Despite exceeding expectations last season in reaching the final of the Champions League, albeit losing to Real Madrid, Liverpool have wasted little time in enhancing their squad ahead of the 2018/19 season.
So far this summer Jurgen Klopp has already brought in Naby Keita (though the deal was confirmed last year), Fabinho and Xherdan Shaqiri to boost his squad while goalkeeper Alisson is heavily expected to join that list from Roma in the coming days for £66.9 million.
These new players link up with an already impressive team which Klopp has been building over the past two seasons, one that was just missing that final piece last term in their run to the Champions League final.
With the likes of Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane and Jordan Henderson key to Liverpool’s spine, Klopp has focused on improving the ancillary positions around them. Alisson should address the biggest problem last season, namely the performances and mistakes of Loris Karius and Simon Mignolet.
But, with their improved squad, how could we see Liverpool line up in 2018/19? Here are three ways Klopp may set up his XI over the upcoming season – assuming Alisson’s move does not hit any unexpected final snag.
1. Liverpool’s strongest XI for the 2018/19 season?
Starting out with arguably the best XI Klopp could potentially put out next season, injuries and overloading certain positions aside.
Upon his arrival, following a break after his World Cup exploits with Brazil, Alisson will walk into the Liverpool starting XI ahead of Karius and Mignolet, who to an extent endured seasons to forget last year. The former impressed after coming in over the winter period, though pre-season mistakes indicate the former Mainz goalkeeper is still yet to recover from his mistakes in the Champions League final defeat.
In defence, Dejan Lovren may not be one of the best centre-backs in the world – as he brought up before the World Cup final – but he is one of Liverpool’s best and will be a guaranteed starter alongside January signing Virgil van Dijk, whose purchase introduced some much-needed solidity to the Reds’ back line last season.
Either side of them, Klopp seems to have found his perfect full-backs after years of mediocrity and James Milner filling the positions at Liverpool. On the right, Trent Alexander-Arnold has proven himself to be a great find for the club’s academy, replacing Nathaniel Clyne and Joe Gomez as the Reds’ number one choice. Meanwhile on the other side, Andy Robertson has provided Liverpool fans a veritable source of joy in bringing to an end the club’s reliance on Alberto Moreno following his signing from Hull City last summer.
The only real changes from last season’s starting XI come in the midfield, but they are massive and potentially title-winning changes. Jordan Henderson will remain, as the heart of Liverpool’s midfield having proven himself to his doubters last season and with England at the World Cup. But, alongside him are two new names in Naby Keita and Fabinho.
Keita’s arrival brings a new dimension to the Liverpool midfield, with the Guinean capable of excelling in every aspect of the modern midfielders’ game; he is the perfect man for Klopp’s style of play, in that he can bring creativity, tackles, interceptions, dribbling and even contribute to goals, pushing forward to support the attacking trio while also sticking back on defence when games dictate.
Fabinho will bring defensive stability to the team once he gets used to the pace and style of the Premier League, allowing Keita and Henderson to push their influence on the game, while also adding some creativity too.
Up front, the trio of Salah, Firmino and Mane were frightening for oppositions defences last season, and it would be ill-advised for Klopp to make any changes despite their new signings.
Using their free-flowing movement and pace on the counter, the front three and continue to cause problems next season should they pick up from where they left off – scoring a combined 91 goals in all competitions.
2. The second string
Such is Liverpool’s strengths, Klopp could field a second string XI which would compete well in the Premier League. Perhaps a top-four finish would not be expected, but there is a case to be made that this line-up could earn a top-half or even Europa League finish.
Despite his problems in the Champions League and pre-season, Karius is still the better option in goal for Liverpool ahead of Simon Mignolet, who is expected to leave, and would be straight into the second XI, as he should be next in line behind Alisson ahead of the less experienced Danny Ward.
Had injury problems not plagued him last season, Nathaniel Clyne might find himself in Liverpool’s strongest XI but his absence brought about the rise of Alexander-Arnold. Instead, the former Southampton man would find himself in a second string, forming a defence alongside versatile youngster Joe Gomez, Joel Matip and Moreno.
The midfield is this side’s strength with Georginio Wijnaldum, James Milner and Adam Lallana boasting 761 Premier League appearances between them. Both Milner and Lallana are incredibly reliable and might have found themselves pushing for a place in Liverpool’s first team had the club not brought in Fabinho and Keita.
In all competitions last season, Milner made 11 assists including a record-equalling eight in the Champions League while Lallana may have been in a better place had injuries not got in the way.
Ahead of them, new signing Xherdan Shaqiri and Dominic Solanke would provide an attacking threat with the former Stoke man ready to push for a place in the starting XI – though it will be a tough ask given the form of Mane, Salah and Firmino.
Dominic Solanke is yet to truly prove himself at Liverpool having joined from Chelsea last summer, though that is through little fault on part of the 20-year-old, who has had little time to impress his new manager in the Premier League.
Leading the line, just after signing a new contract, Rhian Brewster needs to be given his chance for the Liverpool first team having impressed for both club and country at youth levels. Such is his promise, the Englishman had been tipped with a move abroad to improve his chances of playing, with RB Leipzig and Borussia Monchengladbach linked. But now the Reds have the 18-year-old secured to his first professional contract, it looks like the right time to blood him and reap the rewards for the future.
3. The ‘What if?’ Liverpool line-up
In a slightly different 4-2-3-1 formation, Klopp could also field all of his dream summer signings in a frighteningly impressive attacking team.
With only Alisson the new (imminent) addition so far with regards to defence, the back five would stay the same from Liverpool’s strongest XI – though that is not necessarily a bad thing given their growing strength in that department.
A deeper defensive duo would see Keita and Henderson play alongside each other in a midfield of many Liverpool fans’ dreams. In this role, Keita would be expected to be more restrained than he would be in the 4-3-3 formation, leaving a lot of the attacking play to the players further up the pitch. But the Guinean would still be able to influence games using his all-round skill set. And alongside him, Henderson can dictate play without being pulled out of position and hurting his side’s defence.
Ahead of those two would be Klopp’s initial dream attacking line, with Salah, Nabil Fekir and Mane playing behind Firmino.
At the start of the summer, Fekir had been heavily tipped to become a Liverpool man with some reports claiming a deal had been agreed but fell through due to problems surrounding his medical.
Not only would this be Klopp’s dream attacking three, it may be many others’ too given their frightening dribbling ability and goalscoring exploits last season, behind Firmino, who came into his own as a central striker and could only thrive with Fekir, Salah and Mane supporting him.
The post Three Liverpool line-ups we could see in 2018/19: how will Klopp’s Reds XI look? appeared first on Squawka News.
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