There’s been a feeling now for a number of years that Jurgen Klopp has been looking to manoeuvre his side away from a 4-3-3 formation and towards a 4-2-3-1 or something similar.
It was a system he relied upon at Borussia Dortmund, and it was a set-up we saw early into his tenure as Liverpool boss.
The German even attempted to sign specific profiles best suited to such an approach, with Nabil Fekir and Mario Gotze coming to mind.
However, pretty much exclusively since the start of the 2016/17 season, the Reds have lined up in a 4-3-3 formation. It was initially the approach that allowed the team to implement Klopp’s philosophy best.
Liverpool in those early days could best be described as a vertical team who aimed to get into the opposition attacking third as soon as possible, with aggressive counter-pressing a big feature of their play.
Their success in the years that followed highlighted the efficiency of the same, and recruitment during this time focused on bringing in players who could thrive in the set-up.
However, in more recent seasons, opponents have started to gain success in playing deep block formations against the Reds. Such approaches get men behind the ball in an attempt to stifle space and service into the feet of Liverpool’s dangerous attackers.
As a result, Liverpool can no longer play in the same way and instead now normally spend prolonged periods of play in possession looking to break their opponents down. A 4-2-3-1 system allows for an extra attacker, and the theory that Klopp might be looking to evolve his side’s approach this summer to combat this growing issue looks strengthened by Liverpool’s transfer business.
Last month, Liverpool confirmed they’d struck a deal to sign exciting young attacker Fabio Carvalho from Fulham.
The 19-year-old enjoyed a standout campaign in the Championship last season, registering 18 league goal contributions. Notably though, he most often featured as a number ten inside Marco Silva’s favoured 4-2-3-1 formation. This played to his strengths as he is great at dropping in between the lines, receiving passes on the turn and threading dangerous balls into the box.
Liverpool though have no place for a number ten in their 4-3-3 formation, raising initial questions about where he’d fit in. However those questions could have now been answered, especially after Liverpool’s interest in exciting Benfica striker Darwin Nunez was confirmed.
Nunez enjoyed a phenomenal campaign last season, netting 34 goals in 41 appearances. However, most of his minutes came as a traditional striker, which Liverpool don’t normally use.
He can play out on the left, which is a role Liverpool officials may be considering him for, especially with Sadio Mane’s expected departure this summer. However in Luis Diaz, the Reds already have a more than able replacement for the Senegal star.
This would then hint at the possibility Liverpool are looking at Nunez to lead their line like a traditional number nine in that aforementioned 4-2-3-1 system.
For a team so astute in the transfer market, it’d certainly make more logic of their recent transfer business and would also help address some tactical issues they faced in the last campaign.
