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Think back to the end of last season, and the assessments that started to form over Jurgen Klopp’sLiverpool squad.

There was a lot of work to be done, mostly in the transfer market. A new left back was crucial; so, too, a real presence in midfield. Simon Mignolet needed proper competition, the team lacked pace, and maybe even a little bit more firepower was needed.

What followed in the summer has been well-documented. No left back, no defensive midfielder, and a positive net spend.

And yet, a 2-1 win at Chelsea sees Liverpool with 10 points after the first five games. Five difficult ones, too; trips to the Emirates, White Hart Lane and Stamford Bridge, as well as a home game with the champions.

Back in May, such a fine start in the face of that would have been met with a fair few assumptions. A couple of big-money signings, surely, were to thank for that; maybe a few fresh faces up front or a new-look back four, too.

Not quite. The team that beat Chelsea contained eight players who were at the club last season, while the three substitutes were also Liverpool players in 2015-16.

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Familiar faces, but in an unfamiliar set-up. James Milner is a left back, Adam Lallana is a central midfielder. Jordan Henderson lies deepest; the no.6, in Klopp parlance. Gini Wijnaldum arrived for £25million having been in Newcastle’s attacking front four, but finds himself in midfield.

When Klopp arrived at Anfield, he was feted for his ability to improve players at Borussia Dortmund.

He has done that at Liverpool too, but somewhat differently.

Refine, redefine, redesign. Klopp is flying in the face of convention. He is taking players whose positions have long been established, their attributes long pigeon-holed, and is challenging those perceptions. Midfielders have become defenders, show ponies have become workhorses.

Lallana has spent the majority of his career in an attacking role and now operates deeper. Henderson is considered an energetic, scuttling presence, but he is utilised in a more disciplined role. Wijnaldum was considered too weak to perform away from home at Newcastle, a real luxury player, but now finds himself in the engine room in the biggest games.

Consider the likes of Lucas Leiva, now regarded as a defender, or Daniel Sturridge, now defending from the front. Even Roberto Firmino, a playmaker at Hoffenheim, is considered as the club’s first-choice front man in the most important games.

Klopp is ignoring what has come before, with every player – and their role – being dictated on merit. The most obvious solution is not always the best.

This is not a new phenomenon, of course. Brendan Rodgers did likewise to reverse a bad run of form in 2014/15. Lazar Markovic became a wing-back, Emre Can a central defender, Raheem Sterling a striker.

Never did they pick up a win as impressive as the ones against Arsenal, Leicester or Chelsea, though.

It is not reinventing the wheel, but it is reinventing a fair proportion of Klopp’s squad. Right now, it is working.

Here are five transformations Klopp has produced for the Liverpool squad this season.

James Milner

What he was: A grafter in midfield, whether that was out wide or in the centre; indeed, he chose to move to Anfield on a free transfer in the summer of 2015 because of promises he would play in the latter. His workrate defined him, along with his experience; seen as ‘boring’ by some, that was just a nod to his reliability.

What he is now: Liverpool’s first-choice left back. After Alberto Moreno’s Emirates horror show, Klopp decided to convert Milner into a full back. Necessity more than design? Perhaps. But the Liverpool vice-captain has been solid in this role, defending well and offering a different kind of attacking threat to Moreno. What he lacks in pace, he makes up for in nous.

Why it’s working: Though he spent a large portion of his Manchester City career on the right wing – the opposite to where he finds himself now at Anfield – Milner has always been lauded for his defensive abilities. With the modern trend of wide players playing on the opposite side to their strongest foot, the right-footed Milner is well-equipped to deal with players who cut inside. He also cuts on to his right foot often in an attacking sense, too, bending the ball into the box.

Lucas Leiva

What he was: The ultimate holding midfielder. Hard to imagine now, but he arrived on Merseyside under Rafael Benitez as an attacking midfielder; that soon changed, with the former Gremio man finding his feet in the defensive midfield role. He was in the side to break up play and start attacks with his passing.

What he is now: An option at centre back. Injuries and misdemeanours have forced Klopp’s hand somewhat, but the Brazilian found himself starting against Leicester this season, having been trialled at the back last season. Despite a goal-costing mistake against the Premier League champions at Anfield, he otherwise impressed against Jamie Vardy, Riyad Mahrez and others.

Why it’s working: The move from midfield to defence is one undertaken by a number of players, but very rarely having not yet turned 30. Klopp has recognised Lucas does not have the dynamism to play in his new three-man midfield set-up but appreciates his reading of the game, while he is also strong in the air. Square pass to Vardy aside, he is also useful with the ball at his feet, and can play out of defence.

Gini Wijnaldum

What he was: Newcastle’s go-to man for goals – but only at home. He was deployed as an attacking midfielder by both Steve McClaren and Rafael Benitez, often operating on the left-hand side of a front four. With the ability to operate centrally too, the Dutchman was a player whose strength was scoring goals, making late runs into the box and looking to profit from loose balls.

What he is now: A player who looks back just as much as forwards. Perhaps the most interesting transformation of all, Klopp uses Wijnaldum in one of the two roles in central midfield. Granted, that assumes the guise of an attacking midfielder on the front foot, but he is also tasked with plenty of defensive work when Liverpool do not have possession. Instead of being a player who floats in and out of games, he is expected to be involved at any given moment.

Why it’s working: It took a while, but his performances against Leicester and Chelsea suggest he is coming to terms with his new role. He is comfortable on the ball and is quick in both mind and feet, which sees him as a fine fit for the quick midfield transitions Klopp wants. On the back foot, he is surprisingly strong, and reads the game well.

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Jordan Henderson

What he was: A real bundle of energy and athleticism, expected to chase down every loose ball and serve as a box-to-box midfielder with a massive engine. He was capable of popping with a few goals with his runs forward, too. In part, Henderson was a hard player to define, and was still searching for a concrete label; he had played central midfield, right midfield, left midfield, attacking midfield and right back since moving to Anfield in 2012.

What he is now: ‘The no.6’. That is how he described it during an interview earlier this season – or, to use more modern terminology, the ‘DM’ of defensive midfield. In the three-man midfield, he sits deepest, but is not necessarily a sitter. He still bursts forward, looks to win the ball high up the pitch and operate in the final third – his stunner against Chelsea showed that.

Why it’s working: Like Wijnaldum, it took a few games to click, but his showings in Liverpool’s past two games give promise. It seemed a move in conflict with the kind of player he is, limiting his energy and enthusiasm – but if anything, that has seen him become more controlled, both on and off the ball. He is relishing the responsibility he now has to start moves – no player has made more passes in the Premier League this season – and is evidently appreciating being told what is expected of him.

(Image: 2016 Getty Images)

Adam Lallana

What he was: The archetypal attacking midfielder, one who operated in-between the lines and in pockets of space. His stock rose at Southampton in that position, often coming in from the left and opening up the pitch on his right foot. He was renowned for his effort and energy, but at Anfield especially, his end product was questioned. Too many Cruyff turns, not enough goals.

What he is now: A central midfielder, essentially. Of course, he will move forward and look to impact at the top end of the pitch, but he finds himself lining up alongside Wijnaldum – and just ahead of Henderson – in Liverpool’s midfield three. He contributes both on the back foot and front foot, and despite starting in a more withdrawn role, is improving his end product. Still loves a Cruyff turn, mind.

Why it’s working: Dropping him deeper makes the most of his strengths; Lallana is better with more of the pitch in front of him, and has plenty of options ahead. He has never necessarily been a great goalscorer, so moving him out of the front three means there is less pressure on him to do that; instead, his energy, intelligence and good passing range helps knit Liverpool’s midfield together. Strangely, with less pressure on him in an attacking sense, he’s looking sharper than ever in that respect, too.