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Christian Pulisic

mark87

Well-Known Member
Nov 29, 2004
36,031
114,061
Nice. Practicing for the final interview.

Please arrive at the training ground at Hotspur Way for 1530 on 10th July. Your interviewer is Mr D. Alli.

Date of interview will have to change, Dele is still in Russia bringing it home with England.
 

LexingtonSpurs

Well-Known Member
Aug 27, 2013
13,456
39,042
Why would they change their formation which suits them perfectly to fit in Pulisic?
Because they can...

But truthfully, they don't need to switch anything, they will be able to rotate players in and out on a regular basis - keeping everyone fresher for the season. For Klopp its all about the attack, and ability to press high - the more players he has to do that, the better they will be.
 

ItsBoris

Well-Known Member
Jan 18, 2011
7,467
8,604
Why would they change their formation which suits them perfectly to fit in Pulisic?

Because they'll have a stronger midfield and don't really need to play with 3 central midfielders when they have Keita and Fabinho. Therefore they can play with a front 4 if they want to. It's not like it's a huge change to the way they play now.

I imagine their first choice would be a player in the mold of Coutinho, like Fekir, but they could easily buy a #9 or #10 instead and change their formation to a 4-2-3-1
 

Sweech

Ruh Roh Ressegnon
Jun 27, 2013
6,752
16,378
Because they'll have a stronger midfield and don't really need to play with 3 central midfielders when they have Keita and Fabinho. Therefore they can play with a front 4 if they want to. It's not like it's a huge change to the way they play now.

I imagine their first choice would be a player in the mold of Coutinho, like Fekir, but they could easily buy a #9 or #10 instead and change their formation to a 4-2-3-1
That’s very reductionist and not really how those tactics work.

Going from a somewhat flatter 4-3-3 to a system you just suggested changes a whole lot of things. Lanes that Salah and Mane run into for example. The pressing positions - especially for an aggressive press like Liverpool’s. There’s really a massive shift going from the formation they’re running to the one you’re suggesting. Your idea that the only concern is what the two midfielders cover to me is a bit strange and as I said very reductionist. It’s like everyone who believes a back 3 formation means you’re automatically playing defensive “because there are three defenders”.

Edit: I actually thought of a better example to illustrate this.

Liverpool’s flat 4-3-3 allows them to use their quick counterpress system because they can have a numbers and pace advantage up top. Typically with Mane and Salah. The reason they can do this is a 3 man midfield means one mid shields the center area and the other two can help prevent overloads on the high pressing fullback/wingbacks by spreading out wide in defensive situations. This means players like Salah and Mane can have reduced defensive duties to attack with.

Your system puts those defensive duties back on Salah and Mane to help cover the wide areas of their fullback/wingbacks. Which then obviously reduces the ability for them to be further forward when there pressing actions gain possession.
 
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wrd

Well-Known Member
Aug 22, 2014
13,603
58,005
That’s very reductionist and not really how those tactics work.

Going from a somewhat flatter 4-3-3 to a system you just suggested changes a whole lot of things. Lanes that Salah and Mane run into for example. The pressing positions - especially for an aggressive press like Liverpool’s. There’s really a massive shift going from the formation they’re running to the one you’re suggesting. Your idea that the only concern is what the two midfielders cover to me is a bit strange and as I said very reductionist. It’s like everyone who believes a back 3 formation means you’re automatically playing defensive “because there are three defenders”.

Edit: I actually thought of a better example to illustrate this.

Liverpool’s flat 4-3-3 allows them to use their quick counterpress system because they can have a numbers and pace advantage up top. Typically with Mane and Salah. The reason they can do this is a 3 man midfield means one mid shields the center area and the other two can help prevent overloads on the high pressing fullback/wingbacks by spreading out wide in defensive situations. This means players like Salah and Mane can have reduced defensive duties to attack with.

Your system puts those defensive duties back on Salah and Mane to help cover the wide areas of their fullback/wingbacks. Which then obviously reduces the ability for them to be further forward when there pressing actions gain possession.

I agree with this and I'd argue the 4-2-3-1 system was what they played when Coutinho was here was the reason they consistently had high scoring games where they dropped points as they were trying to having the attacking prowess of the 4-3-3 without the defensive responsibility. I wouldn't be all that surprised to see the same happen again if they sign Fekir.
 

spursfast

Well-Known Member
Jan 23, 2017
1,324
992
That’s very reductionist and not really how those tactics work.

Going from a somewhat flatter 4-3-3 to a system you just suggested changes a whole lot of things. Lanes that Salah and Mane run into for example. The pressing positions - especially for an aggressive press like Liverpool’s. There’s really a massive shift going from the formation they’re running to the one you’re suggesting. Your idea that the only concern is what the two midfielders cover to me is a bit strange and as I said very reductionist. It’s like everyone who believes a back 3 formation means you’re automatically playing defensive “because there are three defenders”.

Edit: I actually thought of a better example to illustrate this.

Liverpool’s flat 4-3-3 allows them to use their quick counterpress system because they can have a numbers and pace advantage up top. Typically with Mane and Salah. The reason they can do this is a 3 man midfield means one mid shields the center area and the other two can help prevent overloads on the high pressing fullback/wingbacks by spreading out wide in defensive situations. This means players like Salah and Mane can have reduced defensive duties to attack with.

Your system puts those defensive duties back on Salah and Mane to help cover the wide areas of their fullback/wingbacks. Which then obviously reduces the ability for them to be further forward when there pressing actions gain possession.
because spurs are doin nothing you got to talk about liverpool...joke
 

heelspurs

Le filet mignon est un bastion de rosbif
Jul 25, 2012
4,270
5,105
because spurs are doin nothing you got to talk about liverpool...joke
What, exactly, are you saying with this post? @Sweech was addressing a point made about Liverpool adjusting their formation to accommodate the player for which this thread is focused. He proceeds to give a very accurate and cogent explanation as to why this would be tactically foolish. And for that you decide to take a shot at him/her? Not helpful.

edit: if this was a joke disregard my criticism.
 
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Scissors&Tape

Well-Known Member
May 17, 2018
259
1,007
I took it as a joke at spurs' expense, that because spurs haven't made any moves, the transfer rumor forum has been reduced to discussing hypothetical Liverpool formations
 
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