Arne Slot has resorted to all-out assault in two of Liverpool’s latest defeats and it has barely suited them – in reality, it goes in opposition to what makes them so sturdy.
Throughout his first press convention as Liverpool head coach, Slot took exception to a query on his system.
“I hoped if individuals checked out my crew they’d not say it’s 4-2-3-1 or it’s 4-3-3 or no matter formation you wish to name it. I hoped they’d say there’s a whole lot of freedom once they have the ball to take it in several positions,” he defined.
Slot did, although, add: “In case you would have requested me, I might have stated we performed 4-3-3 as an alternative of 4-2-3-1 at Feyenoord…I’m curious who informed you we performed 4-2-3-1, possibly that one ought to go get his [coaching] license.”
However for all intents and functions, Slot’s Liverpool have shifted between a 4-3-3 and 4-2-3-1 all through his first marketing campaign on Merseyside.
Roles could be tweaked, most notably his centre-forward and full-backs, however the largest distinction game-to-game is how Slot deploys his midfielders: typically there are two No. 6s and a No. 10, others a No. 6 and two No. 8s, and so forth.
Swapping management for chaos
Management has been the defining phrase for the beginning of this new period for Liverpool – and at occasions, that has seen Slot’s type being seen as much less thrilling than his predecessor’s.
However that management has led the Reds to the brink of a Premier League title with by far the league’s greatest purpose distinction, not less than 5 extra wins than every other crew and 20 greater than relegated Southampton.
Just lately, nonetheless, Slot has resorted to a brand new tactic, for need of a greater phrase.
Within the second halves of each the Carabao Cup last in opposition to Newcastle and Sunday’s Premier League conflict with Fulham, the Dutchman went all-out assault.
Each video games noticed Slot use all 5 of his allotted substitutes and each occasions they have been all attacking modifications:
Subs vs. Newcastle: Nunez for Jota; Jones for Konate; Gakpo for Mac Allister; Chiesa for Gravenberch; Elliott for Diaz
Subs vs. Fulham: Diaz for Gakpo; Elliott for Szoboszlai; Nunez for Jota; Bradley for Konate; Chiesa for Robertson
In each Slot noticed match to convey off a centre-back in Ibrahima Konate, in opposition to Newcastle he introduced off two midfielders in Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch, and in opposition to Fulham he additionally substituted a full-back in Andy Robertson.
The ultimate lineups for these two video games after 5 modifications have been as follows:
Vs. Newcastle: Kelleher; Quansah, Van Dijk, Robertson; Jones, Elliott, Szoboszlai; Salah, Chiesa, Nunez, Gakpo
Vs. Fulham: Kelleher; Bradley, Van Dijk, Gravenberch; Mac Allister, Elliott, Jones; Salah, Chiesa, Nunez, Diaz
Each occasions it was nominally a 3-3-4 setup however in execution it was way more chaotic and got here with various levels of success.
The place the concept started
The primary seeds of this method really got here within the reverse fixture in opposition to Fulham at Anfield in December, when an early purple card for Robertson pressured Slot to take motion.
As a substitute of sacrificing a ahead to convey on an orthodox defender, the pinnacle coach turned to Gravenberch as a stand-in centre-back in a system which started as a 3-4-2 and later settled as extra of a 4-2-3.
Slot positioned extra demand on his two remaining midfielders and in that occasion was rewarded as Dominik Szoboszlai produced a tireless show in a 2-2 draw which, after Diogo Jota‘s equaliser within the 86th minute, felt like a victory.
However whereas that was seen as a masterclass of types from Slot, these two more moderen iterations of the all-out-attack setup have resembled extra contrived chaos.
On each events it has felt much like the determined gamble of sending a goalkeeper up for a late nook seeking a purpose.
However in contrast to the fast roll of the cube that led to Alisson‘s winner at West Brom nearly 4 years in the past, that is an altogether shift of construction and it permits opponents to regulate and exploit gaps in an unfamiliar setup.
Fulham, who ought to clearly not be underestimated, managed to do this and it was not solely attributable to tweaks from Marco Silva.
Extra our bodies, much less management
In transferring him right into a three-man defence with Gravenberch and Van Dijk, Slot stifled the pure attacking high quality Conor Bradley had provided when first launched halfway by way of the second half.
As a substitute Bradley, who set Luis Diaz as much as make it 3-2 simply 5 minutes after the pair have been despatched on, was pressured to play centre-back, right-back and central midfield unexpectedly.
And bringing off Robertson for Federico Chiesa might have added one other physique within the last third, however it denied Liverpool an outlet on the left at a time when the Scot was lastly providing a real risk going forwards.
Towards Newcastle, with Liverpool chasing an unlikely lead to a one-off last, even Virgil van Dijk ended up enjoying the ultimate throes up entrance with Curtis Jones dropping again to cowl at centre-back.
Put merely, there could also be extra attackers on the pitch, however it usually means they simply get in one another’s manner.
Whereas this criticism comes below the lens of a bitter defeat, and had Liverpool pulled it again for a draw or perhaps a victory issues can be seen otherwise, it’s troublesome to shake the sensation of desperation round this all-out-attack mode.
After a 3rd disappointing outcome within the final 4 video games the most important takeaway stays that these extra attackers – and mainly Chiesa and Harvey Elliott – ought to actually be trusted extra beginning in Slot’s 4-3-3.
