---------------Lloris----------------
-KR -------TA------JV----------DR
---Sissoko---Winks---Eriksen--
------Moura---Kane---Son----
I love Ali, but it's been well documented that Liverpool's fullbacks are the main threat. The best way to stop them? To get them worried about what's running in behind them and I can't think of many better than Son and Moura to do that.
As for the midfield 3, we need players who will be best at bypassing their midfield press. Dele is a fantastic player, but his game isn't about receiving the ball deep with his back to goal and breaking away from trouble.
Fully expect Dele to start.
I'm with your basic theory, and agree Alli can bumble but Sissoko wants the ball under pressure even less, meaning we can get hemmed in early on. Last time we stuffed Liverpool (4-1 last season) we played a kind of 531/3331 with a cm3 of Winks/Alli/Eriksen.
Lloris
RB----------TA-------JV--------Rose
Alli---------Winks---------Eriksen
Son---------Kane---------Moura
RB----------TA-------JV--------Rose
Alli---------Winks---------Eriksen
Son---------Kane---------Moura
Plenty of lateral cover, Son and Moura keeping their FB's busy and if necessary making it a 451 without the ball. We need to stay compact vertically, not let them stretch us, pull us forwards (Klopp loves setting these traps), then use the pace of Son and Moura (along with Kane) to create overloads when their FB's push on.
We are not going to outmuscle Liverpool's robust 3CM of Henderson, Fabinho, Wijnaldum/Milner even if we played Wanyama or Sissoko, but we might just be able to out-football them if we are brave and are at it from the get go and are tactically disciplined. Winks is the metronome, Eriksen and Alli transition and both are capable of game changing moments and supplementing an attack. But those three give us a better chance of not getting hemmed in. I think we are defensively weaker if we play players uncomfortable under pressure. Think what Chelsea did early on the season or City. Those three in midfield have got to be at it mind you.
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