Arne Slot has received 11 of his first 12 Liverpool matches because the membership seamlessly transfer on from the Jurgen Klopp period. Forward of the Dutchman’s greatest check but, right here’s why Slot has been such an prompt hit at Anfield.
RETURN TO THE ‘LIVERPOOL WAY
The obvious factor watching Liverpool with out the ball this season in comparison with final is they’re extra slender and compact.
Once they defend as a workforce from this narrower place, they’re more durable to play by — an enormous a part of why they’ve solely conceded three targets in eight Premier League video games to this point.
They do nonetheless press excessive early in video games nevertheless it’s not just like the Klopp days when it was extra frequent by the 90 minutes and the full-backs pushed on. Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson definitely aren’t as gung-ho now.
Arne Slot has loved a near-perfect begin to life as Liverpool boss since taking up in the summertime
The Reds entered the weekend’s fixtures prime of the Premier League, with 21 factors from eight matches
Defensively, they’re extra inflexible than in the course of the Klopp period. Jurgen had two No8s whereas Slot opts for 2 holders and also you hardly ever see a Liverpool participant remoted one-on-one. It might imply they aren’t as thrilling in assault however they’re safer on the again.
Klopp’s formation was 4-3-3 whereas Slot’s is a extra deliberate 4-2-3-1. We noticed towards Chelsea and Leipzig final week they’re completely satisfied to be affected person and measured within the build-up, particularly when forward.
After all, they nonetheless select moments to play to the entrance gamers straight and rapidly. With the ability to do each makes Liverpool very harmful. In the course of the glory days of the Eighties, Liverpool gained success by controlling video games. It wasn’t full throttle on a regular basis.
TRENT THE DEFENDER
Trent Alexander-Arnold’s high quality on the ball is not any secret however this season we’ve seen one other facet to his recreation. He’s operated as a extra orthodox proper again and his defensive capabilities haven’t acquired the credit score they deserve. There will probably be instances when Liverpool have good possession and he can nonetheless step into midfield however typically he’s now in a greater beginning place to defend. You lose some benefits within the ultimate third however you possibly can’t argue with the outcomes to this point.
Alexander-Arnold appears fitter and stronger than ever and it’s clear there was some teaching on his defending.
We all know he’s out of contract in the summertime. If he does go to Actual Madrid, it’ll be for a brand new problem, not unhappiness over his new function, although he received’t have loved being substituted seven instances this season.
Trent Alexander-Arnold has produced a string of wonderful defensive performances this season
GRAVENBERCH LIKE A NEW SIGNING
There was criticism Liverpool didn’t spend massive in the summertime — however giving Ryan Gravenberch a brand new function as a holding midfielder has felt like a brand new signing.
Gravenberch deserves credit score however so does Slot for making it work when he might have settled upon a extra pure destroyer like Wataru Endo. Gravenberch has been key to Liverpool preserving extra possession. With Alexis Mac Allister or Curtis Jones alongside him, it’s simpler to play by the strains.
We knew the Dutchman was technically superb nevertheless it’s the opposite facet, smelling hazard when the opposition breaks, that has exceeded expectations for me.
A extra measured strategy from Liverpool additionally depends on the mentality of their gamers. Administration of video games has been spectacular.
As soon as in entrance, they’ve resisted the temptation to take dangers going for extra targets and have managed the tempo. Having Gravenberch’s further insurance coverage has benefited Dominik Szoboszlai whose athleticism makes him a great match for the No10 function additional ahead. I imagine Slot will begin the Hungarian and Gravenberch on the Emirates. The ultimate midfield place is between Mac Allister and Curtis Jones, who had his greatest Liverpool recreation towards Chelsea final weekend.
Ryan Gravenberch has seized his alternative to on the base of Liverpool’s midfield with two arms
Jurgen Klopp’s look at Liverpool video games has not been a distraction for the Dutchman to cope with
NO KLOPP WATCHING OVER
It is useful for Slot that Klopp hasn’t been at an Anfield recreation so the digital camera pans to him after a nasty outcome, like the house defeat towards Nottingham Forest.
Like all prime managers, Slot is single-minded sufficient to imagine in his strategies so I don’t assume Klopp’s presence would have affected him straight. However we noticed from the post-Sir Alex Ferguson period at Previous Trafford, it simply creates an pointless distraction for others to grab upon.
SETTLED LINE-UP
There was a big second when Ibrahima Konate changed Jarell Quansah at half-time within the opening recreation of the season at Ipswich.
Since then, Slot has caught with the identical again 4 and the partnership between Konate and Virgil van Dijk has given Liverpool the foundations to construct a wonderful begin.
It was necessary in his early weeks to permit the understanding between gamers to develop.
Slot has opted to pick out a reasonably constant line-up within the Premier League and Champions League this season
Slot additionally gave a entrance three of Mo Salah, Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz time to gel.
Because the season progresses, Slot will rotate. We’ve already seen him begin that course of with Cody Gakpo and Darwin Nunez getting recreation time. Diaz was rested towards Chelsea after taking part in for Colombia. Nonetheless, it was shrewd of the supervisor to start with a clearly outlined first XI and that has accelerated the workforce’s success.
