This match was watched in a hotel while traveling during the National Day holiday, and I only had time to write the review after returning.
Slot continued to experiment with the lineup, and contrary to my expectations, he did not choose Wirtz for the attacking midfielder position, nor did he use Chiesa, but instead reverted to using Szoboszlai. The left-back position did not rotate Roberson, and Kerkez continued to start. This lineup basically returned to the previous style of play, but the problem was the lack of creativity in attack without Arnold and Diaz. The midfield trio of Szoboszlai and Gravenberch had not been rotated for rest, and Mac Allister was struggling to regain form due to injury, making it difficult to compete with Chiesa in midfield.
In the second half, Wirtz replaced Bradley as the attacking midfielder, and Szoboszlai switched to right-back. In the 56th minute, Roberson replaced Kerkez at left-back, Jones replaced Konate at defensive midfielder, and Gravenberch moved to right center-back. Liverpool's right-side attack began to show some improvement, with Szoboszlai crossing from the right, Isak cleverly controlling the ball in the middle, and Gakpo scoring with a close-range shot to equalize. After that, Liverpool had several good chances, but Salah's poor form led to missed opportunities. In the 74th minute, Ekitiké replaced Isak as the center forward, not as I expected on the left wing, and Liverpool's attack lost its threat. I initially thought Slot would bring on Chiesa or Ngumoha to push for a goal, but he substituted Endo for Mac Allister to try to hold onto the draw. It's understandable to want to secure a point away, but it was still a bit disappointing; strengthening the attack could have led to a victory. If the intention was to hold on for a draw, bringing on Gomez as a center-back to allow Gravenberch to return to midfield might have been more effective. The last goal conceded was mainly because Roberson was a bit injured and unable to mark the opponent at the back post.
Three consecutive away losses are certainly disappointing. The packed schedule is an objective reason, but insufficient rotation in the absence of serious injuries is a fault of the coaching staff. I don't think there should be concerns about the attack; Wirtz, Isak, and Ekitiké can provide attacking creativity on the field. However, there are significant defensive issues; Konate's mental and physical state is unsatisfactory, but there is a lack of suitable competition for him. The inability to fix a starting right-back is a problem for the defense's cohesion, and I hope Frimpong can integrate into the team quickly. Mamardashvili in goal does not inspire the same confidence as Allison, but there are no other options at the moment. The pressure to win the next home game against Man Utd is huge, and I hope Ekitiké can start as the left winger to collaborate with Isak and Wirtz, while Szoboszlai can replace the long-traveling Mac Allister at defensive midfielder, and Frimpong can play right-back. As long as the attack can pose a threat, I believe we can win even if the defense is unstable.