Arsenal loss highlights desperate need for midfield depth
By Riaz Ravat
Liverpool need midfield depth.
Following a rare third league defeat of the season against Arsenal at the Emirates, Jürgen Klopp offered a brutally honest assessment of the performance.
"The official club website reported that he said: “Because we are a very good football team….we usually work on a concentration level that is nearly unhuman.”"
Uncharacteristic mistakes by Virgil van Dijk and Alisson Becker sealed victory for the Gunners despite Liverpool having nearly 70% of the possession and 24 attempts on goal compared to three for the opposition. However, the cliché of going beyond statistics is relevant here.
It is hard to criticise a team which has dominated the Premier League and won the title with a record-breaking seven games to spare. Throw in the European Super Cup and World Club Championship for good measure too.
However, since February, the Reds performances and results have been in sharp contrast to the super human effort before that period.
Context is vital – from August 2019 until January 2020, Liverpool created the most perfect foundations, ground, first and second floors.
Since February, the roof has leaked in several areas. Some might say having a roof with holes (defeats and goals against rising) when the sun is shining (title secured) has no adverse effects.
However, if Liverpool are to push on and create a legacy, lessons must be learnt from the post February period. To begin with, we are in very unusual circumstances. Liverpool thrive on their fans being present. Hollow atmospheres do not play to our strengths.
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There are also plenty of clues as to what might be in store for Liverpool as they seek to retain the hard won title next season. The ‘Atletico template’ is highly likely to be mirrored by many other teams next season.
More so the first leg than the second but Norwich, Watford, Bournemouth, Everton, Burnley and Arsenal adopted the tactics of retreating towards their own goal and squeezing out spaces right across the middle of the park.
In Atletico’s case, their attacking players are of considerable quality and so when opportunities arise on the break at the other end, the dangers are real. Others will rely on set pieces e.g. Burnley. Lest we forget that Manchester United have adopted similar tactics against us in recent seasons too with some success leading to frustrating draws at Old Trafford.
The result often leads to Mo Salah being marked out of a game because there is no space for him to run into or run at. Bobby Firmino drops back to collect the ball so that he can remain involved which means in effect one attacker is removed from the opposition box which leaves Sadio Mané as the only attacker who pulls away to the wings to create by running in and creating overlaps with Andy Robertson.
On the substitutes’ bench, only Divock Origi is the realistic forward option but this season has been frustrating. Depth is needed up top.
The ‘Atletico template’ also calls into question the role of the mechanical and methodical midfield – usually from Jordan Henderson, Fabinho, Gini Wijnaldum and James Milner with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita as supporting acts.
In games where opponents have parked double-decker buses, expect that to upgrade to triple-decker buses next season. Keita has shown an ability to make piercing runs and good link up play with Mané but questions remain about whether he can last a full season without injury. Oxlade-Chamberlain has not been the same player since his devastating injury and we have not seen too many signs of him being able to change games.
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To get beyond these traps, Liverpool will need a midfield locksmith. A player with craft, an eye for threading passes and who is comfortable on the ball. Liverpool have not had such a player since Philippe Coutinho departed. In time, Curtis Jones will push for a starting place but for next season, Liverpool must invest to attract a quality and cultured midfielder.
Riaz Ravat is a member of Liverpool FC’s Equality & Diversity Fan Forum. He writes in his own capacity.