Look, it’s hard to criticize reigning Premier League champs Liverpool after they won their opening five league games of the season before losing late on at Crystal Palace on Saturday.
MORE — Arne Slot reaction | Liverpool lose at Crystal Palace
But it’s clear that Arne Slot’s side have been far from their best during the opening weeks of the new season and have been papering over the cracks with late win after late win.
What is causing them problems? What do they need to fix?
Center backs struggling
Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate looked shaken up as they trudged off the pitch on Saturday. They’d been opened up on the counter so often, especially in the first half, and were sloppy on the ball as they couldn’t handle the pressure placed on them. Palace press high in key moments better than perhaps anyone else in the Premier League. Liverpool’s two center backs know that. But they couldn’t stop it and with Mateta buzzing around to make life even more difficult, Liverpool’s two center backs had one of their worst outings as a duo. We know Liverpool tried to sign Marc Guehi in the summer and clearly want to upgrade their center back options. Joe Gomez could now perhaps get a run in the team alongside Van Dijk in the coming weeks as Slot has to rotate and he is their only other option with youngster Giovanni Leoni now out with a long-term knee injury. Accelerating their move for Guehi to sign him in January is probably Liverpool’s best move to strengthen this defense, long-term, but will they spend big on a player who is free to sign next summer? Probably not. These center back struggles have the potential to be a huge problem.
Wirtz, Salah should have more license to roam
Salah touched the ball just 36 times in the loss at Palace, underlining how much Liverpool struggled to get him involved in the game. Yes, Palace sit deep in a low block and leave very little space for teams to get in-behind them, which is one of Salah’s main strengths, but he couldn’t even drift inside to get on the ball and stayed out wide with no real service. He needs to be given that freedom to float and create. So does summer signing Florian Wirtz, who should have scored in the second half from close range. That chance came after he arrived in the box with perfect timing after being moved to a central role at half time. In the first half he barely touched the ball on the left flank and Liverpool looked more fluid and dangerous in the second half with Wirtz playing centrally. He needs to start there and both he and Salah should be encouraged to interchange and be given the freedom to create together as a duo. They have produced just two goals and two assists in six games so far this season (all to Salah’s name) and Liverpool must get them in dangerous positions more often.
Gravenberch needs more help
It’s pretty crazy that Liverpool only have one player in the same mold as Ryan Gravenberch given how heavily they rely on him. He was hit by injury early in the season but his return to fitness showcased just how important he is. The Dutchman scored a beauty against Everton last weekend to underline his status as a talisman but he can’t do it all on his own in midfield. Wataru Endo is the only other defensive midfielder who can come in to give him a break but he still doesn’t have the same impact or style of play. One of the reasons Van Dijk and Konate were left so exposed so often against Palace was because Gravenberch had very little help alongside him. Curtis Jones excelled in that deeper role alongside him for most of last season and it was more pragmatic and gave Liverpool more control. But Jones has been used less frequently, so far, this season. Alexis Mac Allister is struggling to help out Gravenberch defensively and right now Slot is struggling to fit all of his key players into the team at the same time and keep the balance. Perhaps the answer is to play Jones alongside Gravenberch with Wirtz floating ahead of them. But what do you do with Szoboszlai? He probably becomes your first-choice right back and then Mac Allister is the odd man out. Liverpool need more defensive solidity to stop teams countering on them so easily and getting Gravenberch more help will give Slot’s side more defensive balance.
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