Arne Slot’s Innovative Strategy
The focus has shifted from wingers to center midfielders in Arne Slot’s new approach. In the match against Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool featured five midfielders, including Florian Wirtz, all operating behind striker Hugo Ekitike.
The crucial aspect here is their positioning—Liverpool’s midfielders tend to play behind the forwards rather than pushing ahead or stretching defenses through dynamic movement.
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Interestingly, all five midfielders were initially no.10s when they joined Liverpool’s first-team. Curtis Jones played as an attacking midfielder or left winger in the youth squads, while Ryan Gravenberch, Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister, and Wirtz were all recruited for that role.
However, stacking the midfield with these players has its drawbacks, as they often converge on the same areas, all seeking the ball at their feet, in front of defenders.
Only Szoboszlai displays a more direct playing style, occasionally making those essential runs behind the defense. Yet, even he tends to prefer finding space, receiving the ball, and orchestrating the next play.
When all five midfielders adopt this strategy, it leaves a gap where a target to pass to should be. Ekitike also favors receiving the ball to feet rather than making runs in behind.
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This pattern was evident against Spurs: Liverpool completed numerous passes in front of their opponents, showcasing movement but failing to penetrate into goal-scoring positions.
Nonetheless, the potential is significant. Elite teams often gain an edge by leveraging unique strengths—having a deep roster of talented and versatile attacking midfielders exemplifies this.
Liverpool and Slot need to find a way to convert this talent into effective gameplay. Achieving this with all five midfielders on the pitch is challenging, especially with Ekitike’s playing style. A more suitable forward who consistently makes runs behind the defense could complement the midfielders’ skills better.
A potential solution could involve substituting one midfielder for an additional defender, operating with a back three and utilizing wingbacks to stretch the game. The extra defender would alleviate some pressure on the four midfielders during transitions and defensive situations.
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There is undeniable promise in this setup, even if Slot hasn’t yet struck the right balance. With their exceptional midfield options, Liverpool has the capacity to unlock any defense on the planet if paired with the right players to facilitate scoring opportunities.
With the right adjustments, this team could indeed become unstoppable.