Assault, Assault, Assault - Is Liverpool on the Verge of Abandoning Caution?
According to Aaron Cutler, Jurgen Klopp might have decided to take a chance in 2023–24 because of the lack of goals scored against the bottom 10 teams the previous season.It is always risky to extrapolate too much from preseason, but if recent friendlies are any indication, Liverpool is gearing up to outclass their opponents.
A return to “heavy metal football” might be both necessary and strategic. In either case, Klopp’s’second’ Reds squad might start their voyage in a manner similar to that of his first.
The coaching staff was aware of a decline in goals last season despite numerous failures. Declining production is a problem in and of itself, but a terrible performance against the bottom 10 soon put an end to any hopes of a title fight and, eventually, of Champions League football being saved.
Startling numbers
The 75 goals Liverpool scored last season were the second-fewest during Klopp’s leadership when only full seasons are taken into account.
In fact, we only scored less goals during the crucial Covid campaign, where our total was a meager 68.
For comparison, the Reds scored 19 less goals last season than they did in the Premier League’s previous quadruple-chasing season.
But that doesn’t really cover the entire picture. In comparison to the bottom 10, output is somewhat worrying, according to a closer inspection.
Over the course of the 20 games, 39 goals total—or little under two per game—were scored.
However, it is significant to notice that there are two hammerings among those 39 that stand out as genuine anomalies.
Remember that the final tally also includes the humiliating 6-1 loss to a poor Leeds and the 9-0 thrashing of Bournemouth. These two outcomes significantly increased the overall total.
You could even include the 4-4 draw with Southampton on the penultimate day of play, which had more of a testimonial vibe.
In reality, Liverpool presented the ‘cannon fodder’ with simple opposition.
The Bottom 10
Seven of those 20 games noted above saw us fail to score, and our first goal away to the bottom 10 came on April 17 with Cody Gakpo’s first-half goal in the aforementioned humiliation of Leeds.
All of this resulted in a score of 36 points out of a possible 60. Only the 2020–21 season was less successful when playing teams from the bottom half of the Premier League.
Simply put, winning just three games away from home against the league’s bottom 10 teams, all of which take place after mid-April, eliminates any possibility of being a title contender.
How then does Klopp respond to this?
According to preseason, the manager is ready to relinquish game-control in the hopes that his side can outscore the opposition. To a certain extent, this will be deliberate.
The fluidity with which Liverpool has attacked during preseason has been one of the most encouraging elements.
Ben Doak and the rest of our offensive players have all contributed to goals.
Darwin Nunez is still a work in progress, but he has a tendency for showing up in perilous situations. His goal return will increase if he can convert even 10% of the opportunities that are offered to him.
Elsewhere Luis Diaz appears committed to making a point. The Colombian is a good player and a fan favorite, but there is one question mark regarding his numbers—or lack thereof. He looks determined to increase his productivity after scoring against Greuther Furth and Bayern Munich, and celebrating wildly on both occasions.
Given the strength of Diogo Jota and the certainty of Mo Salah, it is safe to assume that goals will be looted. During this time, Gakpo is taking on the role of chief architect, putting everything together and contributing his own fair part, just like his long-serving predecessor in the false nine position did.
Defensive frailties
However, Jurgen’s midfield’s persistent imbalance may be another factor in his willingness to release the handbrake.
On the plus side, Dominick Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister seem like solid signings. Some believed the former would play deeper, but his sharp dashes and deft passing have caused him to play more of a typical No. 10 position. This ought to help us work more efficiently and creatively.
The reinventing of Trent Alexander-Arnold also proceeds quickly. Although his long-range passing is admired by all, this summer’s line-breaking has been aided by shorter, vertical balls. This gives our attack more power when fed into players like Mac Allister, who can receive and spin in a single motion.
With such a strong danger up front, it makes sense that Klopp would support his team in scoring heavily. He might, however, be doubling down because there aren’t many alternatives in the opposite direction.
Regardless of how they choose to spin it, Liverpool is currently without a true defensive midfielder.
In that situation, Fabinho was the top pick and would have been starting the next season. His deputy would have been Jordan Henderson. Both have progressed.
Romeo Lavia is seen to be the most likely replacement, according to rumors abounding that replacements will be sought. Even if the Belgian is signed, it would be naive to expect a player of his stature and profile to fill the same position as peak Fabinho.
While both Stefan Bajcetic and Thiago have the ability to sit deeper, neither fits that description. Curtis Jones seems to be the stopgap or even short-term fix.
The 22-year-old has improved greatly over the past several months and starred for England’s youth team this summer in a similar role. Truthfully, he lacks that instinctive defensiveness and is more of a ball-playing midfielder.
Even though Liverpool recycled the ball well against Bayern, he was frequently out-run by runners, leaving Liverpool vulnerable. Although it’s not his fault, he will need to change his strategy and get experience on the job if he truly wants to be reimagined as a No. 6.
Shipping goals
In general, Liverpool is conceding goals at a startlingly high rate.
Context should be used once again. Games frequently follow double training sessions during the preseason. Numerous opportunities and goals have been lost when veteran players have been substituted for younger players.
The Reds, though, are weak structurally.
Alexander-Arnold’s hybrid role continues to expose the right flank and heavily relies on the right-sided center back to cover vast areas of ground. Joel Matip and Joe Gomez cannot effectively do that, but Ibrahima Konate can.
Even if the offside flag should have stepped in more than more, the high line has also been crossed repeatedly.
season or not before This summer, Liverpool has scored 15 goals while giving up 10. With the exception of Leicester (who truly had their moments), these matches have resembled basketball contests and the first few months of Klopp’s reign, when our attacking strength compensated for defensive shortcomings.
It is logical to assume that the manager has decided to take a chance after taking into account his prior season’s profligacy and the tools he has at his disposal.
His fantastic Liverpool squad excelled at managing games and grinding out victories when they were necessary, making them English, European, and global champions. However, getting there required two to three years and a number of transfer periods.
In the meanwhile, sides were attacked with an almost careless recklessness. This resulted in some exciting interactions and outcomes, both positive and negative. In the end, it was sufficient to secure Champions League qualification.
Expect Liverpool to attack the bottom 10 in particular as they return to contention this season.
