The frenzy that greeted Jürgen Klopp’s appointment as Liverpool manager always meant that the German’s first match in charge of the club would be somewhat of a let-down. The man is a very good manager, but not an alchemist. He has the same squad and resources to work with as Brendan Rodgers did after all (actually fewer, with Daniel Sturridge picking up a knee knock and Danny Ings and Joe Gomez suffering season-ending injuries).

But a top-flight English squad is composed of 25 players, not to mention various youth prospects so it’s always interesting to see what players a new manager brings in from the cold. For his part, Brendan Rodgers didn’t really rotate too much, but when the side was altered it was more to do with seemingly weird relationships with several players. Mamadou Sakho and Lucas Leiva constantly alternated between being out of favor and very much in favor under the Northern Irishman, despite evidence that Liverpool were much better with both in the side. Similarly, Jordan Henderson was at one point almost swapped for Clint Dempsey before rallying and becoming captain of the first team.

Klopp seemed to always have a more steady relationship with his favorite players, knowing exactly who he favors, why, and where they should play. As an example, his quote regarding Shinji Kagawa was particularly enlightening:

“Shinji Kagawa is one of the best players in the world and he now plays 20 minutes at Manchester United – on the left wing! My heart breaks. Really, I have tears in my eyes. Central midfield is Shinji’s best role. He’s an offensive midfielder with one of the best noses for goal I ever saw.”

Away to Tottenham Hotspur, Klopp’s selection in terms of names didn’t really spring too many surprises. Ings and Sturridge were unavailable leaving Divock Origi as pretty much the only fit center-forward at the club, while the rest of the players selected were all regulars under Rodgers. However how they lined up was interesting.

Everyone had predicted a change from a three man defense to a more traditional four at the back formation, but they thought Klopp would line up in a traditional 4-2-3-1.

Instead it seemed like a Max Allegri style Christmas tree formation, very narrow, with width really only provided by the fullbacks (and then only really on the left side through Alberto Moreno). Phillippe Coutinho and Adam Lallana played very, very centrally, while James Milner played a little wider but definitely not as a winger. Perhaps this was due to the fact Klopp wanted his ball winners to be close together to hunt in packs when Liverpool lost possession up field, or he wanted to focus the pressing on Spurs’ central spine players to force them out wide.

Another question seemingly answered (as answered as it can be with one game of evidence to rely on), is how Klopp dealt with three players that could have been used in many ways.

Milner came to Liverpool from Manchester City with the promise that he could play in his favored central midfield role, but Klopp has always liked hard-running wide players. A sort of compromise was reached with Milner playing centrally but often shuttling forward down the right hand side to put in crosses (five of them) but with two central midfielders alongside him to ensure his wanderings didn’t hurt the team.

Emre Can has been used as a right back and a central defender by Brendan Rodgers but Klopp put him straight into his preferred central midfield role where he was extremely impressive.

With Adam Lallana, it wasn’t where Klopp would play him but how often he would start as his fitness has rarely been up to the point where he could last 90 minutes for Liverpool. In a high-tempo strategy, Lallana might not have been risked but against Tottenham he was given a role mainly focused on improving Liverpool with the ball and closing down when they didn’t have it, without too much responsibility on tracking back to preserve energy (although he did track Dele Alli once all the way to his own box to make a much needed clearance).

Liverpool’s bench was also a point of interest. Jordon Ibe, someone who will doubtless get lots of game time for Klopp this season, was on the bench. So was Joe Allen, who will also get his share of minutes as he is the type of quick passing (if generally safe passing) and pressing midfielder that Klopp normally favors.

Aside from those two, Adam Bogdan as reserve goalkeeper, and Kolo Toure, there were not a lot of familiar faces. Exciting youngsters Jerome Sinclair, João Texeira, and Connor Randall were on the bench, but Pedro Chirivella and Jordan Rossitter, who had previously featured for Liverpool this season were not (Rossiter was injured while on England duty). Might Klopp’s watching of Liverpool reserve and youth sides over the international break be informing his opinions already?

As Klopp himself seemed to indicate after the game, the players followed his instructions on gegenpressing admirably, and were very good without the ball. They often hunted in packs, one or two players closing down the man in possession, one person running beyond the man to prevent a backpass, and a few others marking passing angles. With the ball there was some of the same lack of imagination as under Brendan Rodgers. Klopp wants fast transitions, in his own words, to win the ball and then make a quick switch to the other side of the field so the opponent has to run to catch up. At the moment Liverpool are still winning the ball and then looking up to play directly in front of them, rather than thinking laterally. But as Klopp also keeps saying, this will all come in time.