Liverpool vs Watford: Lallana as a false 9!? Three changes to compensate for missing Firmino
Liverpool look set to take on Watford on Wednesday night without the services of injured forward Roberto Firmino.
Firmino came off injured against Manchester United and manager Jurgen Klopp said he may be forced to sit out of the Hornets clash.
That would give a rare chance for a player that isn’t Bobby, Sadio Mane or Mohamed Salah to start a game in the front line, but who should it be?
Well Klopp has a number of choices available to him. From Daniel Sturridge and Divock Origi to Xherdan Shaqiri or maybe a curveball – the German can play it a few different ways.
Firmino’s early exit against the Red Devils showed that Liverpool lack the dynamism in attack when the Brazilian isn’t in the side. Maybe Klopp needs to dip into the transfer market to solve that in the summer, but for now he’ll have to work with that he already has.
So click through the slides below to read about three different changes that would compensate for the missing Firmino.
Play Xherdan Shaqiri on the right
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This is one of the more straightforward calls that Klopp could make. Shaqiri has been an excellent squad member this season and deserves more minutes in the side.
He’s made a number of telling interventions in recent years, while Big Shaq’s double against United at Anfield completely changed the course of the game in about 10 minutes.
The Swiss international’s pace, power and movement should cause Watford loads of problems and this strategy would allow Salah to play through the middle.
Klopp loves how Mane, Salah and Firmino work together and this is the tactic that would most closely mirror how the German prefers to play.
For his part, Shaqiri has been patient this season and turned up when the Reds have needed him most. This is the solution that Klopp should go for.