Liverpool put in one in every of their greatest performances of the season to advance to the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup, Jurgen Klopp reverting to his previous system vs. West Ham.
Liverpool 5-1 West Ham
Carabao Cup Quarter-Ultimate, Anfield
December 20, 2023
Objectives: Szoboszlai 28′, Jones 56′ 85′, Gakpo 71′, Salah 82′; Bowen 77′
Gomez gives Trent possibility
In current video games, Jurgen Klopp has been switching Trent Alexander-Arnold to midfield correct when Liverpool are determined to get one thing from a recreation.
This has concerned the introduction of Joe Gomez at right-back in these video games, to fill the house within the again 4.
Gomez’s performances off the bench have been good, and he was stable sufficient in opposition to West Ham on this cup recreation, performing some good defending in opposition to Stated Benrahma.
All of this makes a robust case for Klopp to go begin Gomez at right-back and use Trent in midfield from the beginning.
Why wait till you’re chasing the sport to make such a constructive change when you can begin video games like that?
Diamond again
The best way Liverpool lined up out of possession on this recreation, Darwin Nunez and Harvey Elliott had been each urgent excessive and broad, not dissimilar to the Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah double-act of previous.
Cody Gakpo dropped to the tip of a diamond midfield in defence, with Dominik Szoboszlai proper, Curtis Jones left, and Wataru Endo holding.
Gakpo wasn’t too concerned within the buildup play, not as a lot as Roberto Firmino may need been, however the thought appeared much like that previous diamond formation that may be fashioned because the Brazilian dropped deep.
The Dutchman was extra concerned within the second half and ultimately received his purpose, and this return to one thing just like the previous system, even when not equivalent, labored properly.
It’s good to have choices to freshen issues up, and Liverpool actually do.
Need for trophies
There have been no youth gamers within the Liverpool lineup that began this recreation in opposition to West Ham.
Caoimhin Kelleher is now very a lot a senior backup keeper, and although Elliott is just 20, he very a lot a part of the primary staff.
There have been children on the bench, however the beginning lineup was robust and senior.
It’s maybe no shock given what assistant Pep Lijnders had mentioned throughout the week about this competitors and the staff’s renewed want to achieve finals.
“If you wish to construct a staff who actually can compete, you want to play in finals,” Lijnders mentioned.
“That’s why this Carabao Cup is so vital — as a result of you may already be taking part in a semi-final in January.
“An important factor is, the boys – our gamers, Virgil, Dominik, Trent, Robbo, Mo – these guys have the ambition to win, they need extra trophies.”
Of those gamers, Virgil van Dijk and Szoboszlai began the sport, with Alexander-Arnold and Salah on the bench.
There was rotation, as may be anticipated for any midweek recreation, however this was a critical facet.
And even when 2-0 up, Alexander-Arnold, Salah and Ibrahima Konate got here off the bench on the hour mark, quite than any of the younger group.
Quansah reveals no new centre-back is required
It was one other efficiency for Jarell Quansah that reveals Liverpool don’t have to signal one other centre-back.
Even with Joel Matip out injured for the foreseeable future, the membership nonetheless has 4 central defenders every of whom would probably be starters in most different Premier League lineups.
Quansah has been key to this, as his rise to being snug within the first staff has been considerably sudden.
Even to those that recognised his high quality at youth degree, stepping as much as the primary staff within the Premier League, Europe and within the home cups is just not a straightforward activity.
Particularly not as a defender, and particularly not in Liverpool’s system.
However Quansah has stepped up, and you might even say he’s now preventing for a beginning spot alongside Van Dijk. That’s no simple activity given how good Konate is, however he’s asking the query of Klopp.
On the very least he gives a greater than stable possibility within the place, and with Gomez additionally capable of play there, Liverpool’s recruitment can focus their eyes on different positions.
High quality in a number of roles
Adaptability generally is a key asset for a staff competing on a number of fronts.
Not a determined shoehorning of gamers into a number of roles, however gamers having the ability to play a couple of place in a system to a excessive degree of familiarity.
With Salah exiting for the Africa Cup of Nations subsequent month, Elliott’s skill to play on the appropriate wing in addition to in midfield will probably be useful.
Gomez stuffed in at left-back afterward on this recreation in opposition to West Ham and may play all throughout the again 4, whereas Alexander-Arnold’s usefulness has been broadly coated.
Gakpo has performed as an attacking No. 8 in addition to a centre-forward, and Quansah has now coated properly on both facet of central defence.
Then there’s Curtis Jones, the perfect of all of them, who may most likely play wherever and ran West Ham off the park to assist Liverpool attain the semi-finals.
