In all of the January discussion surrounding Liverpool's front three and what might transpire in the future, Luis Diaz came out of Porto obscurity to sign for the Reds for a €45 million fee. The Colombian wing wizard has wasted no time in settling into his new team, which just so happens to be one of the greatest club teams in the world, stealing the show nearly every time he plays. Here is our analysis of Luis Diaz's start to life at Liverpool, and why he's perfect for the Reds.
Following its popular use for Vicente del Bosque's Spain at Euro 2012, the role of the false nine has continued to evolve in the modern era of the Premier League, accompanied by a shift in mannerisms, behaviors, and positional patterns of strikers on a football pitch. Pep Guardiola's Manchester City and Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool have been two of the dominating forces in world football since the mid-2010s, and both have operated throughout that time without a recognized out-and-out goal-scoring striker. For any possession-based team attempting to emulate Klopp and Guardiola, deploying a false nine presents a unique and innovative way of breaking the opposition down, and reaching new levels of performance. Some tactical experts have suggested that in the future we may see a formation without a striker at all, but truthfully, we may already be there.
For much of Jurgen Klopp’s Anfield reign, Liverpool have favored a 4-3-3 shape. In this system, the Reds have enjoyed defensive solidity, offensive prowess and become one of the most dominant forces in world football. The results speak for themselves regarding the effectiveness of this shape, with the well-rounded formation taking Liverpool to Champions League and Premier League success. While the Reds weren’t always ruthless in their title-winning season, few can deny that they were efficient. But is it time for Klopp to freshen things up? Well, he may have the chance to try something new in 2021-22.
According to multiple sources, RB Leipzig's Ibrahima Konaté is set to join Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool, as the club look to end their search for a new centre-back. The French defender broke onto the scene with Leipzig at the start of the 2018-19 campaign, making 28 appearances in the Bundesliga as Die Roten Bullen finished third. Since then, Konaté's found minutes on the pitch difficult to come by, appearing in only 12 league fixtures in 2020-21 and 8 in 2019-20. In Liverpool's Round of 16 match-up against the Red Bulls in the UEFA Champions League this season, the Frenchman was absent for both fixtures. Upon hearing this you might be wondering...did they get the wrong man?
Rhys sits down with Kaustubh Kapoor and Russell Tho to discuss why Chelsea are having such a tough time scoring goals. In addition, the panel discuss Leicester City's injury crisis, and whether or not Liverpool and Tottenham are back on track to claim a top four place.
One of the most consistent tactics of the past decade has been the reliance on pressing from the front from some of the biggest clubs in the world. It would be foolish to say that pressing did not exist until the 2010s. What is perhaps more true is just how systematic pressing has become in recent years. In 2020, pressing evolved in unique ways, with many teams bringing their own unique approach to the tactical trend. Here are some of the trends seen in 2020 with regards to pressing from the front.
The final list of the Top 100 Footballers of 2018 numbers 20-1 - featuring World Cup winner N'Golo Kante, Ballon d'Or winner Luka Modric and a battle between Ronaldo and Messi for first prize!
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