Jurgen Klopp Tribute Tactic

I did not follow Jürgen Klopp when he was managing Mainz.

I did not follow Jürgen Klopp when he got appointed as Borussia Dortmund manager.

And I did not follow Jürgen Klopp until he started doing miracles for the North Rhine-Westphalia based club.

But after I started following him, his tactics, the squads he built I could not turn away.

His champagne, rock and roll style of football gegenpressing were unrivaled at the beginning.

But he had to start somewhere. And that somewhere was Mainz. The club where he played before retiring.

Upon retiring in 2001, Jürgen Klopp became the club's manager, and secured Bundesliga promotion in 2004, after a few missed chances to do so.

Even though the club got relegated in 2006-2007, he remained at the club. But he resigned the next season, after being unable to lead the club to promotion.

Of course, the moment was an emotional one for Jürgen Klopp and the Mainz fans.

And the period he spent at Mainz marked the birth of Jürgen Klopp’s tactical setup, as the implementation of gegenpress helped the club play differently than their opponents.

In 2008, Borussia Dortmund approached Jürgen  Klopp and ignited one of the best football rebuilds in the modern era.

Rising from the ashes, Borussia Dortmund climbed the Bundesliga table eventually winning the league in the 2010-2011 season.

And they did so with a team full of talented youngsters. Most of them anonymous before joining the club.

But Jürgen Klopp’s managerial touch helped them develop into, I would say, world class players.

After a brush with the UEFA Champions league title in 2013, Jürgen Klopp decided to leave the club in 2015 and he was appointed as the Liverpool manager.

And the farewell at Borussia Dortmund was as emotional as it can get for a manager that took over a club on the brink of insolvency and got it as close as winning the Champions League title.

But it was at Liverpool where we got to witness Jürgen Klopp’s full transformation.

He already was a manager full of energy, a beacon of optimism on the touchline, but at Liverpool, he doubled or even tripled that energy and made sure that everyone, no matter their talent, was giving 100% on the pitch.

He took over a squad in disarray and a club which looked like it lost its way. No matter what players he got at the club, he managed to help them be more than they could be when they were playing.

He quickly implemented his gegenpress style and tweaked the formation according to the squad available.

There were a few touch and gos at the beginning, even getting close to winning the UEFA Europa League at some point.

But as seasons passed, Jürgen Klopp kept assembling a talented team, full of promise.

And the players delivered, winning the UEFA Champions League title in 2019, against Tottenham, after a remarkable comeback in the semi-finals, against FC Barcelona.

And in 2020, during a chaotic period marked by the COVID pandemic, Liverpool and Jürgen Klopp won the Premier League title after 30 years.

His playing style did not change much over the years, the methods he applied it, on the other hand, changed according to the players he had at his disposal.

A 4-3-3 formation was predominant and the gegenpress was essential.

I chose to create a tactic using roles Jürgen Klopp preferred throughout the years, but the Liverpool period prevails.

That’s hard to miss, as the culmination of the German manger’s career came while managing the English club.

As said, a 4-3-3 formation. With a sweeper keeper in goal. The goalkeeper is not expected to be Manuel Neuer, but he is expected to come out and become a passing option when the team needs him too.

An inverted wing back on support duty on the right side. This modern version of the role used by the German manager in the last couple of seasons at Liverpool is preferred as it adds a layer of uncertainty for the opposition and helps unlocking the midfield area when in possession.

It also helps creating an amazing rotation on the right flank, with the central midfielder and the right winger.

In the central area of the defence, two ball playing defenders on defend duty were preferred. Virgil Van Dijk seemed to play more like a stopper while Mats Hummels seemed to be a cover defender under Jürgen Klopp’s management. But I preferred defend duty as it seems to engulf both the previously mentioned roles also.

A wing back on attack duty on the left side. This is Andrew Robertson. I know it’s hard to recreate a player’s movement in Football Manager. But this might be as close as possible.

A complete wing back on attack could also work here, but Andrew Robertson also defends well when playing for Liverpool. So, the wing back seems more appropriate.

Stay wider as player instruction for him.

A midfield trio made of a defensive midfielder on defend, a mezzala on support and a central midfielder on support.

The mezzala is a new addition in Jürgen Klopp’s tactic, created mainly due to the right wing back stepping into the midfield area and the need for one of the midfielders having to create space for him.

Get further forward as player instruction for the central midfielder.

The front trio is made of two inside forwards on attack duty and one complete forward on attack.

Jürgen Klopp’s earlier version of 4-3-3 started off with a false nine or a deep lying forward on support as the striker. And two inside forwards becoming the strikers.

But as the squads evolved and especially at Liverpool, as Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino left the club, the German manager had to adapt.

And the strikers he used were not Roberto Firmino, who for me is the best dropping forward I have ever seen playing.

The complete forward role in Football Manager 2024 helps the player drop deep when needed, but also move into channels when the opportunity arises. And plays very well with two attacking wingers on each side.

The right sided inside forward is Mohamed Salah, without a doubt. This player is asked to stay wider and close down more.

While the left sided one is asked to sit narrower and close down more.

The complete forward has close down more as player instruction.

As mentality, I chose positive. Attacking can be used, but the tactic can become too offensive for my liking.

In possession fairly wide, pass into space, play out of defence, shorter passing directness and a slightly higher tempo. Whipped crosses, play for set-pieces and be more disciplined.

Liverpool, especially, but Borussia Dortmund as well may have seemed to be playing fluid football. But if you notice, the players never played outside of the tactical setup. There did not seem to be any free roaming granted to them.

Thus, I chose the be more disciplined option as it asks the players to follow the tactical setup, but it allows them the freedom to express themselves.

In transition, counter-press (obviously), counter and distribute the ball quickly, to the defence and through short kicks.

Out of possession high press, a higher defensive line, trigger press more often and prevent the goalkeeper short distribution.

Jürgen Klopp promised the Liverpool fans that his team will win major trophies and he delivered. As a recent chant sings.

I am glad I was granted the chance to witness Jürgen Klopp making his mark on football and transforming players and clubs in more than they were when he took over.

To me, Jürgen Klopp will always remain one of the best football managers. And his style of play opened doors for the little guy, helping you believe that if you work hard, stay true to your beliefs and trust the process, you can achieve whatever you set the mind on.