The new season has begun, and as a Liverpool fan, I will write post-match reviews for every game I watch, focusing on tactical analysis and personal impressions.
In the Premier League opener, Liverpool fielded their strongest available lineup. The goalkeeper remained Alisson, with the formation sticking to last season's 4-2-1-3. The center-back pairing was still last season's duo of van Dijk and Konate, while the full-backs were both new signings: left-back Kerkez and right-back Frimpong. Gravenberch was unable to play due to a red card from last season, so Szoboszlai took his place. New signing Wirtz replaced Szoboszlai as the attacking midfielder, and Mac Allister returned to the starting lineup after a long absence due to injury. Up front, Gakpo and Salah continued to play as left and right wingers, respectively, while new signing Ekitike started as the center forward. The defensive formation has been adjusted to a 4-3-3, with Wirtz moving to left winger for defense, Gakpo dropping back to left midfield for defense, and Szoboszlai moving to right midfield for defense, strengthening protection on both flanks.
Four changes were made to the starting lineup, and there were also some tactical adjustments, primarily a new approach centered around Wirtz in the midfield, while retaining some of the team's previous attacking patterns. The key feature of the new approach is to give the ball to Wirtz, who initiates the attack. The focus is on using passing and movement to deliver the ball into the opponent's penalty area, creating scoring opportunities or playing it back to the edge of the box for another shot. Due to the opposition's intense marking of Wirtz and increased pressure on him, coupled with the lenient foul standards in the Premier League, Wirtz has not yet fully adapted, struggling to dribble or pass the ball comfortably, and losing possession on several occasions. However, Wirtz has drawn a significant amount of defensive attention, creating opportunities for other players to deliver the ball into the penalty area's flank. The first goal came from a give-and-go between Mac Allister and Ekitike, who played a through ball into the penalty area. Ekitike dribbled past the defender after the ball rebounded from the opponent's interception, creating a one-on-one scoring opportunity. The second goal came when Kerkez played a through ball to Ekitike in the penalty area, who then played it back to Gakpo. Gakpo cut inside, dribbled past two defenders, and scored with a shot. This new tactical approach has shown promising results, but the main issues are insufficient time for the team to gel and improve their understanding, as well as Wirtz needing to quickly adapt to the physicality of Premier League defense.
The old attacking tactics were retained, with the ball mainly passed to Salah, who would either cut inside and shoot, pass to the far post or center of the small penalty area for teammates to attack, or pass to the top of the large penalty area for midfielders to shoot from distance. If the full-backs overlapped, the ball could also be passed to the defenders, who would then cross from the byline. This tactic created some opportunities, but unfortunately, neither Salah nor Wirtz's shots found the net. The third goal came when Salah passed the ball to the center of the small penalty area. Although Jones failed to connect with the ball, it was saved by the opposing goalkeeper and then headed back into the penalty area by a defender. Chiesa then scored with a volley from the center of the penalty area, netting the crucial go-ahead goal. Another common tactic involves Gakpo cutting inside from the left wing to shoot or pass the ball to the center of the small penalty area for teammates to attack the goal. The difference from Salah is that Gakpo cuts inside more often and passes the ball slightly less frequently.
Other offensive tactics include set pieces and counterattacks. Set pieces are primarily taken by Wirtz, who either aims high balls at the center of the penalty area for players like van Dijk or first passes the ball before crossing it. The effectiveness of these tactics is currently average. Counterattacks were once a strength of Liverpool, but with many new signings, the team lacks chemistry, and the counterattack speed is not as fast as before. The most effective counterattack involves the goalkeeper or defenders launching long balls to the frontline, with Salah using his speed and exceptional ball control to secure the ball. The fourth goal came from Endo's long ball, with Salah breaking into the box, cutting inside from the left, and scoring with his right foot.
The team's attacking play currently appears to be quite varied, creating numerous opportunities, and their ability to capitalize on these opportunities is strong. However, further coordination is needed. The bigger issue lies in the defense, as the two new full-backs have not fully adapted yet. In particular, left-back Kerkez's defensive actions are too aggressive, leading to frequent fouls and potential injuries, and he is also easily beaten by opponents or forced to give the ball away. Right-back Frimpong, due to his short stature, struggles to defend against opponents who use their height and strength to break through. In the second half, head coach Slot, considering Frimpong's potential leg injury and Kerkez's yellow card, substituted both full-backs. With Bradley injured and Gomez recently recovered from injury, he opted to have Endo fill in at right-back. Endo is relatively slow, and while he can play center back, his slow positioning as a full-back left the right side vulnerable to opponents, leading to the first goal conceded. Fortunately, Slot recognized the situation and, considering Ekitike and Mac Allister's stamina issues, substituted them out, bringing Gomez in as right-back and moving Endo to midfield. Jones played as a defensive midfielder, and Szoboszlai was pushed forward to play as a false 9, but the results were not good. Szoboszlai's ball control and passing skills were relatively rough, and he couldn't hold onto the ball. A loss of possession in the attacking third without any opposition led to the opponents counterattacking and equalizing the score. At this point, the only attacking substitutes available were Chiesa, Elliot, and the young players Ngumoha and Nyoni, who had seen limited action last season. Slot had no choice but to bring on Chiesa to replace the fatigued Wirtz. Chiesa played as a center forward, with Szoboszlai moving to the attacking midfield position. The team reverted to their familiar traditional attacking style, relying on Salah and his teammates' efforts to overturn the score and secure a winning start.
A simple prediction for the next away game against Newcastle: Gravenberch should start as a defensive midfielder, Szoboszlai may come off the bench, and the two full-backs may also be changed. If Frimpong is injured, Gomez, Szoboszlai, or Jones may replace him, and Roberson may start in place of Kerkez. Other positions are unlikely to change. Guehi or Isak, even if they arrive, won't be able to play immediately and will need time to adapt. The playing style is unlikely to change significantly, with a greater emphasis on the traditional approach, focusing on Salah. Given the away game against a strong team, defense is expected to be prioritized, with the full-backs reducing their forward runs, and the midfield focusing more on intercepting and protecting. A narrow one goal victory is anticipated.