After a diabolical October and November that saw their hopes of a title defence left in tatters, Liverpool have managed to steady the ship over the past month. In order to do that, though, they have have embraced an ultra-conservative approach.
As a result, they haven’t been defeated in nine games now, a run stretching back to the final week of November. But they have also, it has to be said, become a dull and often negative side. It’s a trade-off most would probably accept, but it can still be hard
to watch.
“I find it really hard to hear but it’s not that I completely disagree,” was manager Arne Slot’s reaction when his side’s embrace of a far less expansive brand of football of late—and of fan complaints that Liverpool now play a boring brand of football.
“I think that I would use different words, take certain things into account. I want to win as many trophies as I can but I think I’m also known for the fact that my teams always try to play attacking football so I can only say that we are still trying to do that.”
“It’s true we are struggling to create chances, but I’ve said many times we are not the only team that struggles to create a lot of chances and I don’t think that the number we create is all that different to some other teams that are doing really well in the league.”
Amongst the top sides, low-event football has been the hallmark of Arsenal under Mikel Arteta in recent seasons, an approach that seeks to limit expected goals against first while accepting that will necessarily mean creating less chances of your own in attack.
At that point, at least for Arsenal, set-piece efficiency has been the difference maker—a kind of big money Stoke City brand of football. It’s an approach that hasn’t quite got Arsenal over the line yet, but they’re consistently in the running and currently top the table.
Liverpool, on the other hand, are amongst the worst at set-pieces in Europe’s top leagues. There’s also an issue in that it’s clear Anfield doesn’t appreciate the conservative approach, and despite the results the match atmosphere is getting progressively worse.
For a club that has famously embraced the power of Anfield, players feeding off the supporters and supporters feeding off the players in a symbiotic relationship, it’s become noticeable—to the point it seems both fair and obvious Slot would be asked about it.
“I’d like is us winning a lot of games but also us playing an attractive style,” Slot added. “We have to find a way against teams who set up in not an attractive way. We have to find answers and we haven’t yet but we are working every day to improve that.”
