2 years ago
Darwin Nunez and Fabio Carvalho can complete Jurgen Klopp's bold new Liverpool Lineup
Will Jurgen Klopp adopt a 4-2-3-1 configuration more frequently given that he has dabbled with it in the past?
Liverpool is already far into its preseason preparations for the 2022–2023 campaign. The campaign proper begins with a trip to Craven Cottage on August 6, less than a week after their first friendly against old rivals Manchester United.
The Reds only earned one point during their two games against Fulham in 2020/21, despite the fact that Fulham did not play in the Premier League previous season. Any result other than victory in their upcoming matchup will seem like a blow to Liverpool's title hopes.
Fortunately for Jurgen Klopp, he will be able to choose his starting lineup from a far stronger group this time. Fabinho, Nat Phillips, and Rhys Williams served as his center backs in games versus Fulham, while Andy Robertson, Mohamed Salah, and Gini Wijnaldum were the only outfield players eligible to start both contests.
We will know more about the tactical strategies and lineups Klopp has in mind for the upcoming season once Liverpool has finished their six-match preseason schedule. But it makes sense to anticipate that he will pick a team that is nearly at full strength for the Community Shield match against Manchester City on July 30.
The same starting lineup will probably play against Fulham because it is precisely one week before the start of the regular season. Therefore, a logical starting lineup would be the one that faced Real Madrid in the Champions League final, with Diogo Jota starting in place of Sadio Mane, who is now a former Red.Darwin Nunez? What? Perhaps not. Klopp has made it clear that he does not anticipate his new forward man to perform at the level required by Liverpool right away. "He is not under any pressure at all. He commits for a very long period, and we want to develop his skill and watch it flourish, Klopp stated following the confirmation of the Uruguayan's transfer.
But it's apparent that the Benfica player will play a crucial part in the campaign. It will be interesting to see how he fits into Liverpool's 4-3-3 formation or whether it changes to make room for him.
There will undoubtedly be a mixture of the two, and Nunez has certainly played within that tactical framework in the past. Nunez was the center of attention for a 4-2-3-1 formation, though, when he faced Liverpool in the Champions League. While in Dortmund, this was Klopp's preferred method, he hasn't utilized it frequently with the Reds. When Xherdan Shaqiri joined the established front three in attack during the autumn and winter of 2018–19, it made an appearance, but it hasn't been witnessed regularly since.
The next step for Liverpool may be to adopt a 4-2-3-1 structure in order to get the most out of their most recent additions, since both Fabio Carvalho and Roberto Firmino are capable of functioning in the center of the offensive three.
This would also create the opportunity for Fabinho and Thiago Alcantara to pivot together twice. For Bayern Munich, the latter performed admirably in that position, and Liverpool has won 25 of its last 30 games when that midfield pairing has begun. Whether the Reds use this formation or not, it's interesting to imagine what their starting lineup would look like in 2023–2024.You may have noticed Jude Bellingham was added to the picture above. There is no harm in including a player in whom the Reds are said to have strong interest as we are in the realm of conjecture.
It is unclear how much the England international will join Liverpool. He did, however, play in both of the suggested formations for Dortmund in 2021–2022, so he could easily fit into either of them.
But it's not like Klopp won't have options for the midfield if he doesn't sign with the Reds. Jordan Henderson, Curtis Jones, and Thiago will continue to be under contract with the team, but Carvalho isn't included in the suggested starting lineups either. The most crucial factor is that he and Nunez have strengthened the team in a way that should aid Liverpool's development.
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