Klopp's Liverpool know the value of long balls as well

When we talk about long balls and the English Premier League, the famous “kick and run” that has marked British football for so long comes to mind. in contemporary times, it is normal to associate this phenomenon with teams from the middle and bottom of the table like Burnley, who often display this characteristic style.

However, Liverpool, arguably the best team in the country, breaks paradigms when it uses long balls as one of its great weapons to break down opponents.

Direct link: Liverpool's long balls

Virgil Van Dijk (left) can launch a few piercing long passes from the back.

In the current edition of the Premier League, the Reds are the fifth team that most uses the direct call feature (1860 attempts), being the first of the Big 6. This is an increase compared to last season.

In 2018/2019, Liverpool were the 15th team in this classification (2250 attempts), being the second among the Big 6. To get a sense, Manchester City, the champions last season, was the 19th team that most used long balls, with 1814 attempts. Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool not only added it to their repertoire but also employed it to deadly effect this season.

The bows

The Liverpool backline add to their attacking zing.

It is deduced that a team that uses this resource has good pitchers, after all, a wrong throw and you return possession to your opponent. Liverpool not just have good pitchers, they have experts in this discipline.

Dutch defender Virgil van Dijk has many resources, and one of them is undoubtedly the long pass. In this current edition, he has 55% accuracy in the balls thrown and hits an average of 5.4 shots per game, being the fourth best player in the competition in this regard, according to Sofascore. Last season he had an incredible 62% hit, hitting 5.3 shots per game.

In addition to the defender, goalkeeper Alisson should be highlighted, as a master goalie when it comes to playing with his feet. The Brazilian has a 49% accuracy in long balls, hitting an average of four shots per game. Their quick switches of plays can be fatal when the opponent takes the attack, as in Mohamed Salah's striking goal in the 2-0 victory against Manchester United.

The arrows

The famed attacking trio benefit from long passes.

If it’s important to have the bidder, it’s just as important as the bidder. And the most curious of all is that the current Premier League leaders Liverpool do not have that typical center, a striker of strength and stature to fight for these broken balls like so many other teams in the competition.

Without having that kind of a centre forward, Klopp uses and abuses the speed of his two points (Sadio Mane and Salah). As Roberto Firmino is a striker who moves a lot, he constantly leaves the reference and attracts a defender with him, leaving a space that is normally attacked by the tips to receive this long ball in deep, either delivered by the defense or a deep-lying midfielder (Jordan Henderson is also a master at these pings).

In addition to the wingers, two figures of extreme importance for Liverpool's offensive operations are the fullbacks Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson. They are so fundamental that they are also targets of this direct connection, since when Liverpool have the ball they send themselves into the attack, often forming a line of five with the attacking trio. As they expand the field, they serve as a launch option for van Dijk and Co.

Klopp's hybridism

Jurgen Klopp

These data and analysis serve to show how England's most dominant team can have multiple faces.It is not a team that rejects the ball (its average of 62.6% of possession exemplifies this), but it adapts to the scenario and the players change their dynamic accordingly.

There is no right or wrong way to play football and Klopp's Liverpool overturns the stereotype that long balls (direct link) is a feature teams with fewer resources utilise. Well, maybe limited are those who stick to a single way of playing football.