Football’s First Defender

Tactical changes are definitely not something that can be accomplished overnight.

After all, professional football in reality is not like FM or Fifa games. After players arrange the formation at will, they can play the desired game effect.

Players are not data models in the game. They change in one position. They want to ensure that they can perform at their best during the game, running and interspersing in place. It is not just adjustments that can be completed immediately. They need to Invest a lot of practice time off the court to complete some tacit understanding in simple situations and know the general tactical thinking.

Even if the players in the Liverpool team have enough professional experience and the ability to quickly accept new tactics, in fact, if you want to complete a major adjustment of the overall tactics and play a better team effect than today, you still need A lot of training to make constant corrections.

For Klopp, although he really wants to see Yang Feng's performance in the midfielder position, within the expected time, the new tactics will change from the layout on the blueprint, to familiarizing the players in daily training, and then to the successful display of power afterwards. , it may be difficult to make a trip without a month or two.

During this period of time, of course Liverpool can only rely on the original tactics and continue to fight.

In the English League Cup in the middle of the week, Klopp faced the English League Two team Carlisle United. He did not even send a substitute player. He relied on Liverpool's youth team. After a fierce battle at Anfield, he won 2-1. A small victory over the opponent to complete the promotion.

In multi-line combat, players who are suitable for Klopp's own tactical system are already stretched. Klopp will not waste the physical fitness of players in some "irrelevant" cup games. He must grasp the important players of the team. Check their physical reserves, and stay strong for the Premier League and the Champions League.

In the eyes of Klopp, a small domestic cup such as the English League Cup is far less important than the Champions League. Before entering the top 8, Klopp will at most send some substitutes to play, and will not waste the energy and physical fitness of the main players. .

In his first season in office, Klopp had a very clear plan for the team's season goals. Even though the team is now built, it may be difficult to defend the Champions League, but it is guaranteed to qualify for the group and reach the Champions League knockout rounds. More bonuses and exposure are also Klopp's goals.

In the league, Liverpool's primary goal is to keep the top four seats and strive for a better ranking.

Although Liverpool's record fell to the middle and lower reaches of the league due to their poor record at the beginning of the season, after all, there were only a few rounds at the beginning of the league. For a long season, more than ten points are not impossible to recover.

However, for Klopp, in order to accomplish these two goals, what needs to be done the most is to stabilize the situation in the Champions League.

In the few days before Rodgers dismissed get out of class and Klopp took over, Liverpool just completed the first game of the Champions League this season, but lost 1-2 away to Eredivisie giants Eindhoven.

Eindhoven, Wolfsburg and CSKA Moscow are all powerful opponents competing for the right to qualify. Liverpool, which has lost one game first, must pay more attention to the remaining teams in the future. Only by winning the game can we grasp the initiative to advance.

Another round of the league, still at Anfield, facing Aston Villa, who had a thrilling relegation last season and is also dangling near the relegation zone this season, Liverpool fought against their opponents at home.

Klopp's original intention is to believe that the hard power of the team must have an absolute advantage in the face of opponents at the level of Aston Villa, so relying on the team's better offense and excellent frontcourt pressing, it is enough It should be possible to win at home in a devastating manner.

Klopp even intends that if the team takes a two- or three-goal lead early, they can also replace a few of the main players to prepare for the second Champions League group match in the middle of the week.

As a result, Aston Villa once again proved that there are no underdogs in the Premier League in this game.

Facing Liverpool in the away game, Villa put on a 4321 formation. Although the team still focuses on defense, it definitely invests a lot in the offensive end.

The three frontcourt players will be the core of Villa's counterattack. The combined strength of the three will give Liverpool a fatal blow to the defense.

In this game, Liverpool continued their offensive strategy based on the wing.

Relying on the quick impact of the two full-backs to drive the team's overall offensive pressure forward, and relying on high-position pressing to put pressure on the opponent's counterattack, you can also use the ball possession conversion in the frontcourt to hit the opponent on the spot counterattack and create threats.

On the offensive end, the strength of their own team, coupled with the addition of home momentum, Liverpool has an absolute advantage from the beginning of the game.

Firmino has become more and more adapted to the position of center forward. When to retreat and when to advance, Firmino has become better and better as he gets familiar with his teammates.

Liverpool's first goal was an assist from Firmino.

Only ten minutes after the start of the game, Liverpool had already scored two goals in a row.

And although Aston Villa is in the opening game, they have enough physical support to complete a wide range of running to limit Liverpool's offensive development.

But Coutinho's personal breakthrough was in the opening stage, showing off his power.

This time it was Coutinho's breakthrough with the ball on the left, tearing open Aston Villa's defense.

Coutinho, who received a pass from Henderson on the left, showed his good ability to combine the ball with his feet. Facing the opponent's defense, Coutinho made a breakthrough with the ball to the left, but immediately smashed the ball. Even if the opponent's center of gravity is only a little shaken, it still allows Coutinho to use his speed and flexibility to go directly to the right to complete the pass.

Coutinho's lateral movement was immediately intercepted by two Aston Villas.

For Liverpool's absolute offensive core in the frontcourt today, Aston Villa's marking arrangement for Coutinho is quite comprehensive.

This is also the reason why the opposing defender defends to the side even though he knows that Coutinho may be fake.

Because the task given by the coach to himself is to limit Coutinho's performance on the wing, and when Coutinho moves laterally to the center, other teammates will fill in for him.

However, the Aston Villa players immediately counted the two players who were chasing after Coutinho from the side and rear, and the three surrounded them, but it was still half a beat behind.

Seeing that the opponent's encirclement was about to form, Coutinho did not hesitate, and directly kicked the ball, finding the space in the arc of the penalty area.

There were no Liverpool players there before, so the defensive players in that area came directly to grab Coutinho.

But at this time, there was already a red figure running to the empty space that had leaked out at this instant.

"Firmino!"

"A pass from Coutinho"

"Heel kick!"

"Follow up Milner!"

"beated!"

"GOAL!!!"

"Milner! Open the scoring for Liverpool!"

"Liverpool players celebrating their first goal of the game."

"Returning to the defense in slow motion, Coutinho continued to show his excellent breakthrough ability this time. He first swayed the defender's center of gravity on the wing, then immediately dribbled the ball across the middle, and then faced Villa's attack. Grabbing, Coutinho made a very penetrating pass, brushed the defender's feet, and found the ball accurately at the feet of Firmino who suddenly retreated outside the penalty area."

"With the Villa defenders following and Firmino not taking advantage of the physical confrontation, he wisely chose not to stop the ball, tapped his heels, and did not give the Villa central defender behind him a chance to attack and destroy the defense. .”

"Firmino knocked the ball not far from the horizontal direction, and Milner just stepped forward, faced the incoming ball and hit the goal with a burst shot. The ball went directly to the dead corner. The goalkeeper did not respond, allowing Milner to open the scoring. .”

There is no need to repeat Coutinho's technical characteristics. His breakthrough ability will always be Liverpool's sharp weapon.

In the past, everyone's breakthrough defense method for Coutinho was to strengthen the manpower and limit Coutinho's long-range shots on the one hand, and to fully defend Coutinho's possible passes into the penalty area on the other hand.

Basically, Coutinho either acts as the final finisher himself, or acts as the final passer, passing the ball to the penalty area to find other players who can finish.

But this time, it was Coutinho who passed the ball to Firmino who retreated in the middle, and Firmino was used as a turning point, making Villa's defense all rush to Coutinho and himself. The ball was sent to an empty space not far away, allowing teammate Milner to follow up, easily completed a kick without interference from the defenders, and scored a goal.

Liverpool took the lead, and the rhythm of the game after that was completely in Liverpool's hands.

In the face of Villa's counterattack, Liverpool's high-position press in the frontcourt did a very good job.

Moreover, Liverpool, which sits at home, is also blessed by the cheers of the fans. For the Red Army soldiers, the 1-goal lead is far from enough. They need more goals to end the suspense of the game early.

The continuous offensive impact allowed Liverpool to create a large number of opportunities in the game.

As for the Villa team, there is no change in their own defensive arrangement. In order to ensure the impact in the counterattack, Villa still insists on the arrangement and preparation of its own forces on the counterattack.

It is better to have a tight defense line and have a certain offensive ability.

The defense arranged by Villa began to become more and more difficult when facing Liverpool's more and more tacit offense.

In the 34th minute of the first half, Liverpool's offense reaped results again.

Moreno's quick advance helped Coutinho take away a defender.

After that, Coutinho's breakthrough once again attracted Villa's defensive attention. Although under the double-teaming of Villa's defensive players, Coutinho could only return without success and retreated with the ball.

But while dribbling the ball out of the danger zone, while aiming at Coutinho in front, he observed Firmino, and once again retreated from the penalty area to the position in front of the big penalty area.

With one kick, Coutinho showed his excellent footwork and passed the ball accurately to the empty position where Firmino was running.

Firmino still did not choose to stop the ball this time, and gave the defender who followed him a chance to grab the ball. He stepped on the ball with his left foot, and then immediately "ported" the ball with his right foot, passing the ball to the horizontal. The arc position of the large restricted area.

Still a direct connection between Firmino and Milner, the ball was passed to Milner by Firmino.

And Milner didn't stop the ball, and directly kicked the ball into the penalty area.

"Firmino, after completing the pass, immediately head into the penalty area."

"Milner's pass was just right!"

"Firmino, catch up with the pass in front of you and hit the goal with a volley!"

"GOAL!!!"

"Firmino! A wonderful volley that goes straight into the far corner!"

"Liverpool! 2-0 lead."

Firmino and Milner completed two connections in the first half. Both of them had one goal and one assist, and it was Coutinho who instigated the offensive twice. The small-scale cooperation between the three , Klopp on the sidelines was very pleased to see it, and it also strengthened the establishment of Coutinho's core position in the midfield and Firmino's advantage in the order of appearance of the center forward.

How can two technical offensive players who have such a tacit understanding not cherish it?

Everyone was looking forward to another home victory for Liverpool with joy, but in the second half, the situation of the game changed suddenly.

Liverpool's defensive weaknesses suddenly exploded.

It is rare for Villa to organize a positional attack. Liverpool's defense line was originally in order.

But it was Villa's full-back who lapped the side, and after receiving a through ball from his teammate to the deep right, he accelerated forward.

Moreno did not pose a threat to the possession of the ball at the first time, and then he was simply crushed by the opponent with his body.

The Villa player completely bullied Moreno's short stature, strode the ball, and directly ran over it forcibly. Before Moreno put the shovel, he had already completed a high-quality cross.

Yang Feng, who was in the front position, had no way to intercept the high ball, but Skrtel, who was in the back position, was directly inserted by the opponent forward Rudy and grabbed a better position.

A header to the top helped Villa pull back a goal in the 59th minute.

2 to 1, the situation on the field changed suddenly.

And 7 minutes later, Villa counterattacked again.

Because Klein stepped forward to assist too deep, Villa directly passed the ball behind him.

Even though Klein desperately returned to the front of the penalty area, he was still too far away from the Villa dribbler on the left side.

An arc pass with no defensive pressure directly found the goal, and Villa striker Rudy quickly inserted from the back, fully demonstrating his explosive power, leaping high, overwhelming the defensive position Skrtel scored with a header.

2 to 2, Villa attacked twice and scored two goals in the second half, taking advantage of the weaknesses in Liverpool's defense.

And Liverpool, whose victory is already within reach, can only force Klopp to make substitutions and adjustments after being equalized.

Benteke and Danny Ince all came off the bench, but the team's offense has been ineffective for a long time.

In the end, it was still relying on Coutinho's long-range shot from the outside in the 82nd minute to break Villa's goal again, which helped Liverpool beat Villa 3-2 without any risk.

Get 3 consecutive victories in all competitions!