Paul Gorst: It felt as though the initial tactical tweak from Jurgen Klopp back in the spring was done with a short-term view of getting his side playing once more after a chastening few weeks that saw them beaten at Bournemouth, knocked out of the Champions League and then humbled at Manchester City.
The adjustment worked a charm for several players, including Curtis Jones and Trent Alexander-Arnold, but with that right side of the pitch now becoming something of a bullseye for the opposition, do the negatives of overworking the defence now outweigh the positives of getting Alexander-Arnold into more advanced, central areas?
The discussion around the ‘box midfield’ formation cannot be separated from the debate around Alexander-Arnold but there is a school of thought that suggests it’s time to fish or cut bait with regards to the inverted/hybrid midfielder role the 24-year-old is being asked to play by Klopp.
It essentially demands Alexander-Arnold play in two positions while also overexerting the right side of the backline, as evidenced by Ibrahima Konate pulling up with a muscle injury against Bournemouth and Joel Matip being withdrawn as a precaution against Newcastle.
Is it time to accept Alexander-Arnold is now best served as a deep-lying playmaker, work on the skills he needs to improve as a defensive midfielder and turn the transfer attention towards the recruitment of a right-back?
It seems an easier road to travel than continuing to fly by the seat of their pants with this new formation. While Liverpool remain unbeaten while using it, Klopp would ideally like more control over games, which is what the surety of 4-3-3 has offered in previous seasons.
‘The last two victories have shown the value of tactical versatility’
Ian Doyle: The chief criticism of Liverpool in the last 15 months or so is they have been giving opponents far too many chances to test just how good Alisson Becker is between the sticks. After all, not even the Brazilian can save everything.
Last season, it was thought the issue was the midfield, which has since been addressed in a more dramatic way than was anticipated, with three who started in the engine room at Newcastle United on Sunday seeing an engine room having all been bought in the summer.
But before that came, in the closing two months of last season, the tactical tweak to a box midfield that freed Trent Alexander-Arnold from the confines of his right-back role and has seen Liverpool unbeaten in the 13 competitive games they’ve played since making the switch.
However, players make systems. And as was shown for significant parts at Chelsea and the opening periods against Bournemouth and Newcastle, the Reds just don’t have the players right now to dedicate themselves completely to such an approach.
That Liverpool were able to play out more then 90 minutes in their last two games without conceding a goal in a 4-4-1 formation suggests that, when organised defensively, they can frustrate opponents. The box midfield hasn’t been progressively decisive yet this season.
The lack of a defensive midfielder hasn’t helped, and it’ll take time for new signing Wataru Endo to adjust. So it would make sense to return to a 4-3-3 given the greater mobility – both in terms of yards covered and passing range – in midfield of Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister compared to last term, and the familiarity with the remainder of the team.
But no team wants to be tactically stale. Having the box midfield as an option – along with the occasional return to a 4-2-3-1 – means Liverpool can mix and match during games. The last two victories have shown the value of such versatility.
‘Don’t abandon the box but make it part of a mix’
Sean Bradbury: The ‘box midfield’ or 3-2-2-3 shape was hugely effective in getting Liverpool back into rhythm at the end of last season.
Using that system to varying degrees saw the Reds rack up a lengthy unbeaten run to finish 2022/23 on a relative high – with flashes of it also contributing to seven points from three games so far this term.
The key consideration in my view is: can Jurgen Klopp and his players nail the transitions between 3-2-2-3 and when to drop back into something more like the traditional 4-3-3 or even a 4-4-2?
Maximising what Trent Alexander-Arnold can offer and keeping the opposition guessing through tactical evolution mean that the ‘box’ should not be abandoned fully.
But a more measured approach within games – and perhaps even using 4-3-3 outright for some of the trickier ties – could be beneficial.
It would help the likes of Ibrahima Konate and Andy Robertson too, who are tested to their limits in terms of how much of the pitch they are responsible for in ‘box’ structure.
Dominik Szoboszlai is also worth a mention here.
Such is his ridiculous engine and ability to get around the ground, he could arguably be a catalyst to winding the clock back to the classic 4-3-3 in certain moments.
He would be able to cover for Alexander-Arnold’s forward forays and allow the Scouse star to attack from defence in the manner he did prior to his ‘inverted full-back’ switch.
So to sum up – don’t bin the box, but make it part of the mix rather than the only show in town.
