3-5-2 Liverpool's Next Development?

Over the last three years the Premier League champions Liverpool have shown dominance over the premier league Averaging 98 point a season over the last two years, conceding just 56 goals in that time, less than 0.75 goals per game. In this time, they’ve won the Premier League, Champions League and World Club Cup.



However, the Premier League champions are experiencing a more difficult start to life in the 2020/21 season, they’ve conceded 13 goals in 5 games, compared to 4 and 2 in the same period and have now lost their two key defensive players, Van Dijk and Allison. This is now a very large concern for Liverpool who look more vulnerable than ever before, the blueprint to beating Liverpool now looks like a shared plan, as teams attack Liverpool and expose their center backs more than ever.



Progression is key for any side in world football, and the most successful teams have always managed to progress and adapt as the time and the situation had demanded, and could this be Liverpool’s moment to do so? Although, we know how Klopp’s beliefs in people and in improving people, could drive him to make very little changes, but just put his faith, confidence and belief in those that step into those positions.



Nevertheless, we believe it could be an opportunity for Liverpool to adapt their playing style to protect their weaknesses and make wholesale changes to the way they play. Klopp’s teams were traditionally teams who player counter-pressing football, and often counter-attacking football. Could it be time to switch back to this setup to support the development of the opponent.



Firstly, we must look at the weaknesses, and where the opposition are having success against Liverpool. Currently they are struggling with a goalkeeper who doesn’t want to play high, two center backs who keep getting caught with large spaces between them, and high attacking full backs, who this season have struggled to defend 1v1 in wide areas. From a personnel point of view, there is now a weakness within the Liverpool defensive unit without Van Dijk, and too many midfield players to fit in to one midfield three.



Could Liverpool fix some of their problems with a change of system, could Liverpool be more suited to a 1-3-5-2, this formation would be a dramatic change away from the back four that Liverpool have played since Klopp’s arrival. The benefits would be very visible for Liverpool in an defensive sense, it would allow Klopp to play Matip, and Gomes either side of Fabinhio, this would allow Liverpool to have a greater stability in the center of the pitch, with a creative and defensively solid individual at the heart of the back three.



That change is not actually to different to how Liverpool play within their 4-3-3 as Henderson will often drop between two center backs to create a three, whilst the full backs bomb on. Whilst Fabinhio plays in the central area, and the gaps between center backs are naturally closed. It will mean that Liverpool’s overpopulated midfield is also able to play additional midfield players.



The use of wing backs will also naturally allow TAA and Robertson to get forward and play within the attacking shape of the team, with a front two there will naturally more space for the two wing backs to get beyond the opponent’s defensive line.



The most difficult area within this shape will be the midfield area. Thiago would likely play as the deepest of the midfield three, sitting in front of the back three with the ability to play a wide range of passes and disguise across all areas of the pitch. This would leave Henderson in front in one of the 10 positions, with either Firmino or Wijnaldum on the other side, this would be an extremely athletic midfield able to press teams high and counter press through every area of the pitch, with the ability to play between lines and cause chaos to the opponent in possession.



This would leave two positions left, two attacking positions which naturally Salah and Mane would play in. Liverpool would have the ability to press teams with the use of their attacking players, applying pressure as a two with the support of the wing backs. Or when in deeper positions, able to work across the line as a defensive unit and block passes into spaces behind them.



This would naturally have a negative influence on Liverpool’s attacking play, but this adaptation might actually not be too different to the way Liverpool played under Klopp in the early days, with a desire to allow the opponent to have possession, before pinching in and counter attacking quickly through pace and power. It would also provide some stability to Liverpool amongst chaos in their own system, and chaos in the wider Premier League.



However with Jurgen Klopp being the standout coach In world football, a man who has consistently put faith in individuals to perform above and beyond their expected levels, the likely outcome will be trusting those who need to do a job and providing them with the knowledge and the confidence to perform their role beyond their expectations.