It was the recurring theme throughout Liverpool's ultimately disappointing campaign. From the very first Premier League weekend back in August, when Thiago Alcantara hobbled off hamstrung and both Jordan Henderson and Fabinho were way off the pace, the Reds midfield has been under the most intense scrutiny.
The fact a whopping 12 different players started a game in the engine room - and, don't forget, on-loan Arthur Melo never got that far - underlines how Jurgen Klopp was forced to mix and match throughout the campaign in pursuit of the right blend.
Yet it was adapting the role of one player who didn't begin a single match in the position that eventually unlocked Liverpool's midfield during the closing months of the campaign and gave them hope of unlikely Champions League qualification until the final few days.
