Premier League tactic: Roberto Firmino’s free role helped Liverpool beat Tottenham

Liverpool’s decision to give Roberto Firmino a free role was the decisive tactic in Saturday’s 1-0 win over Tottenham.

Roberto Firmino is used to a fair amount of latitude about where on the pitch he spends his time during a game. Liverpool’s center-forward is a No. 9 in name only, often most valuable to whenever he vacates central areas.

The stock rotation of the Reds’ prolific front three – Firmino, Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah – is as alarmingly simple as it is ruthlessly effective.

Firmino will drop off the front to receive the ball, often taking a pass delivered from the flanks. As he does, Mane, Salah or both will make runs from out to in. A deft touch from Firmino will find one or the other running through a middle voided by a defender who followed Firmino out of the box.

It’s familiar, but it works. So if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, right? Jurgen Klopp would usually follow this mantra, but he needed something different for the trip to Tottenham on Saturday.

Klopp was facing off with Jose Mourinho, a doyen of defending who had frustrated Liverpool more than once in the past. The Premier League leaders needed to give Mourinho a different problem, and what Klopp came up with was more freedom for Firmino.

The 28-year-old showcased a greater range of movement. He constantly altered the picture of Liverpool’s front three and left Spurs’ defenders confused.

Firmino was on the right wing as early as the second minute. It’s usually the space reserved for Salah, but the latter was left, while Mane became the center-forward.

It was Firmino who broke into the box, fashioning a shot brilliantly blocked on the line by Japhet Tanganga in his league debut.

The next time Liverpool’s shape-shifters pulled Tottenham apart, Firmino was on the left, while Salah was central with Mane to his right. Traditional roles were reversed as Salah’s ball around the corner released Firmino, and his first-time pass teed up Mane, who was only able to volley his effort into the ground.

Liverpool had wasted an excellent chance, but Tottenham’s defenders were left questioning each other about who should be marking who. These early rotations, and the chaos they caused between the defensive and midfield lines for the hosts, helped Liverpool own the ball:

There was good reason for another inquest after the same Salah-to-Firmino connection yielded the winning goal on 37 minutes.

Firmino’s first touch was neat and slick. His shot with his weaker foot was powerful and still controlled. It was the goal of a master technician:

Spurs had no answer for how freely Firmino roamed the final third. The pattern continued in the second half, with the former Hoffenheim man again causing problems from the right.

His altered position drew center-back Davinson Sanchez out of the middle. This allowed Salah to run across left-back Danny Rose and become the de facto central striker.

A deft touch from Firmino to Jordan Henderson took Sanchez out of the game. Liverpool’s skipper exploited the space by threading a pass through for Salah.

He worked the ball to Mane on the left, and the Senegal international’s low cross was destined for Firmino until a last-ditch recovery tackle from Sanchez denied the South American a second.

Ultimately, Firmino didn’t need another goal. He had already done enough to settle things in the Reds’ favor.

More than his goal, the versatile forward’s overall numbers underlined his impact in every phase of the game:

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Firmino’s most important contribution came from how he kept the shape changing in attacking areas. Peeling right caused havoc for a Spurs team naturally chiefly concerned with keeping Salah under wraps.

Even when Firmino moved left he created a guessing game about who would take his place in the middle. Sanchez and his fellow central defenders didn’t know whether to track Firmino or let him run free.

Giving him time and space is always a dangerous proposition since his flair and vision can unlock any defense. Following Firmino on his wanderlust is just as reckless considering the space he leaves for others to break into.

The Tottenham rearguard was supposed to be a low block. A flat back four was supplemented by a four-man midfield. When Firmino moved he created overloads in various positions. Those overloads meant Spurs’ midfielders had to fill the gaps when defenders moved out to match up.

When the Liverpool front three played closer together, Tottenham had to respond by closing the gaps between defenders. It was a risky ploy because it left more room for creative raiding full-backs Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Liverpool pulled Mourinho’s rigid defensive structure out of shape because of the way Firmino stayed on the move. He had the freedom of the top end of the pitch and used it intelligently to give an effective but familiar forward line several several new looks.