MARTIN KEOWN: I’m worried, Spurs are reminding me of Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal… while Liverpool’s rebuild is going well with Mo Salah still Jurgen Klopp’s shining light
- Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool rebuild is going well with Mo Salah at the heart of it
- Ange Postecoglou’s impact sparks memories of Arsene Wenger’s arrival
- Mail Sport’s new WhatsApp Channel: Get the breaking news and exclusives here
With five wins from six Premier League games, Liverpool’s rebuild is going well. Jurgen Klopp is now in his eighth year at the club and working with a new midfield of Dominik Szoboszlai, Curtis Jones and Alexis Mac Allister. Mac Allister is being used as a deep midfielder, but in time I expect he will end up in a more advanced position.
When the right back — whether it be Joe Gomez or Trent Alexander-Arnold — moves into midfield, that triggers a chain of movements which sets up their attacking structure.
Andy Robertson gets high and wide down the left. Luis Diaz tucks inside from that same flank while Szoboszlai and Jones push towards the forward line.
Darwin Nunez, recently given the nod over Cody Gakpo, stays high rather than dropping into an already-overcrowded midfield. All while the effervescent Mo Salah fixes himself on the right.
Salah is still Klopp’s shining light, with 190 goals and 78 assists in 312 games. It is little wonder Liverpool turned down £150million for him in the summer. Klopp needs Salah’s quality for this rebuild.
Jurgen Klopp’s has rebuilt his midfield and it’s working well with Liverpool currently unbeaten
Even in this new Liverpool side, Mohamed Salah is still the shining light in Klopp’s team
The arrival of Ange Postecoglou feels familiar to when Arsene Wenger took over at Arsenal
On Saturday, I expect an open, exciting and attacking game between two in-form teams who will want to win to keep pace with leaders Manchester City.
Tottenham’s transformation under Ange Postecoglou feels familiar.
It’s transporting me back to 1996, when Arsene Wenger walked through the door at Arsenal. Almost overnight, he instilled belief in us.
Under George Graham, I had been told my job was to win the ball and give it to someone who could play.
But Wenger told me, and others, that he trusted us and we should all play with the freedom to express ourselves.
Suddenly, I felt like a footballer, totally fulfilled, and the rest, as they say, is history.
As worrying as it is for me to admit as an Arsenal fan, I see that same belief being passed on to Tottenham’s players by Postecoglou.
Even after selling Harry Kane, they look a better team and totally unified.
They have a manager who believes in them in a way that Antonio Conte didn’t, and Postecoglou’s style of play is striking.
Starting with summer signing Guglielmo Vicario in goal, he is solid, secure and good with his feet.
Spurs remain unbeaten and have look like a unified team under the Australian manager
More than 66 per cent of his passes have been short — one of the highest in the Premier League — as Postecoglou demands his side build attacks from the back. Centre backs Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven are forming a strong partnership.
They never shy from accepting the ball from Vicario and are aggressive, mobile and quick — vital attributes when you play attacking football because of the large gaps inevitably left at the back.
Full backs Pedro Porro and Destiny Udogie are flexible. They will get down the wings but also regularly tuck in next to Yves Bissouma — the defensive enforcer who crashes into challenges in midfield — which allows Pape Matar Sarr to push up the pitch along with James Maddison.
Sarr and Maddison fly forward to join a front three led by Son Heung-min, the new club captain who is back to his best.
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