Final season, Liverpool gained two, drew six and misplaced two of their video games towards the normal ‘massive six’, whereas this marketing campaign, they’ve already equalled that tally of two victories within the Premier League.
Liverpool entered the worldwide break high of the league, profitable six of their first seven Premier League video games, however Arne Slot insisted that the match towards Chelsea could be their first actual problem.
It marked the start of a tricky run of fixtures together with video games towards RB Leipzig, Arsenal and Aston Villa – groups that can take a look at Liverpool on the highest stage.
The Reds emerged with a 2-1 win towards Chelsea, however how did they rise to fulfill the tactical problem and what may it inform us concerning the subsequent few video games?
Thus far this season, Liverpool have sometimes dominated possession with most groups prioritising defence towards them. Chelsea below Enzo Maresca, although, got here into the sport because the Premier League‘s fourth-placed crew and high scorers.
They backed themselves to trigger Liverpool issues with an attacking, optimistic method.
Malo Gusto began at left again rather than the suspended Marc Cucurella however was nonetheless requested to invert into midfield. This was dangerous because it left Liverpool’s forwards one-on-one with the again three, however in midfield Chelsea had a four-on-three numerical benefit.
Partnering Moises Caicedo with Romeo Lavia additionally gave Chelsea a technically excellent double pivot that would repeatedly evade stress and win their one-on-ones if the free participant wasn’t accessible.
In consequence, the guests might simply progress via central areas, breaking Liverpool’s press and forcing them right into a compact defensive block. As soon as Liverpool had been pinned again, Chelsea might run their most popular attacking patterns.
On the left, Gusto regularly ran ahead past Jadon Sancho, forcing Ryan Gravenberch to trace him into the final line. This not solely saved Gravenberch from influencing the sport in midfield, it additionally left Trent Alexander-Arnold one-on-one with Sancho out huge.
Neutralising Chelsea’s risk
Nonetheless, this didn’t appear completely towards Liverpool’s plan for the sport.
Chelsea had been the league’s high scorers heading into this one, with their high quality in transition serving to them put 4 previous Brighton and 6 past Wolves earlier this season.
Liverpool clearly got down to keep away from quick breaks and deny Chelsea clear sights of purpose.
There was a particular deal with suppressing Cole Palmer, the league’s most prolific purpose risk behind Erling Haaland final season. Figuring out Palmer likes to float into the precise half-space, Cody Gakpo was tasked with monitoring again to help Andy Robertson at left-back.
This marked a distinction to how Liverpool used their left winger of their final massive match, when Luis Diaz stayed excessive to take advantage of Man United’s attacking full-backs.
It restricted Chelsea’s potential to overload Robertson, forcing them to deal with the alternative flank the place Alexander-Arnold defended beautifully.
Maresca even subbed on Pedro Neto at half time to go much more aggressive on the Liverpool proper again, however the former Wolves man couldn’t make the distinction.
Liverpool’s conservative method prolonged to their in-possession work, too.
Each Gravenberch and Curtis Jones had been regularly seen shifting huge to obtain the ball throughout buildup, closing off the direct ball to the wingers and forcing Liverpool to construct up extra slowly.
In consequence, the crew might keep compact and be set to defend any turnovers.
At occasions, nonetheless, this solely served to empty the midfield and additional compound Chelsea’s midfield dominance.
Discovering an answer
Liverpool finally discovered the weak point in Chelsea’s method – the three-on-three state of affairs on the again. Early indicators of this got here when a misplaced Chelsea go allowed Diogo Jota to win possession, although the chance wasn’t absolutely capitalised on.
As tensions rose because of some poor choices by referee John Brooks, the Anfield crowd cranked up the quantity.
Liverpool responded by enjoying extra straight, isolating Mohamed Salah towards Levi Colwill. With Salah in a position to maintain the ball up, his teammates might transfer ahead and provides him choices within the last third.
Breaking the sport down
Moments after a no-penalty name, Ibrahima Konate performed direct below stress…
…Liverpool broke ahead, Salah’s shot is deflected…
…and Jones is fouled contesting the unfastened ball.
Within the second half, Virgil Van Dijk performed one other of his direct passes via the centre…
…which reaches Salah in house.
He crossed into the field the place Jones’ run is just not tracked…
…and he finishes to win the sport.
As soon as Liverpool took the lead, Chelsea made a number of modifications however didn’t discover a approach again into the sport.
Regardless of Chelsea‘s early dominance and late push for an equaliser, they not often threatened Caoimhin Kelleher past their single purpose. Liverpool’s deep defence held sturdy, with standout performances from Alexander-Arnold, Konate and Van Dijk.
Security first method
Earlier than the season, a lot was product of Liverpool’s tactical shift below Slot, with elevated deal with tactical intricacy.
But when Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool was about trusting people – counting on the centre-backs to carry the final line alone, trusting Alisson to make essential saves – Slot’s crew is simply the opposite aspect of that coin.
They stifled Chelsea’s assaults first and with the small variety of probabilities they created themselves, the person high quality of Salah turned these probabilities into targets.
It’s nonetheless a recreation of high-quality margins on the high, however Liverpool confirmed on Sunday that they wish to construct from a defensively stable base within the greatest video games.
Time will inform if it proves profitable.
