.

Tonali is exactly what de Zerbi needs. He can drop between the CBs to help with the build-up, position himself behind the first line of the press to link up with the advanced players higher up the pitch, and intelligently shield the defenders in the defensive phase. He complements Fernandes really well, as Fernandes is a ball carrier but is also capable of playing deeper. That rotation, thanks to their similar skill sets, should create a positive synergy. If you look at what de Zerbi requires from his pivots when it comes to playing through the press, Tonali ticks all the boxes. As for the price, it’s not for me to judge, but downplaying Tonali’s abilities is a little unserious

De Zerbi sometimes inverts the right-back (Gray), positioning him symmetrically in the half-space alongside the midfielder when Chelsea defend in a medium-block 4-2-4/4-4-2. This provides easier access into the attacking third while creating additional passing connections in central areas. Robertson advances higher to maintain width alongside Tel, often occupying the attacking third. The structure is comprehensive from a possession perspective, as it not only supports progression with the ball but also prepares the team for the defensive transition after losing possession

I think Chelsea, overall, offered more interesting elements in their play, but Liverpool were really good at protecting their penalty area. That’s a well-developed, temporary concept within Iraola’s approach, given the attacking quality at his disposal. I think Iraola is currently operating at maybe 50% of what he ultimately wants to achieve and will eventually turn this team into. The draw was a fair result

Watching the #Spurs game for the second time, and I’m doubling down on my take: Trey Nyoni is a £100m player, and I genuinely believe he could transform Liverpool’s season. His performance from Tuesday will probably feature in the thread as well. What a player. Absolutely phenomenal talent, with an incredible understanding of the pivot role #Nyoni

Against Villarreal, I noticed some very concerning signs from Cody Gakpo out of possession, which resurfaced on Sunday against Brighton. While most of the team generally adapted to the opposition’s rotations and structural changes, Gakpo repeatedly failed to track his man in a man-oriented marking/pressing scheme. A thread illustrating how poor execution of basic individual responsibilities can undermine the effectiveness of the entire team on the pitch. 🧵#LFC

Deep runs. Brighton struggle to track late runners. I saw it against Arsenal, and on top of that, their organisation immediately after losing possession is poor. They rely on counter-pressing, but that’s exactly why we shouldn’t try to play through them with short passing combinations. Instead, we should look for long balls into space for the wingers. This is a game tailor-made for Barcola