Do Liverpool need to be riskier to succeed?

Creating chances against defensive teams

The short answer here is take more risks. But let’s dig a bit deeper.

The issue the Reds face in near enough all games barring those against fellow top six opponents is that teams simply are not interested in making a game out of it.

Most sides enter the game in damage limitation mode, looking to avoid an embarrassing score line and sitting back. Gone are even the days when they would commit players forward on the rare counter attacks.

The puzzle to be solved for Klopp’s side is how to trick these teams into opening up and taking some risk. The answer? Take more risks yourself.

Without needing to revert back to the full on high press we previously saw, Liverpool can commit opponents by attempting to try lower percentage passes.

It may sound counter-intuitive to increase game control by potentially turning possession over more frequently, but it’s about ‘good’ possession not possession for the sake of it.

A perfect example of the benefits were demonstrated during the recent Huddersfield Town game. Liverpool’s goal came as a result of the opposition thinking they can win the ball and being drawn out of their rigid positions.

In this instance, James Milner played a poor pass to Joe Gomez that looked like it could have been picked off. Instead, Gomez used the gap to play in Xherdan Shaqiri with space to advance towards the backline. One slipped pass into Mo Salah later and it’s 1-0.

When Liverpool are playing teams that lack the quality to compete, the risk is further mitigated. Most sides lack the ability to seriously threaten the Reds, and therefore in most cases they should back themselves to recover the ball regardless.

This isn’t about taking unnecessary risks in dangerous areas, but more about small, calculated ones that are just enough to coax out a player otherwise intent on defending space.

So there you have it. Two potential keys to Liverpool’s success this season – measured pressing and calculated risks.