Manchester City issued a sobering reality check to Arne Slot’s Liverpool before the November international break. The Reds were thrashed at the Etihad, and the good work of previous matches unravelled.
Did it? Liverpool might have lost five of their past six outings in the Premier League, but there have been signs of improvement over the past several weeks, and now there is optimism that the club can kick on and rediscover the fluency that has been stripped away since the summer.
So many issues. One of which is that last season’s Premier League champions are struggling in the final third. Here is one of the biggest concerns that Slot needs to get rid of quickly.
Why Liverpools forwards are struggling
Mohamed Salah has not been himself this season. There are many different reasons why this might be. He has turned 33, but the all-powerful Egyptian should still be performing at a higher level than he has languished this term, too often drifting through matches, missing big chances and lacking the requisite defensive work rate.
There has been a lot of upheaval. The sale of Luis Diaz to Bayern Munich having had a more detrimental effect than had been anticipated, but such a loss of electric pace and dynamic attacking play was always going to be hard to compensate for, even with the likes of Florian Wirtz added to the fold.
Wirtz has flattered to deceive, but he is a world-class player and will surely come good. Likewise, Alexander Isak has not clicked into gear after his British-record £125m transfer from Newcastle United on deadline day. The Sweden striker, 26, hasn’t had a pre-season, and injuries have limited him to a bit-part role thus far.
Liverpool’s wider creative problems and the overarching lack of coherence have made it all rather difficult, but Slot has a shrewd tactical mind and will surely unearth a solution sooner rather than later.
As a collective, Liverpool’s frontline need to do better. However, Slot must look to open up different attacking dimensions too, with one of his Red midfielders having emerged as the most accurate finisher in the Premier League this season.
Liverpool's best finisher
Liverpool have got many talented goalscorers in their ranks, but the fact that, statistically, Ryan Gravenberch is the cream of the crop in that regard underscores the need to unleash him in attacking phases with greater regularity.
Signed from Bayern Munich by Jurgen Klopp for £34m in 2023, Gravenberch put the final strokes on a much-anticipated midfield rebuild which has defined the Anfield side’s illustrious success of the past few terms.
However, after languishing on the fringes for his first year, Slot’s advent came to redefine the Netherlands international’s time on Merseyside, dropped deeper into a number six role last season and becoming indispensable en route to the Premier League title. Gravenberch was named the PFA Young Player of the Year.
Matches (starts)
37 (37)
9 (9)
Goals
0
3
Assists
4
1
Touches*
66.5
74.0
Shots (on target)*
1.3 (0.6)
Pass completion
89%
88%
Key passes*
0.7
0.8
Dribbles*
1.0
0.9
Ball recoveries*
5.2
3.6
Tackles + interceptions*
3.5
2.5
Total duels (won)*
5.0 (57%)
4.9 (61%)
However, the 23-year-old didn’t score across any competition last year, and since the summer he has been modified in his deployment, not less regimented in his deep-lying berth, and given the license to strike on goal if and when the opportunity arises.
But Gravenberch has not been shaped into a free-flowing attacking midfielder, with xG (expected goals) metrics showing that the Dutchman is statistically “the best finisher in the league this season”, having struck three strikes past the keeper from just 0.36 xG.
To put that in perspective, Salah has accumulated 3.62 xG this season, and he has four goals to his name. Gravenberch achieved a 1.12 total in last year’s top-flight season, and that yielded not one successful return.
While Liverpool appear to lack physicality and fluency in midfield this season, they have a robust and highly talented crop of players, and as Slot looks to rewrite his side’s tactical coding and escape from the current rut, this is a sign that those in the engine room must be allowed greater offensive freedom at times, thus unburdening the forwards when they are not firing on all cylinders.
Liverpool need to prove that they are worthy champions and ready to return to their former level under Slot’s wing. Too many are looking from outside and criticising Slot’s papier mâché empire, but this is a falsehood, and with an all-embracing midfielder like Gravenberch at the heart of the team, it’s only a matter of time before things click again.
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