Klopp’s tactical experiment: 3 takeaways from Liverpool-West Ham
West Ham played Liverpool at the London Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 4. Here are three things we learned.
Liverpool beat West Ham 4-1 at the London Stadium on Saturday to move back into sixth place in the league. The Reds overcame a sloppy start to take a 2-0 lead into halftime. They almost let the Hammers back into the match, but finished strong, as goals from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Mohamed Salah put the result beyond doubt. Here are three takeaways from the match.
Klopp’s tactical experiment
When the team sheets came out ahead of this match, most assumed Oxlade-Chamberlain would be playing with Georginio Wijnaldum and Emre Can in midfield, a logical conclusion given Jurgen Klopp rarely strays from his preferred 4-3-3 formation.
As it was, Liverpool lined up in fluid 4-2-4/4-4-2. The back five and Emre Can, the defensive midfielder, were the only players with clearly defined positions, as Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Mohamed Salah and (occasionally) Georginio Wijnaldum all rotated with one another in attack.
Firmino started as the center forward, but Salah was often alongside him early on, while Mane and Oxlade-Chamberlain also both found themselves the furthest player forward at times. All four of those players had stints on either side of the central midfielders as well. This rotation was counterbalanced by full-backs who showed much less attacking thrust than normal.
Liverpool weren’t as vulnerable defensively as they have been in recent away games, but this probably had as much to do with West Ham’s lack of threat as it did with their increased numbers at the back. Indeed, there was a period in the second half, following Manuel Lanzini’s goal, when the Reds seemed determined to gift their opponents a route back into the game.
Whether this was a one-off switch forced on Klopp by an injury to Jordan Henderson and Liverpool’s midweek Champions League fixture, or a longer-term attempt to resolve the defensive errors that have undermined the team all season, remains to be seen. This performance certainly didn’t offer a compelling argument for or against the new approach.
How long does Bilic have?
Given how long Slaven Bilic’s future has been in doubt, it’s kind of remarkable how popular he still seems to be at West Ham, among players and fans alike. That’s testament to his character, and how much he obviously cares about the club he played for almost 50 times as a player — but how many more muddled performances do the Hammers’ owners need to see before they pull the trigger?
West Ham weren’t awful against Liverpool — the 4-1 scoreline flattered the visitors — and there’s nothing Bilic can do about individual players making errors, as Edmilson Fernandes did in the buildup to the opening goal. But once again under the Croatian, it was unclear exactly what the Hammers were trying to do.
Only after Andy Carroll came on at halftime did West Ham’s play follow any clear pattern. That they benefit so much from having a target man up front, as opposed to the more mobile Javier Hernandez, is, among other things, evidence of how limited their options are in central midfield.
Mark Noble’s not what he used to be, and while Pedro Obiang and Cheikhou Kouyate are both willing runners, neither is capable of unlocking a defense or dictating the tempo of a match with their passing. Bilic spent plenty of money in the summer. The fact he didn’t address the team’s biggest area of need only emphasizes how muddled his tactical thinking seems to be.
It would be sad to see Bilic go, not least for the West Ham fans (and owners) who have been willing him to succeed these past three seasons, but he’s been given more than enough time to turn things around, and this performance was only the latest piece in a growing list of evidence he’s not up to the task.
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Firmino excels
Firmino is perhaps the most under-appreciated player in this Liverpool team, if not the Premier League as a whole. His role under Klopp is so subtle it’s often forgotten, but when Mane and Salah excel, as they did here, the Brazilian usually has something to do with it.
Firmino’s willingness to take responsibility and get on the ball when Liverpool’s attack is struggling, as it was early on in the match, is a huge difference maker for the Reds. He wasn’t involved in either of the opening two goals, but he was arguably their best player, always showing for the ball and working hard to win it back in midfield.
After the Reds conceded, another example of how far they have to go defensively, it was Firmino’s good work that got them back into the game. His turn and run in the buildup to Oxlade-Chamberlain’s goal were exquisite, and showed a combination of touch, vision and power no other player in this team possesses.
Salah will probably get most of the plaudits following this match, and he deserves credit for another excellent performance, while Mane’s early return from injury is also likely to attract attention, but don’t forget Firmino, Liverpool’s unsung hero.