Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp hit the nail on the head in the wake of his side’s 1-0 win against Burnley on Sunday.Burnley broke through a few times at Turf Moor but more often than not their excitement was wiped away when the assistant referee’s flag was raised for offside.Some perceptions of the game were warped and Klopp reflected on this at full-time.“I think it felt that they had more moments than they actually had, because of the late offside flag,†he told reporters, per GOAL.“There were a lot of situations where we defended them really well then the flag came late, or if Ali made a save he didn’t even put the flag up anymore.“So it looked really crazy. But that’s the way it is.â€
Liverpool's high line noticeable vs Burnley
Burnley were flagged for offside seven times. But with assistant referees now delaying raising the flag, plays are developing further and it gives the impression that genuine chances are being created.
Just look at the reporter who quizzed Liverpool’s match-winner Fabinho on Burnley creating “a lot of chances.â€
Footage shows how well it works
Liverpool have caught their opponents offside 101 times this season - the next highest is Man City on 61 - and a video of their high line against Burnley shows it’s one of the most underrated tactics in football right now.
Liverpool lead the way in offsides won
Per FBref, Liverpool lead the way in catching their opponents offside in the Premier League and it’s not even close.
Klopp trusts his backline to play high up. Last season, without Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and eventually Joel Matip, it ended up costing them.
And there will be occasions where it doesn't work. Indeed, they were caught out by West Ham in November.
But as a tactic designed to limit the number of chances their opponents create, Liverpool's offside trap is one of the best around right now.