Unpicking why Liverpool must not overlook Wolves

Liverpool will travel inland to Molineux for a Friday night match against Wolves. This game should not be taken lightly by Jurgen Klopp and his club.

“Out of darkness cometh light”, so goes the motto that defines the west Midlands town of Wolverhampton. A town with deep industrial roots, built on a bedrock of coal and iron. This town and its club, Wolverhampton Wanderers, have a truly complementary relationship. The town looms as large for the club as the club does for the town.

Wolves’ rich gold and black colours emblazon their resilience and bright future. They have risen through the darkness of the Championship to the radiance of the Premier League and this is nowhere more evident than in their style of play.

Their coach Nuno Espírito Santo has brought a virtual piece of Portugal to the English Midlands. This renaissance of Wolverhampton Wanderers features a very unique formation.

They align in a flexible formation of 3-4-3 in possession and 5-4-1 in defence. This formation flows very seamlessly as the wing backs drop back to defend alongside the three centre-halves and the wingers drop deep into the middle of the park taking the positions abdicated by the wing backs.

In this formation, they are able to form a triangular shape, which intensely presses their opponents. Wolves attempt to force play centrally and their shape provides a great position to generate counterattacks from. Once the ball is won back by a central defender he can launch the ball up the pitch to link play with the attackers.

Nuno’s tactics are fairly complex and offer a different opponent than Klopp and the Reds are familiar with. This unfamiliar opponent has tripped up Manchester City and Chelsea, who drew 1-1 and were defeated 2-1 at the Molineux respectively.

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This is not the ordinary mid-table team, they have gathered a reputation for playing a difficult style of football against all top six sides. Beyond City and Chelsea, Wolves drew with Manchester United 1-1 at Old Trafford, were just edged out 3-2 by Spurs at home, and drew 1-1 at the Emirates.

One defeat against all top six sides, other than Liverpool of course, is an intriguing and telling stat that should catch the attention of the Reds’ boss. He must arrange an attack that takes into consideration the strengths and weaknesses of the Wolverhampton side.

This is to say that Wolves should not be looked upon with the likes of Burnley or Cardiff City. A complete lineup must be employed and with Liverpool’s current form, this stat can potentially be reversed on Friday night.

A slight dip in form or a lethargic start, such as in the Champions League matches in Paris and Naples, can cripple the Reds efforts. Thus, if the Reds are not playing their typical, assertive style there is a great possibility for a draw or even a loss.

Lacking the dynamic Trent Alexander-Arnold will absolutely prove to be a hindrance. However, a solid showing from Nathaniel Clyne last Sunday and the supreme quality offered by Andy Robertson on a weekly basis indicates that Klopp’s men should be able to handle the task ahead.

The use of a dynamic lineup would set the Reds up nicely. Some form of Fabinho, Giorgino Wijnaldum, and Naby Keïta can be used to achieve just this. Linking play to the front of the formation will be vital due to the opposition’s shape.

A back line of five strong with a clogged midfield of four will trouble the Reds in starting an attack. Fabinho’s performance against United was stellar, as was that of Keïta, both players were immense in the counterattack. Players that move the ball quickly will certainly make a sizeable difference, providing a much greater opportunity for the likes of Sadio Mané, Mo Salah, Roberto Firmino or even Xherdan Shaqiri to strike.

Liverpool should not in any way be distressed about this matchup, nor should they overlook it. It must be considered carefully, just as if it were any other side. Credit needs to be given to Nuno’s Wolves and his significant role in shaping their style of play.

This Friday night’s matchup will prove to be a good watch for supporters of both sides, as well as neutrals. As long as both managers remain committed to a winning style of football and remain confident it will be exactly this.