Liverpool FC

Tactical Breakdown: Southampton 1-0 Liverpool

On Monday night the Champions travelled down to St Mary's to face a depleted Southampton side, who were without a number of key players, such as Alex McCarthy, Oriol Romeu and Ché Adams. The Saints lined up in a 4-4-2, in which they looked to press Liverpool's backline. Ralph Hassenhutl's team were also instructed to...

Why the Liverpool system failed against Southampton

Jurgen Klopp switched it up against Southampton. It’s very rare to see him spring a surprise like that, but he has done it previously. I’m not entirely sure if this one was forced on him due to injuries and players needing a rest or whether he thought this tactic would work against the Saints.  We’ll...

Nathaniel Phillips: Why Liverpool’s Mr. Dependable Deserves a Long-Terms Role at the Club

Nathaniel Phillips has all the attributes to become Liverpool's permanent, fourth-choice, centre back. Phillips, thanks to his scruffy beard and sweaty fringe, looks more like a hungover student than a Liverpool centre half. However, looks can be deceiving. His pragmatic style, limited capability and local connection to the club means that a role, as a...

Trent continues to emulate Gerrard after slump in form at 22

The date was November 12th, 2002, and Liverpool needed to win away to FC Basel to get through their Champions League group. Gerard Houllier's men found themselves 3-0 down before the half-hour mark had even arrived, with one player worse than anyone else on the pitch. That man's name? Steven Gerrard. He was wretched in Switzerland, spraying...

Trent Alexander-Arnold’s Use of the Ball

Did you know that Trent Alexander-Arnold gave the ball away 38 times against Southampton? Of course you knew, that stat has been plastered over social media ever since the final whistle. Did you know that he also misplaced 28 passes against the Saints? That particular tweet swept across Football Twitter like wildfire.  While at first...

Liverpool’s Centre-Back Crisis: Skipper the Solution?

‘I don't know exactly how it is at other clubs, but we have to be really cautious and very serious. So I don't know what we can and what we can't do’. Whether it’s smoke and mirrors or Jurgen Klopp keeping his powder dry, the likelihood of a centre-half being pulled out the hat appears...

Jonny Evans Can Be Liverpool’s Centre Half Emergency Solution

Not that you would know it from looking at the Premier League table, or Champions League group table for that matter, but Liverpool have been hamstrung by injuries to central defenders this season. Both Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez -- two of Jurgen Klopp's key defensive lieutenants -- will miss most of, if not...

Lame Liverpool Limp To Listless Draw With West Brom

Liverpool remain top of the Premier League table by three points after their 1-1 draw with West Bromwich Albion at Anfield. Sadio Mane gave the Reds the lead in the first half, but Semi Ajayi equalized for Sam Allardyce's men in the second half with a glancing header from a corner. Overall, the defending champions --...

Tactical Breakdown: Crystal Palace 0-7 Liverpool

After a seemingly huge victory against José Mourinho's Spurs side on Wednesday night, Liverpool travelled to quiet Selhurst Park on a cold Saturday morning, warmed by the comforting knowledge that a win would establish a six-point lead over Spurs, even if only for a few hours. The quick turnaround between fixtures saw Jürgen Klopp make...

Who is Roger Ibañez and should Liverpool sign him?

Roger Ibañez is the latest centre-back to be linked with a move to Liverpool. According to reports in Italy, the 22-year-old is available for around the £35million mark and Roma are open to cashing in on him, despite him not yet officially being a Giallorossi player.  The Brazilian signed for the capital club in January...