Three ways Jurgen Klopp can deploy new Liverpool signing Arthur Melo in the XI
Liverpool signed Arthur Melo on deadline day on loan from Juventus. The Brazilian midfielder comes to Merseyside at a time when Jurgen Klopp has an injury crisis on his hands.
Arthur has played for some of the biggest sides in Europe. The 26-year-old moved to Barcelona in the summer of 2018 before making his way to Juventus in 2020.
The Brazilian is a technically gifted player who has sound skills on the ball. Arthur’s ability to keep hold of the ball in a possession-based style is one of his biggest strengths.
What the 26-year-old brings to the table is the expertise to be tidy and run away from traffic. Arthur’s biggest strength is his passing. No matter the range, the Brazilian can find his target.
Arthur is press resistant and his progressive passes are important for a team like Liverpool. The Reds see a lot of the ball in the majority of games in the final third of the pitch without any end product.
What the Brazilian evidently lacks is intensity in his play. Arthur is not a player people expect to cover a lot of miles on the pitch. However, under Klopp, that is a necessary aspect of the game for our players.
Three ways Liverpool can deploy Arthur:
- 4-3-3
Currently, with the likes of Thiago Alcantara and Jordan Henderson out, Klopp needs all the players at his disposal. The Spaniard is one of the most technically gifted players in the side and his absence can be felt.
Arthur is a player who has a similar style of play to that of Thiago. The Brazilian is someone who is good on the ball in tight spaces. The two have formerly played for Barcelona as well.
Keeping this in mind, Klopp can, for the time being, deploy Arthur in Thiago’s position. Milner can provide the legs to support on either end of the pitch, covering for Trent Alexander-Arnold when needed.
- 4-2-3-1
The gaffer can also opt to use the new signing in a double pivot. While the duo of Arthur and Thiago might not be the best in a defensive sense, the two can be instrumental when sides opt to sit deeper.
On occasions where the side needs to penetrate low blocks and has most of the ball, having more attackers may come in handy. And with the ability the Spaniard and Brazilian possess, Liverpool are bound to create more chances.
We have used a similar formation in the past to great success. Mohamed Salah playing through the middle with Roberto Firmino behind him has seen us score a lot of goals. Now, with the likes of Arthur and Thiago behind the forward line, the formation can be even more potent.
- 5-2-3
Liverpool have looked shaky at the back at the start of the new campaign. While that can be jotted down to the injuries we have sustained, the Reds can still improve a lot.
With our full-backs bombarding down the wings, our centre-backs are often left in 1v1 situations on the counter. An extra man in the backline can solve the issue. And with Arthur pulling the strings in the middle of the park, we can spray the ball in any direction.
While the Brazilian is not the best defensively, he does have the ability to be the lone man in the pivot. He can control the tempo of the game as a deep-lying playmaker. Thus, we can bring the best out of the Brazilian without having to worry about him tracking back.
