da 888casino： New managerial appointments always generate a feeling of excitement, a feeling that something new is about to kick off. But, few have rivalled the past week and the ‘Kloppomania’ that has engulfed the city of Liverpool and spread out across the rest of the county.
da bet vitoria： For football fans it’s been impossible to avoid the name Jurgen Klopp through the past five days, with the 48-year-old German’s move to Anfield to replace Brendan Rodgers having been front page, back page and every page in between news.
Now with the ink on the contract having dried and the first press conference – which was a corker – done, it’s time to focus on what the charismatic tactician can bring to Merseyside.
High-tempo, exciting football is largely expected given his Dortmund team, but up until January Klopp will have to work with the squad Rodgers has left him… yet in said squad there is a player flying under the radar that he may be able to transform: Roberto Firmino.
The £29m Brazilian only arrived over the summer, but his Anfield career has, so far, been pretty quiet. Can Klopp get the best from him? We think so, and here are FIVE reasons why!
Perfectly suited to the ‘gegenpressing’ set-up
Liverpool fans, get used to the term ‘gegenpressing’, you’ll be hearing it a lot from now on. In case you’re not sure what it is yet, the term translates as ‘counter pressing’, which manifests itself in winning the ball as high up the pitch as possible so as to take advantage of the opposing team when they’re in the transition between defence and attack by forcing them into mistakes through intelligent team pressing. It sounds simple, but in reality the style requires players able to run hard, work effectively in tandem with team-mates and be skilled enough technically to take full advantage of space that opens up. Firmino is well suited, it would seem.
Although Reds fans haven’t seen the best of the 24-year-old yet, in German football with Hoffenheim he developed a reputation for being rather ‘un-Brazilian’ in his approach. Firmino does have the technical prowess associated with the yellow shirt, but having moved to Europe at a young age and been coached in a different manner, his game is as much about tracking back and pressing as it is about goals and assists – of which he’s got a tally of over 20 apiece in his last two full seasons.
Don’t believe us? Well boss of international relations at Hoffenheim Lutz Pfannensteil is sure that Klopp can get the best from Firmino. Speaking to The Anfield Wrap, he said: “I think Jurgen Klopp knows exactly how to handle Roberto Firmino because Firmino gave him lots of trouble as Dortmund manager. He always spoke really highly of him and what he can do. I think that he can actually bring Firmino to a level where Brendan [Rodgers] was, unfortunately, not able to. I think it will be a great fit, they know each other and they speak the same language. I think he can really push him onto the next level.”
‘Nuff said.
A player Klopp wanted…
Klopp spoke of his “respect” of Firmino while in charge of Dortmund, while transfer rumours surrounding a move to lure him from Hoffenheim to the Westfalenstadion have been plentiful in the German press over the course of the past few years. So, it would appear that Klopp has been keen on working with the 24-year-old for some time, which bodes well for the player and Liverpool.
In truth it’s pretty easy to see why Klopp has been keen on Firmino, with the attacking midfielder having long been thought of as one of the Bundesliga’s top talents thanks to his performances with a midtable team.
Signed for Klopp?
A little bit of a conspiracy theory here, but did Liverpool sign Firmino to boost their chances of getting Klopp? This is mere speculation, but Brendan Rodgers didn’t seem entirely convinced by the Brazilian during the opening months of his Reds career, and the fact he picked up his current back injury playing against League Two opposition in the Capital One Cup somewhat illustrates his position in the squad – the likes of Philippe Coutinho were rested.
Further to that, Liverpool had plenty of attacking midfield and wing options before paying £29m for his signature, with Adam Lallana known to be a player Rodgers trusted and admired. Did Liverpool approach Klopp over the summer, find out he had reservations about the job and react by snapping up a player they believed he would like to work with? It’s possible.
Suits ‘wild’ football
During the 2013/14 and 2014/15 seasons Firmino netted 23 goals and registered 21 assists in Bundesliga action… Wow! Even some of Bayern Munich’s stars struggled to match such an output, and the Brazilian was performing in a team stuck in midtable alongside, bar Kevin Volland, some pretty average team-mates.
It seems then that he’s suited to the “wild” football Klopp has talked up in his first interview with Liverpool’s official site, which relies heavily upon pace, movement and tenacity in the final third. Could Firmino be Klopp’s new Marco Reus?
Versatility
Although Klopp has not often deviated from his favoured 4-2-3-1 formation, having players able to function across the attacking midfield three is vital for him. The German’s sides have been characterised by the trio behind the main striker, with the majority of the front-foot pressing and creativity (as well as goals) coming from this area of the pitch.
Firmino is comfortable on either flank, as a ‘No’10’ or even as a striker, which bodes well for Klopp, who will be able to rely on him to slot well into his system and make runs beyond a centre-forward.