3 Under-the-radar takeaways from Liverpool's US Tour

Liverpool had a very successful time in the United States as they picked up impressive victories over the likes of Real Betis, Arsenal and Manchester United, all while only conceding one goal in the process.

Things really could not have gone much better for Arne Slot and his staff as the Reds looked to be in fine form and are taking to his ideas well as of now, at least.

Now that the tour is completed, it's a good chance to look back and see what we learned about the squad and specifically, some things that might not be stealing all the headlines right now. Let's take a look at some under-the-radar takeaways.

1. Liverpool have a deeper squad than expected

Over the last decade, there have been few Starting XI's that have been able to match whatever iteration the Reds put on on matchday.

Having said that, one of the biggest knocks against the club was that if a team could get beyond this group, or worse yet, injuries struck, then all would be lost. The focus of this summer's transfer window for example is on adding depth and helpful pieces but nothing overly transformative.

Following three impressive wins that featured the likes of Fabio Carvalho, Harvey Elliott and Sepp van den Berg playing well, perhaps the cupboard is not as bare as we thought.

Obviously, Elliott was in super form to end last season, but he clearly has come back with a vengeance and looks to be on the cusp of a true breakout campaign.

Adding players like Trent Alexander-Arnold, Darwin Nunez, Alisson Becker, Virgil van Dijk, Luis Diaz, Cody Gakpo and Joe Gomez to this group is just a tantalizing prospect. If they can pick up "Slot Ball" as quickly as the others, lookout.

2. Caoimhin Kelleher handling transfer saga like a pro

It is no secret that Kelleher wants to depart Anfield this summer for the chance to become a consistent No. 1 at another top-level club.

His performances during Alisson's absence in 2023/24 drove home the point of his ability to the world, which is something we already knew. However, despite his desire to move on for the chance to elevate his career, he has reported to duty at Liverpool like a true pro.

He's not causing a fuss in the media or the locker room and he started all three matches in the US, securing two clean sheets in the process with a few nice stops along the way.

I would be ecstatic if he were to stay on, but I also know that he deserves the chance that he is seeking and his mature handling of this situation just makes him an even easier guy to root for no matter what happens.

It will be interesting to see if a club does swoop in with an over-the-top offer, but for now, it appears that Kelleher will do the job as professionally as he can until the situation changes.

3. "Slot Ball" looks like it could be fun

The arrival of Arne Slot does not mean that Liverpool are suddenly going to stop pressing and hounding teams on a weekly basis. It does mean they are going to do it in a different manner and when they have the ball, more patience will be asked of the players.

Over these three matches we saw the Reds trying to play out of the back more often than we are used to which understandably led to some shaky moments.

With that being said, the players seem to be big fans of this possession based energetic style that actually might allow the players to preserve even an extra 2-3% over the course of a season which could be huge come a potential trophy chase in April and May.

This style in particular should give Alexander-Arnold and van Dijk many chances to shine on the ball out of defense. Trent could wreak havoc from several different areas on the pitch when he is fully integrated back into the side.

It's early days obviously, but the early signs are that Slot ball could be both aesthetically pleasing and successful in winning football matches at the highest level.