Agree MITO - we need to change the system and style because as you say, we're playing to not lose. It's too safe and conservative, and that does not suit a team which thrives on intensity and high pressure.
Maybe a 4231 would suit us better but if we want to persist with 433, then we need to move Fab and Hendo back in midfield, moreso Fab.
we don't have a striker.
you could go 442 or more accurately 4222 like southampton if we wanted to push mane and salah right on and tell them to focus on running in behind. you'll note that pep went from foden false 9 to two pushed up and we folded under a slight press.
I have to wonder if klopp is seeing this tactical change of denying the pass in the middle teams are doing. Theres plenty of space wide but by the time a longish ball reaches our fullbacks a player can rush out and push them back
433
Alisson
Taa kabak Davies/phillips robertson
Henderson Fabinho wijnaldum
salah firmino/jota Mane.
442.
Alisson
Taa kabak Davies/phillips robertson
Fabinho wijnaldum
Henderson Thiago
Salah Mane
flood the middle and lets the full backs bomb on. Plenty of height to deal with long ball out.
The issue for me is we could do it v spurs and trouble mourinho's set up which as to sit deep but southampton, fulam, brighton and now city all pushed up and just chocked the middle of the park and we couldn't even get the ball out.
IMO our midfield goes AWOL we don't see good out balls available and when we stop looking then we just go negative.
When the CBs have it you want an out ball in the middle, and wide. Not the midfielder behind the line of pressing men or 20 yards away.
the reality is we got ourselves hemmed in to the point alisson had **** all left to do with the ball. He ought to me moving it one side or the other. If a cb tosses it back at him with no ball on he should be losing it up the park no question but if all responsibility is abdicated by the other 10 men on the park by not offering one solitary out ball to him well guess what. he will end up looking the fool. Yes he should have hammered the ball over the sideline on both occasions and read the riot act but thats his mistake, lets not forget cbs handed over the ball and nobody showed for the pass either.
the second error was a joke as the laid it back to a guy clearly getting closed down.