Here is your Liverpool morning digest for Monday, January 9.
Carlo Ancelotti warning
While Liverpool might boast 10 senior midfielders this season, and have admittedly never had all of them fit and available for action at the same time, there is perhaps an ‘agreed’ first-choice trio - Jordan Henderson, Fabinho, and Thiago Alcantara.
The fact that Jurgen Klopp fielded such an engine room in last year’s Champions League final, rushing the latter two back from injury in the process, would support this. But while on paper it is seemingly the Reds’ strongest midfield, recent evidence would suggest otherwise.
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In amongst the injuries suffered over the past two and a half seasons, the trio have started just 17 games together in midfield. There have been memorable wins in such a number, including last season’s 4-1 victory away at Everton and 4-0 victory at home to Manchester United, with them boasting 10 victories together.
Yet this season, they have lined up together just five times. Liverpool are admittedly unbeaten from those five games, but the Boxing Day win over Aston Villa was their first victory since defeating Man City in July’s Community Shield. The other three games have been shambolic, high-scoring draws, to Fulham, Brighton, and now Wolves, where the Reds have lost the midfield battle.
Thiago theory
Tony Cascarino believes Liverpool's 'flawed' use of Thiago Alcantara has been a pivotal aspect of this season's midfield woes.
The Reds followed a dismal defeat at Brighton with Saturday evening's lacklustre 2-2 FA Cup draw against Wolves. Despite naming a virtually first-choice XI, Jurgen Klopp admitted his frustration at seeing Julen Lopetegui's side cut through his midfield with an ease seen all too often this season - thoughts echoed by Cascarino, who somewhat bizarrely singled out Thiago as the problem.
Speaking to talkSPORT, Cascarino said: “My biggest problem with Liverpool is that I think Klopp’s idea is flawed around Thiago. He is a fabulous, talented footballer but, all the time he is in that midfield, the ball keeps going to him. And, yes, he is really comfortable on it and he can make things happen. He’s technically gifted. He’s up there with the very best I’ve seen but I just think it affects Liverpool’s style completely.
the former Chelsea striker added added: “Liverpool are playing a style that I believe is flawed with Thiago in there because I just think it changes the whole way Liverpool managed the midfield before... Holding midfielders are really important. Liverpool are missing that type of player. It’s not because Thiago is not a fabulous footballer, because he clearly is. I just think the style is flawed with him in it.”
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