Mentality Giants

Liverpool FC news with common sense

Recent posts

About

  • Arsenal 0-0 Liverpool: as it happened

    Arsenal 0-0 Liverpool: as it happened

    Arsenal and Liverpool share the points in the capital as neither side managed to find the back of the net for the first time in a league meeting between the two sides since August 2015. 

    The players walk out as Arsenal prepare to host Liverpool at The Emirates, January 8th 2026 © James Olley

    The setup:

    Arne Slot made just a singular change from his side’s dramatic 2-2 encounter with Fulham on Sunday, with the return of Jeremie Frimpong to the side in place of Curtis Jones. However, Liverpool fans were frustrated by the omission of Hugo Ekitike, who still finds himself on the sidelines due to injury. 

    His absence was certainly a blow, with the Frenchman recently being named as Liverpool’s player of the month for December. The 23 year-old has been a bright spark in a disappointing season for the Reds. Liverpool have only won 30% of their games across all competitions this season when the French international has not started. 

    The 90 minutes: 

    The first half brought about very little goalmouth action between the two teams, with Liverpool’s best chance of the first period coming just shy of the half hour mark. Saliba’s pass back to Raya left the Spaniard scrambling forcing him to quickly clear the ball. However, his quickly attempted clearance fell nicely for Conor Bradley who decided to try and lob the keeper, only for it to crash back off the crossbar.

    The rest of the first period was devoid of any real goal scoring opportunities, and both teams went into the half-time break level. The Reds went into the interval having failed to register a single shot on target during the first half, with this being the sixth time it’s occurred this season.

    Liverpool started the second half much better with a moment of quality from Florian Wirtz just three minutes into the second half. The German glid his way past multiple challenges before then going to the ground following a barge from Trossard. After a brief VAR check, referee Anthony Taylor waved play on and stuck with the onfield decision to not award a penalty.

    Frustration began to grow inside The Emirates as Reds sustained their pressure on the home side’s defence. With just eight minutes to go, Szoboszlai found himself with his second free-kick of the game, in a similar area to the spectacular set piece that he scored against the Gunners in August. This time, however, it wasn’t meant to be, with the Hungarian’s effort dipping just over the crossbar.

    Emotions came to a head in stoppage time, as the Gunners’ frustration boiled over. An awkward clearance caused Bradley to twist his knee, sending him writhing to the ground, with Martinelli close behind him. The Brazilian attempted to take a quick throw-in, but play was halted because Bradley was still on the pitch. Martinelli did not take kindly to the decision, dropping the football on Bradley and then proceeding to try to push the Liverpool defender off the pitch. The incident spawned a small pushing match, resulting in the booking of both Martinelli and Konate, who shoved the winger in retaliation.

    Gomez came on for the final few minutes after the Northern Irishman was taken off on a stretcher, and then Taylor blew the final whistle on a tense stalemate.

    The aftermath:

    The encounter produced the first 0-0 draw between the two sides in the league for over ten years. It truly was a match of two halves, with the hosts dominating the opening 45, but going on to be totally penned in by the visitors after the interval.

    A draw now leaves the men in red still occupying fourth place in the table, sitting just two points above Brentford and still fourteen points off top spot. 

    The Reds will return to L4 with cup action next on the agenda as Liverpool host League One side Barnsley, who famously knocked Liverpool out of the competition at Anfield in 2008. 

    Slot will hope to go further than the fourth round this time round: given their poor Premier League campaign, it is surely a competition the Liverpool boss will be wanting to go far in.

  • Liverpool vs. Forest: a one-off horror show that the squad cannot afford to replicate

    Liverpool vs. Forest: a one-off horror show that the squad cannot afford to replicate

    The Reds followed up a perfect start to the league with a woeful home defeat against Nottingham Forest.

    Anfield © Tawney Estrella

    Some people will brush this under the carpet, others will claim that the defeat will derail the whole season. The truth lies somewhere in the middle, albeit much closer to the forgiving side.

    The Reds had 70% possession across the 90 minutes, but only managed to fashion one big chance, according to FotMob. The culprit? A lack of understanding between players on the day, as well as an incredibly rare poor display from Trent.

    The full-back created four chances, more than anyone else on the pitch, but his delivery was just off during the whole match. The 25-year-old registered 69% passing accuracy and found his team-mates with just 50% of crosses, and 27% of long balls.

    His frustration was evident, and he capped off the display with a late yellow card. In any case, however, the team should not be relying on one player to create attacking opportunities, even if that player is one of the most creative and ingenious players in European football.

    Here Trent’s team-mates further up the field let him down. Jota was unable to resemble anything like a focal point in attack, losing most of his duels, while the usually razor-sharp Salah was largely wasteful. Shots from good passing positions, wayward passing, it was a day to forget for the Egyptian.

    This poor display up front did not happen in a vacuum of course. From the first minute, Forest set out to sit back and hit the home side on the counter, releasing Gibbs-White and Wood during transitions.

    Their game plan was as frustrating as it was successful. Exaggerating contact, making tactical fouls, the first half especially was incredibly disruptive and it stopped Liverpool from gaining the attacking rhythm that saw them turn things around against Ipswich at the start of the season.

    But Slot and his players will have known this. Teams that park the bus are irritating, but they often telegraph their entire game strategy from the first minute, and it is up to sides like Liverpool to break them down.

    To this end, the Reds have more than enough difference makers in the team to break deadlocks. True, the injured Elliott was sorely missed, with his special ability to find a way through defences with pass or shot. But between Trent, Szoboszlai, Salah, Jota and Diaz, the quality is certainly there.

    While the home defeat stings badly, the squad must dust themselves off and prepare for a gruelling eleven days that will throw three matches at them, across three different competitions.

    Rare are the days when players like Trent and Salah both have a poor game, and today happened to be one of them. That’s football, and we can’t expect these players to be like machines every match.

    If players from this starting eleven continue to display a lack of energy and creativity, however, Slot can and should turn to other options. The likes of Jones, Nunez, Gakpo and Bradley all provide a huge amount of quality, and it’s up to the current crop to fight for their place.

    Let’s see how much fight this squad have in them over the next few weeks.

  • Trent finally given his flowers as critics scurry to praise him

    The England international has made the most of his chances in the first team with back-to-back MOTM performances, and pundits are belatedly recognising his talent.

    Trent Alexander-Arnold in action against Manchester United at Old Trafford © Dele Jimoh

    It has taken long enough, not to mention a change in management, for Trent to get some sort of run in the starting XI. New gaffer Lee Carsley handed the 25-year-old his first start for England in almost three months, who clocked up more minutes against Ireland and Finland than he did across the whole European Championship this year.

    Since Carsley took charge, Trent has been given a new lease of life. Despite starting on the right hand side of defence, the Scouser tops almost every progressive passing department.

    These performances have not gone unnoticed. The ex-pros on the Overlap podcast were rhapsodising about Trent’s unlocked potential, while even Lee Dixon was giving the defender credit on commentary, albeit reluctantly.

    Although it’s refreshing to see Trent get his plaudits after so long, it is difficult not to feel frustrated that pundits have taken so long to cotton on. It has simply taken them an age to drop the bias against him, including the baseless narrative that Trent cannot defend.

    From Carragher describing Trent’s defending as ‘not good enough’ to small-time ex-Chelsea defender Laboeuf’s bizarre claim that the full-back’s defensive abilities are ‘championship-level’, the narrative has been as uncontested as it has been ridiculous.

    So widespread was the idea that Trent was subjected to an incredibly harsh interview ahead of England’s World Cup campaign two years ago, which shone a direct spotlight on his defending. No such treatment was handed out to Trippier, who endured a horrible run of error-strewn games at the end of last year.

    Aside from the lack of fair hearing, Trent’s defensive statistics objectively stand up to scrutiny. When compared to his international team-mate Walker, who was preferred by Southgate, Trent outperformed the City defender in several defensive metrics last season.

    Defensive statistics in the 23/24 Premier League season (per 90 minutes)

    PlayerTacklesBlocksInterceptionsClearances
    Trent1.090.921.32.01
    Walker0.780.620.881.3
    Statistics via FBref

    Although Walker’s less advanced position hands an advantage to Trent in metrics like interceptions, it is remarkable to see how close the two defenders are, given the well-established line that Walker is defensively solid and his Scouse counterpart can’t be trusted.

    Trent’s brilliance in possession may have temporarily shifted focus away from his supposed lapses in defence, or maybe pundits are finally recognising his all-round game, only time will tell. Either way, any of us that have watched him regularly know how special he is, and it’s about damn time that England fans drop the tribalism and realise it too.

  • Salah contract renewal should be the club’s top priority

    With only one year left on his current deal, renewing the Egyptian’s contract is of utmost importance. We look at three reasons why it’s so crucial that he stays, and why the club stand to gain so much from his continuing involvement.

    Sheer output

    Mohamed Salah signed for Liverpool FC in 2017 – 214 goals, 90 assists and seven years later, he is still producing goal contributions.

    The 32-year-old’s consistency in competitions like the Premier League and the Champions League is simply remarkable when you look at the numbers. The graph below shows his total goals and assists in all competitions since 2017.

    Statistics compiled from LFC History

    Apart from his exceptional outlier of a debut season, Salah has maintained a steady stream of goal contributions during his time at Anfield. Across system changes and injuries to the squad, he has been arguably the most consistent player in the team.

    When his goals dried up somewhat in the title-winning 19/20 season, he replaced them with a healthy tally of 13 assists. The following season, he turned the tables, bagging his second-highest haul of 31 goals and notching only six assists.

    Salah signs merchandise for fans in Pittsburgh © Caitlynn Owens

    He stands alone at these heights. Former team-mates Mané and Firmino registered 162 and 186 goal involvements respectively, which, although hugely impressive, pales in comparison to Salah’s total stash of 306 goal contributions.

    Although the 32-year-old is not getting any younger, he offers a constant attacking threat and guarantees an end product. If he departed, the team would have to fill a huge void in the front line.

    Adapting to a new role

    As shown by his uptick in assists since 2020, the Egyptian has proved that he can evolve as a player. The days of his surging runs up-field on the counter may be drawing to a close, but he can still offer so much as a creator.

    In lieu of huge goal hauls, Salah is now showing his ability to assist chances and goals. While his total assists dropped by three last season, it’s reasonable to put this down to the wastefulness of his team-mates in the six-yard box.

    This is because he registered, according to Understat, 12.33 expected assists last campaign, an all-time-high. He also made 2.32 passes per match which led to a shot, which is his highest since coming to Anfield.

    He has started this season in the same vein, registering three assists in the first three games of the season. With Salah embracing this creative role, he protects himself somewhat against the creeping impact of age, which has diminished the numbers of so many goalscorers across the years.

    Lack of options in the market

    If Salah should leave, there are not many players in the market that could replace him. Premier League regulars Saka and Palmer have performed fantastically in the past couple of seasons, but they would be impossible to pry away from their clubs, and would incur a huge transfer fee.

    Players such as Bowen and Mbeumo are more attainable, and could fit the profile for a Salah replacement, but question marks remain over their ability to make the step up to such a high level.

    The same can be said for options outside of England. PSG’s Barcola has huge potential, but he recently signed for the French giants. Rodrygo could be an option, with his displacement from the Real Madrid starting XI, but the Galactico would not be cheap.

    Even if the club did identify a couple of targets, the recent signing of Chiesa makes another signing in that department unlikely. It is far more probable that Chiesa is rotated sporadically with Salah, and, at the age of 26, developed into a future starter.

    What with Salah’s remarkable consistency, his versatility as a creative player, and the lack of an immediate replacement, the message for Hughes ad Co. should be loud and clear: get the contract sorted out as soon as possible!

  • Zubimendi who? The No 6 replacement that was right under our noses

    Ryan Gravenberch has gone from the bench to one of the first names on the team sheet with his excellent performances in holding midfield.

    The Dutchman has been reinvigorated by both the arrival of fellow countryman Slot and the change in formation which the new gaffer has brought about.

    Slot has picked the 22-year-old in holding midfield for every match so far this season, a choice richly rewarded with three wins and zero goals conceded. The Reds are now the only team in the league who have not been scored against.

    A couple of weeks ago, we identified progressive passing and ball retention as two priorities in a potential No 6 signing. On his current form, Gravenberch is excelling in both of these areas.

    According to statistics from the Premier League, he has only been dispossessed once in the league this season, and 53% of his passes have been progressive. His passing accuracy sits at 89%.

    In isolation, these statistics look great, but they get even better when you compare the Dutchman with his midfield partner.

    Mac Allister enjoyed a fantastic season after signing from Brighton last year, and has had similar success at the start of this campaign. Currently, however, Gravenberch is stealing the spotlight.

    Statistics via Squawka

    He boasts better statistics per 90 minutes than the Argentinian, surpassing him in both defensive and offensive areas.

    Helped by his 6ft2″ frame, Gravenberch has won every aerial duel, and over half of ground duels. He is on level footing with Mac Allister for tackles made.

    Up the other end, the 22-year-old has enjoyed better passing accuracy and has played more forward passes. He has also lost possession less often and been tackled less than his midfield partner.

    Gravenberch was particularly impressive against Manchester United, stepping into the opposition half constantly to press and intercept opposition passes. It was his clever interception and pass that fed Salah, who assisted Diaz for the opener.

    We are only three matches in, of course, and it would be unrealistic to expect Gravenberch to maintain this incredible form for the whole season. But given the noise around the lack of a No 6 signing, it is very promising that Slot seems to have found a solution within the squad.

  • Five things we learned this transfer window

    The transfer window has come and gone with minimal activity, but conclusions can still be drawn about how the club plans to handle their business in the future.

    Liverpool FC players line up against Sevilla in a pre-season friendly at Anfield © Tawney Estrella

    No messing about

    Despite positive loan spells for Carvalho and Van den Berg, the club had no qualms about moving them both on to Brentford. True, both transfers involved sizeable sums and chunky sell-on clauses, but the departures dashed any dreams that the duo may have had about making the cut at Anfield.

    Van den Berg may not have been surprised, given his almost permanent loan status since 2021, but this summer was a harsh reality check for the Portuguese midfielder, who was only signed two years ago. Clark, headed for Salzburg for £10 million, may also feel that his time on Merseyside ended prematurely.

    The same can be said for Blair, who, after nine years at Anfield, left for Portsmouth this summer. This doesn’t have to be a bad thing, however, with permanent transfers often preferable to lengthy loan cycles (Exhibit A = Chelsea). Regardless, the message from the club seems to be clear: if we can’t guarantee you minutes, you are free to go.

    Faith in the squad

    Whether it’s down to FSG’s stinginess, the club’s historic (and often successful) caution and opportunism or simply a lack of good options in the market, the executives at Anfield have decided that the squad that Klopp left this summer is good enough.

    Last season’s midfield revamp and the meteoric rise of stars like Quansah and Bradley means that the squad is in a very good place. There is healthy competition in almost every position across the board, and the younger players clearly understand that development into the first team will not happen overnight.

    The uncertain outcomes of contract negotiations for Van Dijk, Salah and Trent mean the squad may be in a very different place next summer, but for this season, Slot has a fantastic starting XI and reserves to work with.

    Opportunistic as always

    In Liverpool’s transfer moves both fulfilled and unrealised, the club once again showcased the trademark opportunism in the transfer market that has brought them so much success in recent years.

    The clever arrangement for Mamardashvili’s signature brokered a cheap deal and ensured Alisson’s place between the sticks for at least another year, while Chiesa’s low transfer fee speaks for itself.

    While the bid for Zubimendi ultimately failed, the club’s willingness to go all-in on the midfielder and pay his release clause of over £50 million was a signal of intent. The Spanish midfielder was a prime target in a pretty depleted market of No 6’s, and once it was the clear that he wouldn’t move, the club resolved to wait until January or beyond for a defensive midfielder.

    With clubs like Chelsea operating like a FIFA career-mode save, it is refreshing to see Edwards and Hughes bide their time in the transfer market. It remains to be seen, however, if this approach leads to brilliant acquisitions or a failure to address urgent problems in the squad.

    Waiting on a No 6

    On a related note, this summer has confirmed fears that the club are playing a risky game in defensive midfield. Either they are waiting for the perfect holding midfielder to crop up in the market or they are hoping that a solution will present itself in the current squad.

    Last season revealed something of a hole in the middle of the park. Mac Allister filled in for a while, but his creativity and guile was wasted in such a deep position. Endo filled in fantastically, but looked like a stop-gap until the club could bring in or develop a ball-playing, press-resistant No 6.

    Meanwhile Bajcetic, who has shown exactly these qualities in glimpses during the 22/23 season, struggled to recover from an adductor injury and has now been sent on loan to reunite with Pep Lijnders at RB Salzburg.

    Slot’s arrival, however, has simplified this midfield dilemma. His use of the double pivot places less responsibility on a holding midfield ‘destroyer’, the role that Fabinho played so exceptionally under Klopp.

    Gravenberch’s integration into this role is proof that Slot isn’t looking for a traditional No 6, but rather a defensive-minded midfielder that shares the Dutchman’s capacity to keep the ball, carry it progressively and play forward passes.

    Between the abundance of options for this profile – Jones, Gravenberch, Morton and even Szoboszlai could all partner Mac Allister in midfield – and the club’s willingness to wait for the perfect defensive midfielder, we shouldn’t expect to see a new face in the middle of the park before next summer.

    Phillips may never leave Anfield

    Poor Nat. Many Reds may have thought that, with the astonishing trajectory of Quansah’s success at centre half, Phillips may be allowed to leave for new pastures. A guarantee of game-time is the least he deserves after his heroics alongside Williams in that torrid 21/22 season.

    We could not have been more wrong. The 27-year-old has been dispatched to Derby County this time, to bolster the Rams’ defence in their bid to stay in the Championship after promotion last season.

    Is the decision to keep Phillips a domino-effect from Van den Berg’s departure, and the consequent weakening of depth in defence? Or is Nat’s life-force tied to Anfield, so that he has to stay here until he retires? Either way, we hope that the defender has a great campaign in Derbyshire!

  • Chiesa signing is low-risk, high reward

    The Italian forward is set to sign a 4-year contract in a deal expected to be around £11 million.

    In typical stealthy fashion, Edwards seems to have once again brought a player to Anfield without many people knowing about it. This time it is 26-year-old Federico Chiesa, perhaps best-known for his electric displays at the 2021 European Championship.

    Also true to the Edwards way, the transfer is expected to cost just £11 million, a staggeringly low price for a player that was in such high demand only two seasons ago.

    Chiesa enjoyed a modest season with Juventus this year, scoring 10 goals and bagging 3 assists. While unspectacular, it was an improvement on the season before, which saw him sidelined for much of the campaign, missing 31 games. Unfortunately, this was not unfamiliar territory for the Italian.

    Matches missed through injury for club and country

    SeasonMatches missed
    23/2411
    22/2314
    21/2257
    20/217
    Statistics via Transfermarkt

    Since signing for Juventus in 2020, Chiesa has missed 89 matches for club and country, with a large percentage of those absences caused by a cruciate ligament tear he suffered in 2021, a notoriously difficult injury to recover from.

    These injury fears, however, are lessened by role that Chiesa is likely to have in the squad. The forward has been brought in to rotate with, and be a backup for, Salah. The squad has been searching for an understudy to the Egyptian for a while, with Doak set to go out on loan (according to Paul Joyce), Gordon failing to impress and Elliott preferring to play in attacking midfield.

    Chiesa’s positional flexibility will, in fact, allow him to act as backup across the front three. Statistics from Transfermarkt show that the forward has experience in both wide positions and also playing down the middle.

    Games played in different positions

    PositionGames played
    Right-wing93
    Second striker69
    Centre-forward17
    Left-wing61
    Statistics via Transfermarkt

    In this department, Liverpool are signing a versatile, flexible player that can rotate with any of Salah, Jota, Gakpo, Díaz and Núñez. If Chiesa’s injury woes continue, it will not greatly impact the squad.

    The most accurate comparison that can be drawn with a previous player is perhaps Shaqiri. Signed for £2 million more than Chiesa, the Swiss international was seldom a starter, but played a huge role in Liverpool’s success.

    He clocked the best minutes to assist ratio for Liverpool since 1992, and contributed massively to the famed comeback against Barcelona in 2019. If Chiesa has similar success during his time at Anfield, the £11 million fee will be worth its weight in gold.

  • Mamardashvili signing is fantastic business for Liverpool

    Bringing the Georgian to Anfield in 2025 is an astute move that could save the club a fortune down the line.

    After weeks of reports, Giorgi Mamardashvili’s move to Anfield has finally been confirmed, in a deal worth £25 million, with £4 million in add-ons. He will undergo a medical in Liverpool today.

    Giorgi Mamardashvili leaves Valencia for his medical in Liverpool © Tribuna Deportivo

    Unusually, however, the 23-year-old will travel right back to Valencia and spend next season on loan with his previous, and current, club.

    While it may be hard to get excited about a future transfer in 2025, Liverpool fans have a lot to admire about this particular deal, and a lot to look forward to in Mamardashvili.

    The Georgian is one of the most sought-after young goalkeepers in Europe, having enjoyed a brilliant Euros campaign and a great season in La Liga.

    Securing his services for £25 million is a steal in today’s market, with clubs often having to pay over market value for first-choice keepers. For context, Raya and Onana made moves for higher fees, and Mamardashvili is more coveted than both.

    Hughes and Co. have saved a few quid with this special transfer arrangement, but it stands to also benefit Liverpool’s current man between the sticks.

    Alisson makes his way onto the pitch at Anfield © Tawney Estrella

    Alisson Becker recently announced his intention to honour his contract, and potentially sign a new one, so Mamardashvili’s delayed arrival allows the Brazilian the space to decide his next steps for himself.

    Too much choice is seldom a bad thing in team selection, and in this case it will sort out Liverpool’s goalkeeping situation for the foreseeable future. Be it Alisson, still arguably the best goalkeeper in European football, or Mamardashvili, Liverpool will have an elite keeper in goal come next season.

  • Slimming the squad or setting themselves up for regret? Rating Liverpool FC’s summer youth clear-out

    With all of the club’s business centred around the sale of youngsters, Mentality Giants takes a look at the benefits and potential risks of these departures.

    Fabio Carvalho – 8/10

    The Portuguese youngster enjoyed a fruitful pre-season under Slot, but was eventually let go for close to 30 million pounds.

    The fee, reported by Sky News, includes add-ons worth £5 million and a 17.5% sell-on clause. This means that the Reds would pocket 17.5% of any profit that Brentford make, should they sell the midfielder.

    While hypothetical transfers that don’t involve Liverpool might not be too exciting, fans only have to look as far as Solanke’s move to Spurs to see how this can play out. The Reds could pocket as much as £9 million from the incoming.

    Although this financial footwork represents a savvy piece of business by Hughes and Co., it is true that Liverpool have lost a promising talent. At 21-years-old, the youngster has a huge ceiling, and has already shown glimpses of his capacity to play at the highest level.

    Carvalho’s struggles during his maiden season at Anfield, compounded with a disappointing loan spell at RB Leipzig, were reversed with his switch to Hull at the start of this year. He enjoyed great success as a No 10, playing almost as a second striker, and this month showed that he is equally adept on the left wing.

    Unfortunately, however, team selection is about other players, no matter how well you perform. Carvalho recognised this himself in an interview with Sky Sports.

    Explaining his change of heart after pre-season, Carvalho said “you get that feeling where you know certain players aren’t back and when they come back things change.”

    Despite the social media buzz around Carvalho’s fine performances, made all the sweeter by the fact he netted against rivals Arsenal and Manchester United, the harsh truth is that he was never going to be first-choice on either the left flank or in attacking midfield.

    Gakpo and Diaz (in addition to Jota and Núñez, who can also play on the left) would be difficult to displace, while Elliott and Szoboszlai are contending for the No 10 spot. Carvalho may hit a meteoric rise at Brentford and bang in goals and assists, but it is simply improbable that he could do this in Liverpool’s current system.

    Never say never of course, but it is highly likely that, had Carvalho tried to fight for his place, in three months time we would be lamenting his lack of game-time and wishing he had sought out a loan or a permanent transfer.

    For this reason, as well as the clever sell-on clause and the sizeable transfer fee, it looks like a great move for both club and player.

    Sepp Van den Berg – 6/10

    Another player who gained minutes during pre-season, Van den Berg will be following Carvalho to the G-Tech Community Stadium.

    Brentford signed their second Red this summer in a deal worth £25 million, which also includes £5 million in add-ons and a 17.5% sell-on clause.

    Like his Portuguese team-mate, Van den Berg spent last season away from Anfield, plying his trade at Mainz. His second spell in the Rhineland in as many years, Van den Berg excelled in a poor side, helping The 0-Fives stay up with a goal on the last day of the season.

    Fast and excellent in the air, Van den Berg represents a fantastic asset in defence. His aerial supremacy in particular should have put him in contention at Liverpool, given the success of other players with big verticals like Matip and Van Dijk.

    Like Carvalho, however, it seems that the problem was the players in front of him. Van Dijk, Quansah and Konate were always going to be above him the pecking order. Slot explained there was no guarantee of minutes in a press conference.

    Speaking on both departures to Brentford, Slot explained “there is so much competition in the positions that they play that they wouldn’t play every minute of every single game.” He said that it was a good deal for both parties, and cheekily added “everybody’s happy, unless they do too well on Sunday!”

    On this front, however, Slot may have failed to see the bigger picture. Van den Berg may not have been the first name on the team sheet, but he would have provided good cover for a position that has been rocked by injuries in recent seasons.

    Aside from the 20/21 season, which was freakish in the occurrence of season-ending injuries for both first-choice centre backs, the club has not been able to rely on a clean bill of health in central defence.

    Konate has been superb since signing from RB Leipzig in 2021, but has missed 21 matches across two seasons for Liverpool according to Transfermarkt. While less than a third of those games missed took place last campaign, the Frenchman’s fitness can not be taken for granted.

    Likewise, even though Van Dijk has been imperious over the last couple of seasons, and has only missed a few games, it would be unfair to rely on a 33-year-old to stay totally fit in such a gruelling league.

    Quansah alone has never missed a game for Liverpool through injury, although his recent knock against Ipswich has suddenly made this a real possibility. Fundamentally, Liverpool lack cover in this department, and sanctioning the departure of a young, promising backup could prove reckless.

    And so, despite the hefty price tag for a player they only signed for £4 million in 2019, Slot may well rue this transfer if his side are devastated by injuries in defence.

    Harvey Blair – 8/10

    The 20-year-old has brought a nine-year spell on Merseyside to a close, managing one senior appearance.

    Blair will join Portsmouth in a deal that could reportedly rise to £600,000. The transfer includes a 20% sell-on clause.

    The youngster came through the Liverpool youth system, but his opportunities with the senior side were always restricted by injury problems. His time on the sidelines prevented him from securing a loan move last season.

    Playing the majority of his football on the left, Blair would have had to compete with Diaz and Gakpo, so game time would have been extremely limited for the winger.

    Pompey manager John Mousinho is a young gaffer who likes to provide opportunities for youth players, so Blair will be in safe hands as far as his development is concerned.

    The package deal looks good and the transfer is sweetened by a significant sell-on clause, which would guarantee a moderate portion of any profit that Portsmouth make on a future sale. More importantly, however, Blair will get minutes, and no footballer deserves to just sit on a bench, even if it is at Anfield.

  • Who can play in the No 6 role?

    Martin Zubimendi’s decision to stay at Real Sociedad has raised questions over alternative options over at Anfield.

    Reinforcements for defensive midfield will not arrive this transfer window – not from the Basque region, and not from anywhere else, according to James Pearce, who has reported that the failed move will be Liverpool’s last and only approach for the position this summer.

    With incomings unlikely, therefore, Slot and his coaching staff will be forced to search for replacements from within. From what we have seen during pre-season, there seem to be four candidates; Mac Allister, Jones, Gravenberch and Endo.

    PlayerTop flight games played as a No 6Games played as a No 6 for Liverpool (all comps)
    Mac Allister3724
    Jones01
    Gravenberch131
    Endo11943
    Stats via Squawka

    In terms of an out-and-out defensive midfielder, Endo is by far the most experienced, playing as a holding midfielder for most of his career. He was utilised exclusively there by Klopp, racking up 43 appearances last season and becoming a mainstay in the team.

    Mac Allister has experience in every midfield position, and has clocked up an even spread of appearances along the midfield spine since arriving in the Premier League, with 38 appearances in attacking midfield, 35 appearances in central midfield and 36 appearances in a deeper midfield position. Klopp came no closer to uncovering Alexis’ best position than the Argentine’s previous coaches, deploying him 22 times in central midfield and 24 times in a deeper position last season.

    Jones and Gravenberch have accumulated only a handful of appearances in holding midfield, with the vast majority of the Dutchman’s minutes in that position coming at Ajax. Jones is equally inexperienced in the No 6 role, only racking up one start in a league cup match in 2021.

    In any traditional system with a sole holding midfielder, Endo or Mac Allister would take the cake. They boast far better defensive numbers per 90 minutes than Jones and Gravenberch, which can somewhat be explained by their deeper position last season.

    PlayerTacklesGround duels wonInterceptionsBall recoveries
    Mac Allister3.55.71.36.8
    Jones2.14.40.65.6
    Gravenberch2.15.21.26
    Endo2.64.41.15.7
    Stats via Squawka

    Slot’s system, however, uses a holding midfielder that is supported by another player in a double pivot. This more defensive midfielder must recover the ball quickly and intercept passes of course, this has not changed. But Slot seems to have placed more emphasis on playing out from the back and hitting the opposition with quick transitions.

    It seems, then, that Slot may look for other attributes in a holding player. In stats per 90 minutes in the league such as passing and press resistance, Jones and Gravenberch make more of a case for themselves.

    PlayerPass accuracy (%)Take-on success (%)Possession lostTimes tackled
    Mac Allister87.86011.91.7
    Jones91.56010.13.4
    Gravenberch83.451.113.82.9
    Endo88.466.711.21.5

    Jones displayed excellent passing accuracy in midfield last year, recycling possession and keeping hold of the ball adeptly in that half-turn position behind Diaz. His passing decisions led to fewer possession losses than Mac Allister, although he was caught on the ball far more.

    Gravenberch struggled for form in the league somewhat, but still put up good passing accuracy and tackle evasion. In the FA cup, his take-on success rose to 75%, while his possession lost and times tackled dropped to 10.5 and 3 respectively.

    In this season’s opener, however, the Dutchman put on a superb display as part of the double pivot. He was tidy in the tackle, intercepting opposition passes and contesting several ground duels.

    Crucially, however, he was brave and willing to drive the ball forward. He made nine passes into the final third and two through balls, one of which Díaz should arguably have converted into a goal.

    Gravenberch made a brilliant start to the season, and Slot has demonstrated that he is strongly considering his countryman for the No 6 role, but only time will tell whether this was a signal of intent or a one-match experiment.