ARNE SLOT'S Liverpool have brought in attacking reinforcements but the balance of their side looks off. Against Bournemouth, they were bright going forward but looked susceptible to conceding on the break.
Last season, Liverpool only conceded two goals from fast breaks
all season. In the first game of this season, they equalled that number.
So, what has changed for Liverpool?
The personnel inform how tactics are executed and Slot pointed
towards sloppy passing in midfield as a reason Liverpool were so exposed. These
misplaced passes gave the opposition time and space against a disorganised
defensive shape while attacking the centre of the pitch.
This is more dangerous than losing the ball in the wide areas as
attackers are closer to goal, in better shooting positions.
Although Slot focuses mainly on the sloppy passing and
dispossessions in midfield, it is objectively true that Liverpool committed
many bodies to their attack. At times, there were seven or eight players in and
around Bournemouth's box, leaving Liverpool with very few players back to
defend.
For Antoine Semenyo's second goal, both Joe Gomez and Andy
Robertson were attacking in the opposition's box so were unable to get back to
defend the counter-attack when the ball was lost.
Yes, decision-making and passing quality needs to be better but
Slot may need to tweak the positions of the full-backs or central midfielders
when Liverpool are attacking for additional protection against dangerous
counter-attacking