It seems difficult to maintain consistency in team play over a relatively long period of time. This was shown by Liverpool’s condition last season, where Liverpool had to struggle to enter the top six of the Premier League standings. Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp is facing speculation about the end of his tenure at Liverpool. After seven seasons as Liverpool coach, Liverpool seemed to have returned to their lowest point.
It doesn’t stop there. Not a few people link Liverpool’s decline to Klopp’s past as a coach. In which case, his seventh season as coach seemed to be a curse in itself for Klopp. However, if we trace it further, the decline was influenced by the condition of the squad. There are mainstay players who leave, and the players who replace them don’t adapt well. Not to mention the injury problem which affects the balance of the team.
This season, Liverpool’s situation is the opposite of last season. Liverpool seemed to be reborn. So far, Liverpool is the only team still competing in four different competitions. In fact, the opportunity to get their first trophy is in sight because in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final, Liverpool managed to overcome their guests, Fulham (2-1) at Anfield.
Liverpool’s victory against Fulham at Anfield highlighted several important points. The first point is Liverpool’s ability to catch up with Fulham 1 goal behind.
Liverpool did not give up looking for an equalizing goal. Various efforts were made, including taking several speculative shots to penetrate Fulham’s solid defense. As a result, the equalizing goal was born. It was Curtis Stones who broke the deadlock thanks to his long-range goal. The goal seemed to slowly break down Fulham’s defense until the second goal, also just a few minutes from the equalizer, came thanks to neat collaboration between Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo.
The second point from Liverpool’s victory against Fulham was that they were able to appear convincing without the presence of Mohamed Salah. Salah has become the lifeblood of Jurgen Klopp’s game at Liverpool. It could be said that Salah is still a player who is difficult to replace. However, Salah had to leave Liverpool for his duties with the Egyptian national team. Losing Salah certainly presents doubts. How can Klopp cover Salah’s absence?
Klopp managed to cover Salah’s loss by improving the team’s playing performance. Each line appeared neat and organized in search of an equalizing goal. Furthermore, the most striking point about Liverpool’s performance is the birth or revival of Klopp’s permanent Gegenpressing system.
This system emphasizes aggressive playing patterns, quickly seizing the ball from the opponent while carrying out quick counterattacks. The basic foundation is team play, where each line must be active in getting the ball from the opponent and looking for space to carry out attacks.
This was seen when the midfielders did not hesitate to shoot from outside the penalty area through Fulham’s back line. Ryan Gravenberch who plays as a right midfielder scored 2 shots against Fulham. Stones in the left midfielder position who scored one goal was the star in this match. He recorded three shots on target from outside the penalty box.
This system of course provides another option for Klopp to penetrate the opponent’s solid and tight defense. Apart from that, this also strengthens Liverpool’s fast gegenpressing style of play.
When they get the ball in the middle area, the players quickly pass the ball to the middle area. Without looking for a more comfortable space, the midfielders did not hesitate to shoot when they found a suitable shooting space.
The return of Jurgen Klopp’s gegenpressing style at Liverpool is of course supported by the condition of the players who generally appear convincing. Klopp was missing two players, Endo and Salah, who were facing international duty with their country. However, Klopp already has a suitable option to maintain the team’s consistent level of play.
It was the same when substitute players came in, such as Darwin Nunez who contributed two assists and Gakpo who scored the winning goal. This change made a difference and made Liverpool appear more threatening.
Liverpool seems to be back in their best game. The next challenge is to maintain this best performance until the end of the season, especially so that it can compete with Man City’s dominance.
ASL
