to put up

 

Sorry are you saying Fabinho played dm on his own and had two 8s either side?

If so I think I just have missed the seasons that Hendo and Gini/milner turned into true box to box midfielders and let fab on his own.

My recollection of those years were the 3 midfielders all offered a screen (Hendo and Gini often covering full backs) which allowed Robbo and TAA to push right up on the press with the knowledge that Hendo and Gini covered those spaces if needed by shifting across but therefore always having fab and one other in midfielder screening.

 

Well the team was skewed to have salah Henderson and trent higher on thr right but the tactics is and has always been converge on the ball as fast as possible so fabinho would be on his own in transition.

The higher we win it the more goals we etc etc etc

Obviously when set in defensive position players move into a deeper formation and do what you say.

The tactic has never been to sit in shape. It's been and is now to go at the ball wherever it is in numbers. It's gotten more unbalanced imo but we are still trying to do this.

The front 3 press is certainly not as effective as it once was but midfielders also join this high up

 

Fabinho was part of a very industrial midfield that was designed to let the FBs get forward. He effectively had two defensive minded midfielders either side of him.

I'd take Mascherano over Fabinho in any setup you want to point forward.

I never got the Alonso Vs Mascherano debate as they're very different players that complimented each other.

 

Indeed.

If I picked my best Liverpool XI of the last 30 years. Alonso and Mash would both be in the midfield.

 

Nah. The midfielders joined the press. They didn't score goals as much but they had to converge.and win that ball.

We pressed.high on both wings with dull backs and the 3 were joined by Henderson higher and wijnaldum up to a lessee extent.

The cbs were high and split and fabinho would be ranging from between then to making a late run if cover allowed.

Fabinho has hyge ground to cover and did so I'd we were beaten in that initial convergence on the first ball.

It was lose the ball, go press what you lost.

Then the second man was absolutely sprinted at if he got a pass off to a player.

 

Well don't get me wrong if you offered me klopp as manager with alonso, mascherano and Gerrard as the 3 cms behind our prime mane, salah and firmino forwards I'd snap your hand off without question.

 

And Alison in goal. That would be a good team.


Although, Suarez would definitely be in the best XI... And it's easy to forget Torres was best striker in the world for one season.... So as hard as it would be to take Mane and Firmino off, they probably would be on the bench behind Suarez and Torres.

Riise or Robertson? Robertson maybe.
Finnan, Trent, or Arbeloa? Defender, Attacker, or the perfect balance? That's harder to pick.

VvD and... Hyypia?


Subs: Mane, Firmino, Coutinho, Wjinaldum, Pepe, (FB runner up), Agger

 

Mascherano was exceptional at pressing

 

Ok... Well Chat GPT doesn't know what it's talking about because it didnt pick Mash. It also had Suarez on the bench. Otherwise it picked the same formation and pretty much same players as me. Fowler? His only appearance in last 30 was on his return wasn't it? Not as good then... Maybe I'm remembering wrong. No Firmino.

Choosing the best XI for Liverpool FC over the last thirty years is a challenging task given the abundance of talent. However, based on individual skill, impact, and contributions to the club, here's a strong lineup:

### Best XI (4-3-3 Formation)

**Goalkeeper:**
1. Alisson Becker

**Defenders:**
2. Trent Alexander-Arnold (Right Back)
3. Virgil van Dijk (Center Back)
4. Sami Hyypiä (Center Back)
5. Andy Robertson (Left Back)

**Midfielders:**
6. Steven Gerrard (Central Midfield)
7. Xabi Alonso (Central Midfield)
8. Jordan Henderson (Central Midfield)

**Forwards:**
9. Mohamed Salah (Right Wing)
10. Fernando Torres (Striker)
11. Sadio Mané (Left Wing)

### Substitutes:

12. Pepe Reina (Goalkeeper)
13. Jamie Carragher (Defender)
14. John Arne Riise (Defender/Midfielder)
15. Fabinho (Midfielder)
16. Philippe Coutinho (Midfielder/Forward)
17. Robbie Fowler (Striker)
18. Luis Suárez (Forward)

This team combines defensive solidity, creative midfield play, and a potent attacking force.

 

But that wasn't his job. Neither was it fabinhos job.

Closing down players in your own half and winning tackles is different to being in a team passed forward press designed to win the ball back within a few seconds of winning it.

Rafa and klopp had completely different approaches to what amounts to collective team shape and tactic.

Rafa would get shape quick, get back in. One full back forward only etc.

Klopp wanted front foot go forward press.to induce an error and pounce.