Actually, the issue is tactical. Watch last season's post-match interview when Liverpool beat Manchester United (the one with Roy Keane). Arne Slot hinted he likes to play out the back. But obviously Klopp's team doesn't do that, hence Slot didn't push for a change. But different this season...

He wants to play out the back, which is possession based. Hence why the CB's (Van Djik and Konate) is seen carrying the ball into midfield. However, when the CB's move forward, you can see the right/left backs are not sure whether to cover (lack of width) or join the attack (exposed defense).

So when teams low block there is no width in the attack because the play out the back usually comes from the CB, through the center. No width, difficult to break low block. Then when opposition teams employ counter press and quick transitions, they only need to win the ball, quick transition, direct plays to exploit the gaps in defense.

Last season, Guardiola faced the same problems as Liverpool this season as teams low-block, counter press and quick transition against Man City's possession system.

This season, Guardiola admitted, his possession-based system no longer works in today's game, hence why he is moving to the counter press, direct, transition style similar to Klopp - hiring Pep Lijnders.

So, either Slot makes his possession system work or discover like Guardiola, the modern game is counter press, quick transition.

First 25 minutes, looks like Klopp team. Press, counter press, quick transitions. Szoboszlai chase every ball. Even Salah tracking back. Not vintage but felt like matter of time before Liverpool scores.

Then it went Slot 2025. Keep possession, slow, pass left, pass right. Desperation causes poor decision, leading to losing possession, but stand-off pressing (no counter press wait 2nd ball), ManU do quick transition down the wings.

On the left, Kerkez lots of energy and will track back. But the senior players play slow - Slot 2025. Then in the 2nd half so many moments Kerkez release the ball to Gapko then quick overlap down the left only for Gakpo to cut into the center instead of a 1-2 with Kerkez to create width - against a back 3!!! Eventually, Kerkez just cuts center to force Gapko wide. Its either Slot 2025 instruction or Gakpo problem.

In defense, VVD is no longer commanding, but rather blaming. He blames Kerkez, blames other players for having to sprint distance. Defending not very good but seems more eager to attack. He also slows the play down by holding onto the ball rather than creating the flowing passing system that Slot 2025 seems to favour.

McAlister clearly not fit yet. Why start him? Same with Isak.

The team looks a bit better movement wise after the substitutes. Wirtz, Ekitike, Chiesa, Jones, then Frimpong, eager to move the ball forward instead of sideways, keep the passing flowing rather than holding onto the ball (like VVD like to do), while Frimpong willing to run down the flanks to create width, something Salah doesn't like to do. A positive sign that new players may actually work if allowed to play together without some senior players commanding attention.

But I think the most concerning thing is Slot.

1) Saying or complaining about low blocks and counter attacks. Yet he has said this is how many teams play against Liverpool since the second half of last season. 16 months and still no solution?

2) Saying Liverpool still the same other teams are the one that play differently. So other teams the problem?

3) Keeps talking about moments and could haves. Can have 100 moments, if zero goals it is still 0 goals. The constant could haves sounds like depending on hope, not a good sign.

4) Last season when Liverpool beat ManU, when doing post-match interview with Roy Keane, he said a high press is a problem only if the players don't track back. Yet he allows Salah to not track back - which has been a weakness on the right all season. Did he intentionally cripple his own system just to hope for moments of magic from Salah, in a system that requires build up from the back?

By right Slot's system requires the buildup to start from the back, hence the constant backward pass - recycle possession. But that requires the defense to dictate the press - move / press as a team.

What I noticed is the huge space between defence and midfield when the ball is with the defence. Midfield seemed to just press high instead of waiting for the defence to press.

This creates the problem of no one from midfield do link up play when the defence have the ball. Wirtz is the only one that will drop back to pick the ball. Szoboslai will drop back but depends on how far forward he plays.

End up VVD and Konate so often moves out of position (too far forward) to link up with the midfield. This requires either the full backs to cover - no width, or the other Centre Back to run a lot - VVD clearly not up the task anymore.

The more I watch, the more I see how Wirtz is central to Slot's vision. The problem seems to be the Klopp era players are still looking for the direct pass rather than do a slow patient buildup - VVD in particular since he doesn't seem to like Kerkez.

Maybe play Endo and tell him to protect Wirtz or ask the 2 central midfielders to protect Wirtz. Allow Wirtz to control the buildup. Let Wirtz dictate the press. If Wirtz drops back, the team drops back. If Wirtz presses, the team moves forward.

Slot strategy so far:
1) Blame low block
2) Blame long ball
3) Blame player unable to convert moments
4) Blame defensive set pieces
5) Blame offensive set pieces
6) Blame throw-ins
7) Blame ball always in the air (can also be counted as long ball)
8) Blame TAA leaving
9) Blame referee decisions
10) Now starting to blame players.

Soon it will be
11) Blame schedule (already mentioned the 3 games a week but not blame stage yet)
12) Blame injuries (already starting to pile up)
13) Blame international competitions (AFCON coming up)
14) Blame weather (winter coming up, wet and windy)
15) Blame fans - why so quiet...

Some of what he blames is not something he can change. But many of the things be blames, he can change. One wonders what exactly is he doing on the training pitch.

I would have thought given the fragility of the squad's mentally and the porous defence, Slot would have gone back to basics to stabilise the situation.

Usually, its
1) Do not concede - no goals conceded means cannot loose. Either a more stable formation or don't press so high.
2) Change of personnel from offensive minded to defensive minded - no goals conceded means cannot loose.
3) Go back to what worked before - change tactics.

Klopp shown willing to adapt based on situation. Klopp abandoned his heavy metal version of Gegenpressing in favour of less intese but still counter press - Slot doesn't do counter press. Klopp also will not hesitate in abandoning high press based on opponents - willing to sit back, sacrifice possession and space for the counterattack. Wonder if Slot will adapt.

I know not a fair thing to hang well liked previous manager over the new one (like Moyes being compared to SAF at ManU). Yet, so far this season, Slot sounds a lot like ETH and Amorim. Die die must stick to one style of play and formation, if doesn't work it's not manager problem.

Tactically, Slot prefers possession and passing through the middle. The style is naturally slower and boring.

To create the middle channel, he prefers inverted fullbacks. When one of the fullback inverts, the back 4 become back 3, with the inverted fullback (just 1) becoming the link up between defence and midfield. By design, Slot's tactics create narrow passing channels through the centre. The width comes in the forward areas (e.g., Salah hugging the corner flag).

The problem with that tactic is, it worked when TAA was around. He inverts (move to middle of midfield), then he does his long-range accurate passes to break low blocks. You have the benefit of the ball moving up the pitch away from defense, and a more direct play - benefitting Salah and even Diaz/Gapko. Hence only the right-side inverts - clear instruction.

Yet, he approved the purchase of 2 wing backs that prefer to run down the flanks. The current 4 full backs are runners. Hence why he uses Dom on right back - attempting to recreate TAA, which will help Salah, but Dom is not TAA.

This is why Kerkez seems lost most of the time. He doesn't know when to invert (move up), and when to stay back (if the right back inverts). Similarly with Bradley. Last season, it was clear, only TAA inverts. This season, it seems both full backs will have to invert depending on the moment - sometimes left side, sometimes right side.

The defence has not yet figured out who or when that happens - sometimes left, sometimes right. So, you get into moments where both full backs thought they will advance when only 1 should - hence the gaps at the left and right flanks. This is likely why the space between defence and midfield is so big, the midfield expects the inverted full back to provide link up, hence 6 players press high up the pitch. But the defence wants to see how the midfield is setup before deciding whether its left or right-side press.

Then there is the case of neither centre backs pass to the full backs, which means even if the full backs wanted to invert, they end up collapsing into a back 3 because one of the centre backs "inverted" instead. If an opponent sees this (i.e. when VVD or Konate advance too far forward), they will pass through the middle spaces since the left and right backs will typically stay wider - it's their instinct - and the opposition can easily overload 2 vs 1 in the open spaces.

VVD seems reluctant to pass to Kerkez, I suspect, is because he doesn't want to cover the entire left side of the defensive half when Kerkez advances. He has no problem passing to Robbo because Robbo doesn't invert even with the ball, and Slot uses Robbo more for defensive stability.

There is nothing wrong with Slot's philosophy. Most fans are used to Klopp's style of all action football. The issue is Slot not addressing the basic of his tactics. He must have seen how the full backs don't invert properly. Must have seen the timing of the press is wrong. Must have seen how Wirtz is playing to Slot's own instruction of keeping the ball on the ground, slowly moving the ball forward but many players around Wirtz have a tendency to to launch direct long balls to either Gapko or Salah.

Most importantly, he already know Liverpool have 0 full backs that play like TAA. Hence, he already know Salah won't get TAA passes. He also knows Dom is better in central positions. All this are not new information. Yet Slot just ignored what his players can and cannot do.

Maybe persists like Amorim, 3-4-3 all the way, eventually it will stick.

But honestly, as a fan, I find Slot's current philosophy boring and lifeless. It's too much thinking, lots of mid game formation changes, moment to moment tactical changes. Which I think is also why the players are finding it difficult to adapt. There is less fluidity in the gameplan. Everything is a "if this then that" play, and players have to remember multiple combinations, rules, formations during play.

Maybe more accustomed to the Klopp style. Even if loose, its not for the lack of trying. Even if win 5-4, conceding 4 goals, it was an exciting game to watch. And who can forget Klopp's fist pumps.

If Slot can fix the issue between his players and his tactics, great. If he persists like Amorim - drill until it sticks, then we will just wait out the "crisis".

Diaz sold likely because he is not the type of player Slot wants. Diaz like Salah works best during transitions - win the ball, quick release (e.g., long ball), run, overload, score. Slot wants possession. Which is why (in my view) Ngumoha is not used as often - a runner like Diaz. He also doesn't criticise Gapko's lack of width (because he cuts in most of the time) because that seem to be more Slot ball, pass your way to a goal.

While Slot wants passers, he funnily continues to make Salah, a player that thrives in direct football, a focal point. But how does that work when Salah just hugs the corner flag 80% of the time. How to build up from the back without direct long balls. A play style he criticises.

Slot also a bit contradictory with player fitness. While Chiesa's fitness improved and his contribution has improved this season, Isak and McAlister both missed pre-season, yet both have more starts and minutes than Chiesa this season. Even Ekitike, our best forward with no fitness issue is benched in favour of Isak.

Slot bought Wirtz, a player that fits his profile, yet plays him with a group of players that prefer direct football. So, while Wirtz does the short passes, moving into spaces for the 1-2 passes, many times the players around do direct balls to Gakpo or try to find Salah.

Curtis Jones is actually a player that fits Slot's system. Fans complain he like to pass backwards and sideways. Well, that is the Slot way - recycle possession. Patient. Don't rush. So instead of using Jones and Wirtz as the press / attack engine, Slot relies on McAlister and Gravenberch, 2 players drilled in more direct transition football.

I feel all Slot needs now is to just tell his team not to press so high, which would make the team more compact and tighter. Also to mix it up with a bit more direct ball (e.g. long balls). Wirtz has shown he does have the passing range for direct balls (although not the type TAA can provide). On whether to counter press (try to win back the ball immediately after losing possession, which Liverpool doesn't do anymore), not sure.

Basically, so many weird decisions and choices.

So, Arne Slot went back to 433, played with 9 players from last season league winning team (would likely have played 11 if Allison was not injured, Jota and Diaz still around).

Left GBP370m worth of new players that was supposed to fuel his new system out of the lineup.

Ok, better than Amorim. Would change formation and tactics when required. Calm the situation down.

Just hoping Slot doesn't pull a "Brentford Switch" (aka back to his not working tactics after the changes in the 5-1 Frankfurt win).

I'm just curious how Wirtz and the new players will be integrated since 10 of 11 players are clearly comfortable with 433, direct football.

Slot's 2025 formation is his favoured 4-2-3-1 with the inverted full back system he used in Feyenoord and AZ Alkmaar. It converts into a back 3 on the offensive build-up.

4-3-3 is Klopp's formation which Slot retained in 2024 with modification to playstyle - no or less counter press, focus on retaining possession.

Against Aston Villa, it feels more like 2024's 4-3-3, evident since 9 of 11 players played in that system. The positioning also closer to 4-3-3 and the balls more direct, no (or less) inverted full back plays - maintain width, and 2 midfielders doing link up with the defense instead of having someone like Wirtz or Szobo drop back to collect.

Also, the team doesn't seem to be pressing as high as the 4-2-3-1 where 6 players will camp at the opponent's half during the build-up.

Still no counter-press but tighter formation helped with the 2nd ball press - always have at least 2 players that can apply pressure.

But yeah, Villa not low blocking is the main contributor - Salah's goal would not have been possible if it was a low block.

This post has been edited by zizoo9876: Nov 2 2025, 02:57 PM

Poor Bradley. Having to cover the defensive right side by himself in the 2nd half against Doku. Some complain Konate should have supported Bradley, but Konate was marking Haaland. If Grav goes out of position to cover then Man City will play through the middle.

On the left, Wirtz and Robertson held the line.

Man City identified the right-side weakness and push Liverpool back by pressing the right side - in the 2nd half.

Salah either low confidence or genuinely declining. His timing off. His decision making off. Can't outrun his marker even when the team plays his favoured direct long balls.

Liverpool don't counter press. Normal pressing unable to cope with Man City's smooth passing. So rarely win back the ball out of possession. What made Klopp difficult for Guardiola was the pressing. Now all gone.

Same old tactical problems again.

Did like Wirtz's footwork in the first half. Clearly, he is much more suited in Man City. Still feel Slot needs to drill into his sometimes-stubborn team, the future is Wirtz if he truly wants to copy Guardiola. Get the team to stop looking for the magic pass to Salah and support Wirtz. If not do the opposite, drill into the new signing, they need to play like the rest of the team - Wirtz stop dribbling the ball into dead zones.

Yet more moaning from Slot, that the header should have counted as it COULD have changed the game. Anyone watching the game could see yes, Liverpool did have moments, but Man City was always in control.

Every manager should have more than 1 formation or tactic. Every manager also tends to respond to different play styles - "if this then that". Slot on the other hand has only 1 formation and 1 tactic - 4-2-3-1 high press, narrow, transformers formation (aka "fluid positioning") or what might call the "I copy Pepe's" tactic.

Still don't understand why game after game, opposing managers and players keep pointing out right side weakness, Salah not defending, easy to drag Grav out of central positions, Slot still insist there is no problem on the right, Salah plays. If Slot says will play Isak to form, why not Chiesa especially when Salah is not performing...I really feel for Chiesa. Feel Slot's man management really bad in this area.

Problem with sacking Slot is the lack of replacement that can handle the egos of VVD and Salah. Choosing a manager that is doing well but lacks the experience managing big egos in a club like Liverpool is similar to hiring Brendan Rodgers and Roy Hodgson. You need crazy eyes, shoe throwing, track record to manage egos. Or you do what teams used to do with Ronaldo - not worth the trouble, ship him out.

This post has been edited by zizoo9876: Nov 23 2025, 12:23 PM

Formation wise, the biggest difference is 4-2-3-1 relies on a target man (the 1) - hence Isak purchase. The 3 midfielders take up positions around the target man (out left, out right, out middle).

In the Klopp (or more traditional 4-3-3), there is no single target man with the front 3. Whoever in the right position scores, and the attack shifts left or right based on momentum.

In a 4-2-3-1, the forward line is less compact. The 3 midfielders take up wider positions to support the target man (similar to how Man City plays Haaland). Get the ball to the 9 who is responsible for scoring. Haaland is 1.95m tall, Isak is 1.92m, Ekiteke is 1.9m. Firmino, Salah and Mane height no more than 1.81m.

A more traditional 4-3-3 or Klopp era 4-3-3 has a more compact forward line (e.g., Mane/Firmino/Salah). Each of the 3 forwards are target man depending on the situation. Get the ball to any of the forward 3 best positioned to score. Hence why Firmino as false 9 works.

Tactically, Liverpool no longer counter press (e.g., apply pressure after losing possession) - something Pep's Man City struggled against. When out of possession, Liverpool also moved to pressing the 2nd ball instead of applying pressure all the time (i.e., Liverpool high press means playing a high line not applying pressure) - why players tend to stand-off rather than tackle or press, which ends up looking like lacking intensity. Notice Slot rarely comments about intensity these days.

Slot also emphasizes possession and playing out the back, patience with the ball, finding that key pass. Klopp is constant pressing, quick transitions, direct balls. Hence the sideways, back-pass, slow moving under Slot, the direct, long balls, quick transition under Klopp.

Basically, Slot ball is a copy of Guardiola's tactics, which ironically, Guardiola himself admitted needs to be changed due to how the game has changed (i.e. hiring Pep Ljinders).

This post has been edited by zizoo9876: Nov 24 2025, 08:54 AM

Jurgen Klopp had many bad seasons, and fans were calling for his sack. But it felt at least there were changes being made while the pressing game made for still worthy to watch football. I remember Klopp toning down his counter press after the 2nd or 3rd season because players were getting injured and the 2nd half season fade out was real.

Klopp also will trade his high press for defensive solidity depending on the opponent, yet retained the pressing system, direct balls, and front 3 setup.

Really, most people are just asking for things to change. Stop leaking goals. A draw is better than a lost. Give other players a chance.


Now it is just shambolic. Same nonsense week in week out. No attempt to change things.

The issue I have with the excuses of needing time to integrate many new players is, look at the starting XI. Except for the keeper, 7 of 10 players were starting XI in 2025. Against ManU, 7 from the 2025 XI started.

Van Djik, Konate, Grav, Macca, Salah, Gapko, Szobo. When you add Robertson, its 8 of 10. The 7 started against PSV and Forest, 6 started against Man City. Clearly it is not a "new player adjustment" issue anymore. On the flip side, the wins against Villa and Madrid also included many of the 2025 starting 11. So clearly the issue is beyond personnel.

On the bench there is Chiesa, Endo, Rio, surely more motivated to play. Ekitike the top scorer benched in favour of playing Isak to form. While I can understand Gomez may not be match fit, not giving him game time (including 20-minute subs) won't help him. Overall, just poor mana management.

If Jota's death is a reason, then even more reason to perhaps let players less impacted (i.e., wasn't here last season or didn't really play with Jota enough) to take the "stress" of the 400,000 per week player.

This post has been edited by zizoo9876: Nov 27 2025, 09:54 AM

One of the bizarre tactical choice is buying two 1.9m tall target man to play a 4-2-3-1 formation but play 2 wide midfielders that like to cut in and shoot instead of crossing. When Salah and Gapko do cross, they look for each other rather than the 1.9m tall forward.

There is Kerkez that likes to run, stay wide and cross, yet he is being asked to tuck in centrally.

Not surprising players Isak and Ekiteke not getting the supply.

How Klopp's 4-3-3 actually works is different from what Arne Slot says his 4-2-3-1 is actually the same from previous years. Signing two 1.9m tall target man to play like Man City is not the same as a compact front 3 that focuses on movement.

https://learning.coachesvoice.com/cv/jurgen...tics-liverpool/

On Wirtz's struggles, Wirtz like Messi and Kevin De Bruyne, works best when he is the focal point of the team's attacks. It doesn't work well if the team prefers to focus on Salah. Slot (and the Club leadership) has to choose whether to play Salah to form or focus on building around Wirtz - stop players like VVD from lobbing the ball to Salah.

https://www.anfieldwatch.co.uk/liverpool-fc...-wirtz-problem/