Today in Sports
  • Home
  • Featured News
  • Football
  • Basketball
  • Baseball
  • More
    • Rugby
    • Golf
    • Boxing
    • Soccer
    • NBA
    • Racing
    • Cricket
  • DMCA
  • Disclaimer
  • Cookie Privacy Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Contact us
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Featured News
  • Football
  • Basketball
  • Baseball
  • More
    • Rugby
    • Golf
    • Boxing
    • Soccer
    • NBA
    • Racing
    • Cricket
No Result
View All Result
Today in Sports
No Result
View All Result

Why Arne Slot giving up control for ‘all out attack’ isn’t helping Liverpool – Liverpool FC

April 7, 2025
in Football
0
Home Football
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter


You might also like

Gabriel new deal + Is Sesko the one?

Man United target Franco Mastantuono seems to be Paris Saint-Germain after Luis Enrique’s phone call – Man United News And Transfer News

How many Champions League titles has Cristiano Ronaldo won? Inside the record-breaking run

Arne Slot has resorted to all-out attack in two of Liverpool’s recent defeats and it has barely suited them – in fact, it goes against what makes them so strong.

During his first press conference as Liverpool head coach, Slot took exception to a question on his system.

“I was hoping if people looked at my team they would not say it is 4-2-3-1 or it is 4-3-3 or whatever formation you want to call it. I was hoping they would say there is a lot of freedom when they have the ball to take it in different positions,” he explained.

Slot did, though, add: “If you would have asked me, I would have said we played 4-3-3 instead of 4-2-3-1 at Feyenoord…I’m curious who told you we played 4-2-3-1, maybe that one should go get his [coaching] license.”

But for all intents and purposes, Slot’s Liverpool have shifted between a 4-3-3 and 4-2-3-1 throughout his first campaign on Merseyside.

Roles can be tweaked, most notably his centre-forward and full-backs, but the biggest difference game-to-game is how Slot deploys his midfielders: sometimes there are two No. 6s and a No. 10, others a No. 6 and two No. 8s, and so on.

 

Swapping control for chaos

LONDON, ENGLAND - Sunday, March 16, 2025: Liverpool's Federico Chiesa (L) and head coach Arne Slot during the Football League Cup Final match between Liverpool FC and Newcastle United FC at Wembley Stadium. Newcastle United won 2-1. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Control has been the defining word for the start of this new era for Liverpool – and at times, that has seen Slot’s style being viewed as less exciting than his predecessor’s.

But that control has led the Reds to the brink of a Premier League title with by far the league’s best goal difference, at least five more wins than any other team and 20 more than relegated Southampton.

Recently, however, Slot has resorted to a new tactic, for want of a better word.

In the second halves of both the Carabao Cup final against Newcastle and Sunday’s Premier League clash with Fulham, the Dutchman went all-out attack.

LONDON, ENGLAND - Sunday, April 6, 2025: Liverpool's substitutes Darwin Núñez, Harvey Elliott, Conor Bradley and Jarell Quansah on the bench before the FA Premier League match between Fulham FC and Liverpool FC at Craven Cottage. Fulham won 3-2. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)LONDON, ENGLAND - Sunday, April 6, 2025: Liverpool's substitutes Darwin Núñez, Harvey Elliott, Conor Bradley and Jarell Quansah on the bench before the FA Premier League match between Fulham FC and Liverpool FC at Craven Cottage. Fulham won 3-2. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Both games saw Slot use all five of his allotted substitutes and both times they were all attacking changes:

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 both Slot saw fit to bring off a centre-back in Ibrahima Konate, against Newcastle he brought off two midfielders in Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch, and against Fulham he also substituted a full-back in Andy Robertson.

The final lineups for those two games after five changes were 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

Both times it was nominally a 3-3-4 setup but in execution it was much more chaotic and came with varying degrees of success.

 

Where the idea began

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, December 14, 2024: Liverpool's Arne Slot looks on as Andy Robertson walks off after being shown a red card and sent off during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Fulham FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, December 14, 2024: Liverpool's Arne Slot looks on as Andy Robertson walks off after being shown a red card and sent off during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Fulham FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

The first seeds of this approach actually came in the reverse fixture against Fulham at Anfield in December, when an early red card for Robertson forced Slot to take action.

Instead of sacrificing a forward to bring on an orthodox defender, the head coach turned to Gravenberch as a stand-in centre-back in a system which began as a 3-4-2 and later settled as more of a 4-2-3.

Slot placed more demand on his two remaining midfielders and in that instance was rewarded as Dominik Szoboszlai produced a tireless display in a 2-2 draw which, after Diogo Jota‘s equaliser in the 86th minute, felt like a victory.

But while that was viewed as a masterclass of sorts from Slot, these two more recent iterations of the all-out-attack setup have resembled more contrived chaos.

LONDON, ENGLAND - Sunday, April 6, 2025: Liverpool's Mohamed Salah (L) is challenged by Fulham's Calvin Bassey during the FA Premier League match between Fulham FC and Liverpool FC at Craven Cottage. Fulham won 3-2. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)LONDON, ENGLAND - Sunday, April 6, 2025: Liverpool's Mohamed Salah (L) is challenged by Fulham's Calvin Bassey during the FA Premier League match between Fulham FC and Liverpool FC at Craven Cottage. Fulham won 3-2. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

On both occasions it has felt similar to the desperate gamble of sending a goalkeeper up for a late corner in search of a goal.

But unlike the quick roll of the dice that led to Alisson‘s winner at West Brom almost four years ago, this is an altogether shift of structure and it allows opponents to adjust and exploit gaps in an unfamiliar setup.

Fulham, who should clearly not be underestimated, managed to do that and it was not entirely due to tweaks from Marco Silva.

 

More bodies, less control

LONDON, ENGLAND - Sunday, April 6, 2025: Liverpool's head coach Arne Slot applauds the supporters during the FA Premier League match between Fulham FC and Liverpool FC at Craven Cottage. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)LONDON, ENGLAND - Sunday, April 6, 2025: Liverpool's head coach Arne Slot applauds the supporters during the FA Premier League match between Fulham FC and Liverpool FC at Craven Cottage. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

In moving him into a three-man defence with Gravenberch and Van Dijk, Slot stifled the natural attacking quality Conor Bradley had offered when first introduced midway through the second half.

Instead Bradley, who set Luis Diaz up to make it 3-2 just five minutes after the pair were sent on, was forced to play centre-back, right-back and central midfield all at once.

And bringing off Robertson for Federico Chiesa may have added another body in the final third, but it denied Liverpool an outlet on the left at a time when the Scot was finally offering a genuine threat going forwards.

Against Newcastle, with Liverpool chasing an unlikely result in a one-off final, even Virgil van Dijk ended up playing the final throes up front with Curtis Jones dropping back to cover at centre-back.

LONDON, ENGLAND - Sunday, April 6, 2025: Liverpool's substitutes Federico Chiesa (L) and Harvey Elliott before the FA Premier League match between Fulham FC and Liverpool FC at Craven Cottage. Fulham won 3-2. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)LONDON, ENGLAND - Sunday, April 6, 2025: Liverpool's substitutes Federico Chiesa (L) and Harvey Elliott before the FA Premier League match between Fulham FC and Liverpool FC at Craven Cottage. Fulham won 3-2. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Put simply, there may be more attackers on the pitch, but it often means they just get in each other’s way.

While this criticism comes under the lens of a bitter defeat, and had Liverpool pulled it back for a draw or even a victory things would be viewed differently, it is difficult to shake the feeling of desperation around this all-out-attack mode.

After a third disappointing result in the last four games the biggest takeaway remains that those additional attackers – and chiefly Chiesa and Harvey Elliott – should really be trusted more starting in Slot’s 4-3-3.



Source link

Tags: ArneattackcontrolGivinghelpingisntLiverpoolLiverpool FCslot
Share30Tweet19

Recommended For You

Gabriel new deal + Is Sesko the one?

by TODAY IN SPORTS
May 30, 2025
0
Gabriel new deal + Is Sesko the one?

Morning. Let’s start this Friday with some good news, and that’s Gabriel being ‘close’ to signing a new deal with the club. Which, in reporting parlance, basically means...

Read more

Man United target Franco Mastantuono seems to be Paris Saint-Germain after Luis Enrique’s phone call – Man United News And Transfer News

by TODAY IN SPORTS
May 30, 2025
0
Man United target Franco Mastantuono seems to be Paris Saint-Germain after Luis Enrique’s phone call – Man United News And Transfer News

1 Manchester United have been linked with plenty of South American starlets since INEOS arrived, with Franco Mastantuono of River Plate being one of them. There were reports...

Read more

How many Champions League titles has Cristiano Ronaldo won? Inside the record-breaking run

by TODAY IN SPORTS
May 29, 2025
0
How many Champions League titles has Cristiano Ronaldo won? Inside the record-breaking run

Cristiano Ronaldo’s name is synonymous with UEFA Champions League greatness. From clutch performances to unforgettable goals, the Portuguese star has made the competition his personal stage. But how many...

Read more

Sunderland “increasingly optimistic” of keeping Jobe Bellingham amidst Man United interest – Man United News And Transfer News

by TODAY IN SPORTS
May 29, 2025
0
Sunderland “increasingly optimistic” of keeping Jobe Bellingham amidst Man United interest – Man United News And Transfer News

1 Sunderland are reportedly becoming increasingly confident in their ability to fend off interest from Manchester United and other potential suitors for Jobe Bellingham. United are bracing for...

Read more

UEFA Champions League prize money 2025: How much will PSG or Inter Milan earn in the final?

by TODAY IN SPORTS
May 29, 2025
0
UEFA Champions League prize money 2025: How much will PSG or Inter Milan earn in the final?

The UEFA Champions League final is the pinnacle of club football, drawing millions of fans worldwide and offering not just fame and prestige but also substantial financial rewards....

Read more
Next Post
Glasgow’s Henco Venter facing big ban after clip of incident goes viral

Glasgow's Henco Venter facing big ban after clip of incident goes viral

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related News

Butler amongst three Warmth gamers suspended for conflict with Kings

Butler amongst three Warmth gamers suspended for conflict with Kings

February 26, 2024
‘I Suppose It is Simply Not Truthful On The Followers’

‘I Suppose It is Simply Not Truthful On The Followers’

April 30, 2024
At the moment Match Prediction-LSG vs KKR-IPL Match At the moment 2024-54th Match-Venue Particulars-Dream11-Toss Replace-Who Will Win

At the moment Match Prediction-LSG vs KKR-IPL Match At the moment 2024-54th Match-Venue Particulars-Dream11-Toss Replace-Who Will Win

May 4, 2024

Browse by Category

  • Athletics
  • Baseball
  • Basketball
  • Boxing
  • Cricket
  • Football
  • Golf
  • MMA
  • NBA
  • NFL
  • Racing
  • Rugby
  • Soccer
  • Tennis
Today in Sports

Get the Latest Sports News and Updates on TodayInSports.net. Soccer News, Basketball News, Baseball News, Golf News, Boxing News and More!

CATEGORIES

  • Athletics
  • Baseball
  • Basketball
  • Boxing
  • Cricket
  • Football
  • Golf
  • MMA
  • NBA
  • NFL
  • Racing
  • Rugby
  • Soccer
  • Tennis

Recent News

  • Former Man United defender Sergio Reguilon to be released by Tottenham Hotspur – Man United News And Transfer News
  • Gabriel new deal + Is Sesko the one?
  • Man United target Franco Mastantuono seems to be Paris Saint-Germain after Luis Enrique’s phone call – Man United News And Transfer News
  • Contact us
  • Cookie Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer
  • DMCA
  • Get the Latest Sports News and Updates on TodayInSports.net.
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions

Copyright © 2024 Today in Sports.
Today in Sports is not responsible for the content of external sites.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Featured News
  • Football
  • Basketball
  • Baseball
  • More
    • Rugby
    • Golf
    • Boxing
    • Soccer
    • NBA
    • Racing
    • Cricket

Copyright © 2024 Today in Sports.
Today in Sports is not responsible for the content of external sites.