Arne Slot Manager
Liverpool’s head coach, Arne Slot, has addressed criticisms regarding the team’s tactical approach as they prepare to face Arsenal on Thursday. Despite being on an eight-game unbeaten run in the Premier League, Liverpool has drawn four of those matches, raising questions about their attacking output. Slot attributes the current challenges to a lack of attacking personnel, which has influenced the team’s performance in the final third.
Arne Slot said: “Packing the team with midfielders is not something I am doing by choice. So I always have it 4-3-3 with real wingers and never 5-4-1 or 4-4-2 and I have adjusted it maybe four or five times in my career to bring in a midfielder as a winger because I thought the other team – when I was at different clubs to Liverpool – would have more quality than us so I wanted to make it more solid. But if I am known for one thing then it is attacking football, playing a lot of attackers and bringing a lot of attackers in when we are a goal down. So I find it hard to hear that we play boring football let alone that I am not playing attackers.”
Slot added: “I agree that [steadying the ship] was the first thing that needed to happen but I didn’t do that to try and play defensive football. I think that is the misconception. We always pressed the other team as high as we could up the pitch, all over the pitch. And when we have the ball, we try to create as many chances as we can. That doesn’t really work, that I can see as well, that for all the ball possession we have we don’t create enough chances. Everyone can see that as well but I haven’t gone to a style of football where I started to play with five at the back or we started to go all defending our own box. Not at all. We didn’t change anything and you cannot have so much ball possession if you don’t go and press the opposition high up the pitch.”
He continued: “I did not change our style but teams have changed their style against us. Our style is not steady the ship, go back and defend your own box for 90 minutes. Not at all. Every single game we press them as high as we can but it’s no use pressing the goalkeeper if he kicks every ball long. A lot has been said about the difference between how teams play against us and other teams. And I know why, because it works really well against us to play long balls and in a low block because we struggle to create chances. I would do it. Fulham not once, even against Arsenal and Manchester City, it was 4-3-3, 4-3-3, and the question is why did they play with five against us? I can answer that question but it would not be smart of me to do so.”
Slot’s comments highlight his commitment to maintaining an attacking style of play, despite the tactical adjustments he has been forced to make due to squad limitations. The coach emphasized that his strategy has always been to press high and create opportunities, rather than adopting a defensive mindset. However, he acknowledged that opposing teams have adapted their tactics to counter Liverpool’s approach, often resorting to long balls and a low defensive block to stifle their attacking efforts.
As Liverpool prepares to face Arsenal, Slot’s remarks underscore the challenges of maintaining a consistent attacking philosophy when faced with strategic adaptations from opponents. The upcoming match at the Emirates will be a crucial test of Liverpool’s ability to overcome these tactical hurdles and close the gap on the Premier League leaders.
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