With the Premier League well underway, we’ve already seen how different teams set up in various styles. Here, we look at three of the most attacking teams in the league, and what their setup allows them to do
2. Liverpool
This choice comes as no real surprise due to who their manager is.
Jurgen Klopp has been well-known for playing an expressive form of football, something that became famous in his Borussia Dortmund team who got to the Champions League final.
So far, Liverpool has only won one game out of three, but their football has been an absolute joy to watch due to their sheer pace and desire to attack.
Their opening day 4-3 win at Arsenal is a terrific example of explaining how this side play.
It’s not that Liverpool doesn’t care about defending, but it’s not their strongest point. Therefore, Klopp urges his players to take the game to the opposition and control the midfield in an attacking 4-3-3 formation.
When the midfield gets turned into a scrap, the two attacking wingers drop back to ensure the game continues to stay in Liverpool’s hands, generally matching or outnumbering the opposition’s numbers centrally.
Because Liverpool has some pacy threats, a direct attacking game is what they set out to do.
Mane is often seen down the right-hand side helping out defensively before bombing forward about 70 yards down the pitch with the ball, which is a sign of their directness.
Despite it being a 4-3-3 on paper, Klopp allows all six players outside of the defence to move fluently around the attacking third, meaning Coutinho could be seen on the left-hand side before instantly switching flanks in the space of five passes.
This kind of movement has defences turning all over the place, and when possible, the Reds bomb their full-backs forward to outnumber their opposition in the wide areas.
It’s a style of football that not only makes their football a pleasure to watch and creates an expressiveness in their side, but they tire the opposition out defensively and make sure they always have to be concentrated to watch Liverpool’s movement.
It can only be used if you can afford to have six quality attackers and midfielders in the positions, and Liverpool has such an array of talent in that area that allows them to be so direct and fluent as soon as they get hold of the ball.
