Jurgen Klopp has explained his tactical thinking behind the decision to go with a diamond formation in Liverpool's 3-0 win at Ajax.
Goals from Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez and Harvey Elliott were enough to secure the Reds' place in the last 16 of the Champions League with Klopp now set to learn his fate when the draw is made on November 7.
The manager started with a front three of Roberto Firmino, Nunez and Salah but the former was dropping deeper at times as something of a new-look system helped the team secure their place in the knockout stages of Europe's premier competition for the sixth successive season.
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Klopp suggested the idea was to allow Nunez and Salah to operate in a narrower front two to allow space for Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson to exploit from wide positions.
Klopp said: “We could have lined up with that formation in a 4-3-3 but we decided to go more for a diamond. The difference is not that big in possession but it keeps the strikers a bit more inside so we had no clear wingers and it opens up for the full-backs.
"You have to be really brave in the No.8 positions and the full-backs positions. The problem is you arrive in the challenge where you want to block the full-back and at that moment they pass to Tadic or Brobbey and there we couldn’t stop them. They were physically really there.
"We had that problem in the home game with Tadic where the ref whistled five or six offensive fouls, but didn’t give them today. The other problem is the man-marking system of Ajax is uncomfortable and we should have turned in a lot of moments in midfield and realise we are not constantly under pressure."
Ajax started brightly and could have went ahead when Steven Berghuis struck the post before Dusan Tadic's goal-bound effort was blocked later in the half by Alexander-Arnold.
"We needed in the last line Virgil (Van Dijk) and Joey (Gomez), and the moment they started stepping in – and you may remember the first game when Joel Matip was super active there - Ajax were in doubt as they had to mark different players and all of a sudden you find constantly a player you can play with and that changed everything," Klopp added. "We just needed time to do it again and when we did we controlled the game. We had brilliant moments, actually.
“The things you have to do are pretty clear very early and we played into their hands, then it’s difficult to change that on the pitch. We needed the full backs higher then Joey can step in and Trent can go, same for Robbo, the big chance (for Nunez) was a Robbo acceleration and finding Bobby.
"This is a very good example of how you have to play and sometimes you just have to realise this step by step during the game and do it again. These moments were really good but it was after we have to defend, that’s fine, I have no problem with that.
"When the other team is doing well, you have to get through it. And when you can take over, you have to take over."
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