Liverpool's Struggles: What's Behind the Reds' Recent Form?

Liverpool’s Struggles: What’s Behind the Reds’ Recent Form?

Liverpool, the reigning Premier League champions, have found themselves in eighth place after 11 games, a stark contrast to their strong start to the season. Over the past six league matches, the Reds have managed just one win, collecting only three points—fewer than even bottom-of-the-table Wolves.

Despite a summer spending spree exceeding £400 million, bringing in top talent, Liverpool’s form has been far from impressive. So, what’s going wrong tactically for the Merseyside club?

Building from the Back: A Key Issue

Many of Liverpool’s problems this season stem from their struggles to build from the back. The departure of Trent Alexander-Arnold to Real Madrid and Alisson Becker‘s injury have significantly altered their backline dynamics.

Giorgi Mamardashvili, Alisson’s replacement, is left-footed, which changes the passing patterns Liverpool have been accustomed to. Alisson, a right-footed keeper, would funnel play towards Virgil van Dijk, the stronger ball-playing centre-back. Mamardashvili’s left foot, however, directs the ball more naturally to the right side, now occupied by Ibrahima Konate and Conor Bradley or Jeremie Frimpong.

Liverpool have opted to build up short this season but have struggled, particularly down their right. Opponents have exploited this by pressing in a manner that cuts off the left side, forcing Liverpool down their right. Teams have also put attackers on Van Dijk to minimize his on-ball influence.

Without Alexander-Arnold, Liverpool lack a two-footed player willing to play riskier passes, which often served as their ‘get-out-of-jail-free card.’ Milos Kerkez‘s struggles in disguising his passing intentions and Bradley’s fast-paced play have resulted in increased turnovers and fewer prolonged possessions.

Mohamed Salah’s Decline

Mohamed Salah, central to Liverpool’s success last season, has been less effective this campaign. Last season, Liverpool’s right flank, consisting of Salah, Dominik Szoboszlai, and Alexander-Arnold, was impressive. Alexander-Arnold’s off-the-ball movement helped free up passing lanes and allowed Salah to receive the ball deeper, facing forward with separation.

This season, Liverpool’s full-backs find themselves out wide in their own half, often unable to find their team-mates centrally. Salah receives passes with pressure from behind, reducing his effectiveness. Centrally, there are fewer midfielders positioned to stop a counter-attack, exacerbating the spacing issue.

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Pressing and Defensive Principles

Under Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool pressed intensely. However, under Arne Slot, their out-of-possession tactics differ. Liverpool now tend to press in a 4-2-4 shape, with a ‘plus-one’ in the defensive line compared to the number of attackers the opponents have.

This approach has led to Liverpool having one less player higher up the pitch compared to their opponents. Teams have exploited this, as seen in the win against Arsenal, where Liverpool started with a ‘plus-one’ in their defensive line, allowing Arsenal to dominate the first half. Slot opted for a man-to-man press in the second half to address this.

Since the Arsenal match, Slot has reverted to his original approach, bringing with it the same dilemma. This isn’t an exhaustive list of all of Liverpool’s problems this season but highlights some of the main issues Slot and his coaching staff will have to contend with to get Liverpool back on track.

Liverpool’s struggles from set-pieces and in dealing with long balls, in a league that is increasingly prioritising both, have contributed to their poor results this season. There is also the unavoidable fact that the tragic death of team-mate Diogo Jota will have played on the minds of Liverpool’s players and staff.

Spending big often brings with it quality players, which should improve results. But given the numerous factors at play in football, both on and off the pitch, striking the perfect balance integrating the new talent isn’t always easy.