It looks like Mohamed Salah’s lack of defensive work has turn out to be a bit of downside for Liverpool, particularly towards the higher groups.
I can completely perceive if Reds boss Arne Slot has informed Salah to not observe again, as a result of ready excessive up the pitch on the fitting for the transition has made him some of the potent goalscorers on this planet.
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However the gamers behind him usually are not protecting him accurately and that has precipitated a whole lot of points for whoever has been at right-back this season.
Whether or not that is been Jeremie Frimpong, Conor Bradley or Dominik Szoboszlai, they’re in bother as a result of they’re going through a 2v1 overload down their facet.
It was an actual weak point on Saturday, which led to Chelsea’s winner – and the priority should be that extra groups will likely be intelligent sufficient to do the identical.
‘Salah has freedom to not do defensive work’
There have been a number of events in Saturday’s sport when Salah didn’t observe Marc Cucurella when he ran from the Chelsea half into the Liverpool space [BBC]
At first, I can not imagine Slot is telling Salah to trace again and assist out his right-back.
If Salah was informed to comply with Chelsea’s left-back Marc Cucurella, then it was extraordinarily apparent he wasn’t, and Slot wouldn’t put up with that.
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As an alternative, Slot is giving Salah the liberty to not do the defensive work, which is okay – there are many examples of different groups who’ve performed comparable, with gamers who wish to save all their power for attacking.
Sure, there are nonetheless sure occasions in a sport the place you might be conceding possibilities and you might be below stress, the place you may take duty your self and simply run again.
I do know Salah can do it too, as a result of when Liverpool received at Manchester Metropolis final season, his defensive efficiency was among the finest I’ve seen from him.
However he should have been requested to do it on that event, which is why I’m not digging him out right here if he has been requested to remain up the pitch.
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‘Actual challenge is how Liverpool are arrange behind Salah’
[BBC]
The difficulty with Salah is extra about how Liverpool are arrange behind him, particularly towards the higher groups.
The opposite gamers have to have the ability to assist extra, and faster, as a result of it felt like Chelsea had been working the ball forwards after which shifting it out to their left, as a result of that is the place the house was.
If a Liverpool midfielder went on the market too late – whether or not or not it’s Ryan Gravenberch or Alexis Mac Allister – then he left house within the pockets in entrance of the defence as a result of Liverpool had been dropping a person from the center.
All this turns into much less of an issue when you’re taking part in groups the place you dominate the ball – as we have seen, as a result of Liverpool have received the league taking part in like this – however they need to tighten up as a result of the highest sides will exploit it.
Most of Chelsea’s assaults – 39% – got here down Liverpool’s proper flank [BBC]
‘Liverpool have misplaced management of video games’
It’s not as if Salah has modified his function this season however, as a result of he isn’t scoring on the different finish, perhaps the defensive facet of his sport is amplified.
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I’m not truly too frightened about his kind, as a result of he’ll come good – he all the time does – by way of his ending.
He bought in some nice positions towards Chelsea however perhaps shot when he ought to have handed, and vice versa, however these possibilities will hold going and the targets will come.
My largest concern with Liverpool in the meanwhile is with their lack of management of video games in comparison with final season.
It has been a disappointing week for them, after all, not solely to lose three video games in a row within the Premier League and Champions League however as a result of the efficiency ranges haven’t been what we count on.
There are mitigating components, after all, with all of the personnel modifications in the summertime and the variety of gamers who missed pre-season, however final season Slot’s Liverpool gave the impression to be so good at managing video games and that’s now not the case.
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It felt like their defensive form was sound, and Slot’s extra possession-based fashion introduced larger management.
It was one thing that folks immediately noticed that he had added to the crew, in comparison with what it was like below Jurgen Klopp.
Now, nonetheless, I watch them and it appears to be like a bit chaotic. The final half-hour of the Chelsea sport was so frenetic it felt like a cup tie – that they had alternatives to win it, however gave away loads of possibilities too, which is why they ended up being overwhelmed.
How can Slot repair Liverpool?
There are some things that aren’t proper about Liverpool, and I hold seeing them give the ball away, however I do not see this as an unresolvable state of affairs.
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Simply because Liverpool have gotten some new gamers – and several types of gamers too – they need not change the best way they play. They simply have to get again to being a bit of bit extra affected person, and a bit of extra composed.
The excellent news is they’re just one level behind leaders Arsenal and have time to repair the issues which can be going unsuitable.
The bodily side they’re lacking will come as a result of the gamers who didn’t have a correct pre-season, like Alexander Isak, Mac Allister, Bradley and Hugo Ekitike, will attain peak health quickly.
Constructing correct relationships on the pitch all the time takes time too, whether or not or not it’s between the right-back and Salah or Florian Wirtz and Isak.
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So, there isn’t any have to panic. It looks like in the meanwhile within the Premier League, and never simply with Liverpool however with all groups, you might be just one week away from ‘disaster’ and criticism.
The truth is what has occurred to Liverpool this week will in all probability occur in some unspecified time in the future to Arsenal and Manchester Metropolis this season too.
I did not truly suppose Metropolis could be within the title race, but when Erling Haaland stays this hungry and stays match they are going to be.
Arsenal, defensively, look very good once more and, general, after seven video games they seem very comfy in what they’re doing in every single place on the pitch – it appears to be like like a continuation of final season, with a sprinkling of additional high quality and depth.
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With Liverpool it looks like extra of rebuild proper now. However whereas there’s nonetheless work to do for them to search out the fitting steadiness and combos, I feel everyone seems to be anticipating them to enhance because the season goes on.
Danny Murphy was talking to BBC Sport’s Chris Bevan.