We are not scoring goals, so its that time of the year again ambapo LFC fans wanaanza kutafuta Villains, but kama kawaida Villains huwa wanakuwa ni our front-3, sanasana Mane & Salah.
Personally, huwa nazingatia sana tactical side before i call out a player, 18/19 i got abuses for saying Henderson was not good as a 6 in 433, but later Klopp was quoted saying he made a mistake playing him as a 6 (in a 433), na ndiyo maana Fabinho alivyoumia he switched to 3-4-3 to accomodate Henderson as a 6, and it paid off, but msimu huu baada ya Fabinho kwenda kwenye CB role, Klopp had to play Henderson as a 6 kwenye 433 and we all know the story, especially the last 4-5 (kabla ya Utd), na sababu ya Klopp kubaki na 433 ni kulinda backline as we dont have an actual & strong back line pairing.
Football is about formations/system & shapes, in our case, after the VVD & Gomez injuries, Klopp had to change our whole shape, ili ku-protect the backline, Fabinho ni natural DM, so he needs a lot of cover as a CB, and kwasasa ndiyo our most reliable "CB" kwasababu ya his fitness, we cant rely on Matip (injury prone) kids like Rhys & Nat, so backline yetu haipo strong, inahitaji a LOT of cover, thats why tumekuwa na record nzuri kidogo, ukizingatia kuwa our 2 starting CBs are all out injured.
Now, we defend from deep by recycling the ball and hold endless possessions, our form of defending ni ku-hold possession, and recycle the ball in our midfield area through Wijaldum + Henderson, wakati VVD & Gomez wapo, our fullbacks were overlapping and move forward at will bacause VVD & Gomez pace ilikuwa enough ku-cover spaces and void kwenye 2nd phases (outside our box in wide areas/flanks), but now we have Fabinho who is not quick and not a natural DM, and Matip who is slow too, Nat & Rhys are so slow too, so siyo rahisi sana ku-react na counters/quick passes between the lines kwenye High line defensive shape ambayo suprisingly bado tunaendelea nayo, and thats why Trent & Robbo are limited to bomb forward, our MF is instructed to hold on possession and progress the ball upront through the line pale front-3 itakapokuwa imefunguka (ambapo Gini+Hendo can hold possession but hawana tactical ability ya ku-move the ball foward through dribbling & run into the attacking spaces with short 1 2's with our front 3, mwenye uwezo wa kufanya hivyo is made of Guinean biscuit), so knowing kuwa Hendo+Gini and a featured Curtis hawana uwezo wa kufanya quick transition, the front-3 are instructed to drop into our 2nd phase kabisa kutafuta mipira (Firmino, especially), BUT, risky ni kuwa kama unakuwa unakaa sana mpira (which is good kama hauna defense nzuri) unakuwa unampa adui nafasi ya ku-retrieve attacking lines/patterns zote na attackers wanakuwa so easy kuwa marked, especially kama MFs wako hawana uwezo wa kucheza short line breaking passes/through ball or run/force to enter into their 2nd phase with the ball, so sisi tunatumia sana FBs kutengeneza nafasi, but now ni ngumu because they cant overlap kiurahisi because wakipoteza mipira half-way inakuwa ngumu kwa kina Fabinho ku-recover because hawana pace, anaglia goal la Aston Villa, and watch how slow Rhys was, thats why Klopp anakabia sana chini na kumiliki mpira huku akitafuta nafasi za kupitisha mipira, sasa kwa mtindo huu, usitegemee a LOT of chances, hatuwezi kutengeneza chances nyingi kwa ku-recycle mpira kwenye half yetu zaidi, front-3 wanakosa services, and by the time wanapata mipira tayari wanakuwa marked, yaani unakuta Robbo akifanikiwa kufanya timed overlap na kutoa mpira kwa Mane, Mane anakuwa tayari yuko marked na 4-5 players (See the diagram/picture below), maana inakuwa rahisi sana kwa opponents kuji-switch into our channels, as we dont move the ball quick & faster, which makes us so predicatable hence inakuwa easy sana kuwa marked.
Kwasasa, tunatengeneza CHANCES chache sana, and nasema kila siku kama unatengeneza CHANCES chache, basi ratio ya goals inakuwa ndogo sana, mpira huwa unaanzia nyuma, sasa kama ukifika kwenye central area tunajaribu kutulia nao ili kutafuta space bila ku-take risks ili tusipoteze mipira inakuwa ngumu sana ku-create nafasi za magoal, na front-3 wasiposhuka chini kwenye central areas kuomba mipira wanakuwa isolated, goals lazima ziwe chache sana kwasasa.
Then, tunasahau kuwa Klopp amewarun hawa jamaa kwenye ground for 3 straight years, na miezi 17-20 iliyopita ndiyo ilikuwa balaa zaidi (especially Firmino, ambaye naweza kusema amefikia mwisho, mentally), haya mambo tuliyasema tangu 18/19, and now fatigue ime-kick in, they will recover but it will take time, Trent pia ana-suffer na tiredness, it took City's player a year to recover from a long fatigue baada ya ku-collect 198 points in 2 seasons, sisi tuli-collect 196 points in 2 seasons playing at our highest level, so fatigue ilikuwa lazima, so wakati tunatafuta villains tunatakiwa kujua kuwa these players are not robots.
I support this new Klopp's shape & system, as much as i want goals, but leaking goals for fun shouldnt be an option, goals will come, Jota will be back soon, THIAGO ndiyo kwanza ameanza, so tusubiri kuona atatusaidia vipi once akisha-settle.
Still a LONG way to GO.