This is the thing - I'm not sure what his best position. He's hugely talented but not sure the LCM role is suited to him because it's more restrictive as it requires the player to sit alongside Fabinho to form a double pivot whilst the RCM is more adventurous. Jones doesn't have the defensive nous (yet) and he doesn't quite have the right attacking instincts as he often dwells on the ball or makes the wrong decision. I think he could have a future at LW though ...
Cant see him being a left winger under klopp. Mane, Diaz, all about pace out wide. I see him and Elliott as pretty similar in positional sense. Both attacking players in a midfield 3. He prefer the left so he can come inside on his right though. I think he’ll be fine there if we allow him to push on and play henderson at RCM and tel him to sit more like he has done last few seasons. Problems come even play Jones on left pushed up and henderson plays more attacking role as well then suddenly leaves us short in middle on the counter.
Jones just needs to find his passing and free kick taking. Shove trent aside and show what he can do. Forget about defensive systems. thats all fine, and can be coached in. he has skills, but to drive the team on he has to positive and making the right pass at the right time and cut teams open. We have not seen enough of his shooting ability (its there) his free kick taking, (robbo and trent need to get the **** out of the way sometimes) and honestly we are yet to see him slip a pass or two and get assists going. for me jones' success will be about assists and those passes Elliott is a pressing machine already. he is eager and positive and tbh he too can be taught the defensive side as he progresses. IMO elliott should score more but has to also play CM position as salah is unmovable.
Personally have no idea why we are pushing henderson so far forward as with TAA also pushed on it leaves a huge area for opponents to target and it isn't even that he is great in more offensive positions albeit not as bad as some make out .
We seem to like trent thinking hes an inside forward who runs into the middle as a spare man at times. We also seem to like matip just haring forward as it disrupts systems as well. It is in theory designed to create an extra man where none should be as we advance the ball. This then pulls a side open for others to run into the gaps created. Trent did this when he ran on forward and frimno played a back heel and he was basically in to assist . Its a man wher ehte other team doesn't think a man should be so perhaps his market or a midfielder lets him go. you are right though then henderson might end up RW and just has zero inclination to sprint to RB. Its all great right up to the point where it breaks down and then we ourselves have gaps everywhere as the thing depens on a CM covering in for matip or a CM covering in for trent or whatever. We are seeking gaps and by doing so leaving gaps.. this is why our record v the top half in the prem is frankly poor. 4-5-2 this season now if you think Leicester are going to be top half. the 9 point gap is a called off game, a bad draw v cheslea, a red card v spurs and a bad bad loss v leicester where we missed a pen. Thats how tight it is imo when you try match citeh.
When i said "i have no idea why" i should really have added "JK thinks it is worth the risk" as that is the worry for me in that the risk outweighs the benefits .
When the RCM is high up, you're counting on the LCM to sit alongside Fabinho. That's how we can remain defensively solid. When neither Thiago or Keita play the LCM, we've looked more vulnerable because Jones or whoever else played there do not cover for Fab when moves across to cover the RCM. Gini was elite at this and was a big reason why we were so solid. Thiago offers this and more and it's why we've won 16 out of 17 games when these two start together. Jones needs to learn how to cover for Fab and be disciplined in the role. I have no concerns over his attacking ability but if he wants to play in midfield, he needs to learn the positional aspect.
It's definitely a tactical tweak for this season - Klopp wants to be more aggressive and tbh, we've played some outstanding football and we're scoring loads. We've gotten even more out of Trent and Salah, who are both having incredible seasons. The issue is that we've dropped points when we've had some key players missing due to injuries. If we can keep our squad (or our key players fit), then we are capable of winning so much.
Well if we want to have another ronaldo on our hands I guess we should let trent keep whacking the ball anywhere but on target I suppose.
It feels like first to blink loses but that may be the hope fooling me. The way I see it we are 3 point behind until the games happen so at that point anything could happen.
I'll see where we are after another 6 or 7 games before I start even thinking about the possible permutations. 15 games is a long way to go.
Exactly,45 points. By the time we play Citeh in April the landscape could be very different,they might be chasing us
Ah eternal optimism city have proved - that they are very unlikely to drop many points We have to keep the pressure on the season we won the title wasn’t really because City dropped points it was because we kept winning so every tiny mistake they made was punished - till collectively their heads dropped. By the time we had come back after COVID it was pretty much done when I am Uber pessimistic about the draw at Brentford it’s because I just don’t see that City team dropping many points over the season so every chance we get we have to turn the screw I know it’s not impossible but logic dictates the likelihood is very small hoping Norwich can do something today (optimistic) Logically it’s a City banker (my pessimistic side lol)
Klopp has already said its impossible to catch city. Then his side goes out to beat Leicester and vvd is snarling like it actually matters. I love a good run in, I do.
