Are we going to see a formation switch from Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp in the season opener at Chelsea? Some tactical changes to his standard 4-3-3? Or maybe even he gets away from that and shifts to a formation that includes fewer midfielders, given how that position lacks depth?
“With the physical state I am really happy, we looked really fresh, looked really good — now, in the next five or six days, we have to find a formation for the Chelsea game, not for the whole season, and then we go from there,” he said to the club’s official website.
Season Opener FYIs
Liverpool FC at Chelsea
Kickoff: Sunday, Aug 13, 4:30 pm, Stamford Bridge
Starting XI Prediction: Liverpool Chelsea
Transatlantic Passage: How the Premier League Redefined Soccer in America: LINK
Google Result Probability: Liverpool 40% Draw 27% Chelsea 33%
“All OK, nobody got injured, so that’s the most important thing. We came through so far OK and that’s good. The situation is clear, the diagonal protection is not there. We cannot avoid each pass in behind our line, we just have to make sure that we are then in better positions.”
The German is right- having a fully fit squad, or very close to it, provides you a lot of opportunity to get creative and do some different things with your lineup. So what will he do?
Here’s our prediction
Liverpool FC Starting XI Prediction at Chelsea
Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, Gakpo; Jota, Salah, Nunez.
Prediction: Chelsea 0, Liverpool 0
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
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