Jurgen Klopp and Pep Lijnders are quietly evolving Liverpool's gameplan with evidence across the entire club, writes Paul Gorst
It's now over six months now since a tactical change increased the demands significantly on Liverpool's right-backs.
If the mid-game adjustment for Alexander-Arnold was very much a roll of the dice from Klopp, the 6-1 drubbing of Leeds in the subsequent game felt a lot more calculated as the England international ran riot, providing assists for Cody Gakpo and Darwin Nunez. One particular man-marking job at home against Nottingham Forest last season was carried out well by the visitors and led to internal questions at Liverpool about how to properly adapt to the position, while the high pressing from Bournemouth in the 3-1 win at Anfield in August was eventually sorted by Alexander-Arnold moving to a more traditional right-back slot after being caught out a handful of times that included the Cherries early opener.
The issue for Liverpool is the unique player they have on their hands in Alexander-Arnold. There are few others in the squad capable of being as inventive in possession. It does not always look the most free-flowing or natural when centre-back-by-trade Joe Gomez is being asked to do similar, for example.
The use of both Bajcetic and Jones there, though, does suggest it is something Liverpool are sticking to for the foreseeable, even in the absence of Alexander-Arnold. It is also an indication from Klopp that the technical surety of a more traditional midfielder is being prized over defensive nous in the list of skills needed to excel in the role.
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