30 May 2018 16:03:26
Hi eds,

First off, great work for this site and info provided. Can't live without it.


Here's my take on Fabinho signing and hoo ha over Henderson:

If Henderson starts every game he should remain captain. That’s obvious. But if he does start in every game - or even most games - it means either one of three things. 1. Fabinho is a failure 2. Klopp has changed his system to play more defensively, using Henderson and Fabinho as a kind of double shield in front of the back four 3. Henderson has been shifted out of DM to play in an advanced midfield role and has done this so successfully that he’s ousted at least three of Keïta, Milner, Lallana, Oxlade-Chamberlain and Gini.

Taking them in that order. 1. That would be a catastrophe. Not only would it be a shocking waste of money, it would leave our greatest weakness - ie lack of a top class no. 6 - unaddressed. 2. This is the least likely to happen. Klopp teams, and especially this Liverpool team, are constructed for aggression. And that’s the way almost all Liverpool supporters want it. 3. This may be the likeliest to happen, in the sense that Henderson has always performed better in a number 8 role, rather than number 6.

But.

But Henderson has only looked better at 8 against teams who try to play a high block against us. Arsenal, in the past, springs to mind. He does not have the skills or ingenuity to break down teams using a low block. And that means most teams. So Henderson will probably have to do something really extraordinary to feature in most games as a number 8. Or Keïta will have to prove a catastrophic failure.

Given these possibilities it’s at least possible that Henderson won’t be anything like a regular choice to start next season. To my mind that makes his captaincy untenable. Yes Arteta captained Arsenal from the bench, but abysmally. You need the skipper on the pitch, not so much for what they say or do on the pitch (though that’s important) but to establish their authority OFF it. Captains who aren’t automatic choices are weak. Moreover they feel weak.

Give it Virgil Van Dyke. He looks like a more natural leader anyway.

1.) 30 May 2018
30 May 2018 17:14:16
Mate, don't get too wrapped up in formations and this and that.
His signing, and Keita's to a degree also, gives Klopp more versatility to mix things up depending on the opponent or situation at hand and also to rotate players to rest.
Henderson, likewise, has played in numerous positions across the midfield and he's not bound so tightly now either.

What criticism Klopp has had has mainly been about his lack of 'Plan B', so signings like this one can definitely help to address that.

One of the most interesting things I saw the season just gone, was Pep's use of Fernandinho against us in the QF 2nd leg. He was absolutely brilliant on the night and it nearly paid off.
You can never have too many good versatile players.

2.) 30 May 2018
30 May 2018 17:29:14
I think it's horses for courses. Maybe against the lesser teams at home, you go one sitting, and two more attacking players, maybe big teams away you can play hendo and Fabinho with the third a bit higher. Not to mention rotation and injuries.

3.) 30 May 2018
30 May 2018 17:46:30
Sebastian Kehl was Dortmund captain despite not being a guaranteed starter at Dortmund. Henderson will be fine, there will be games to play in midfield as we rotate.

Milner is the wrong side of 30, Ox is injured for most of the season and people are saying Lallana is off.

4.) 30 May 2018
30 May 2018 17:52:54
Why does it make his captaincy untenable? Vincent Kompany has played very little over the past 2 years but he is still Captain every time he plays for ManC. Henderson can do the same. He is Klopp's choice and the players' as well (I assume), to lead the team on the field and we do play better when he is on the field. Maybe Fabinho will prove to be beter in that position, but it's hardly the moment to be scrambling team dynamics that have taken a lot of time to build.

5.) 30 May 2018
30 May 2018 17:55:54
Has a thought even been given to the possibility that Fabinho has actually been brought in to play right back? With TAA preferring a midfield role and potentially happy to play a bit part to make it happen. Fabinho would still be able to do a lot from full back and could turn out to be the best right back in the country. Just a thought.

6.) 30 May 2018
30 May 2018 18:08:14
Exactly my thoughts too ArAy mate.

7.) 30 May 2018
30 May 2018 18:17:45
Thanks Mo. How's the shoulder? 😉.

8.) 30 May 2018
30 May 2018 18:51:20
Good heavens, what is the obsession with Hendo and the "capt's armband" nonsense? Hendo is capt. until Klopp changes his mind. Also, we all know Hendo or any other player cannot play all the games so what has that got to do with making that a condition for him to keep the arm band? Klopp rotates a lot and did so all last season and to some extent, very good effect. That will be the case here as we will be able to use diff. personel and formations in midfield based on the opposition which makes us more flexible and unpredictable.

As for what Fernandinho did Juicer, I don't see what paid off really cos in the 1st half of the 2nd leg, he played the DM role and the CB role in the 2nd half and by the way, they were poor in that 2nd half and rightfully lost so don't know what and how him playi ng both positions paid off.

9.) 30 May 2018
30 May 2018 16:47:28
we have many matches ahead mate plus Henderson has an injury problem. remember the time that we need to use woodburn as the only available midfield substitute?

But your questions raise up a long term question of me and would love to see editors would share their views.

How important do you think Hendo is in our team?

Some fans keep saying Hendo cannot give any break through to the team at hard times. But I think he is a very disciplined player with very high tactical operation ability. He might not be the best at most of the position but I am most of the managers would love to see him in the team as he is doing fine at every position.

{Ed001's Note - I think he is very important. Though his importance is lessened by the arrival of Fabinho.}