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  • 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.

  • Ipswich vs. Liverpool: 5 things to look out for

    Liverpool kick off their 24/25 Premier League campaign at Portman Road against newly promoted Ipswich, who will be looking to continue their meteoric rise up the English football pyramid.

    Who will win the 4-2-3-1 battle?

    Arne Slot and Ipswich gaffer Kieran McKenna may both be new to the Premier League, but they may well be somewhat familiar with each other’s tactics. According to analysis by The Coaches’ Voice, The Blues also set up in a 4-2-3-1 structure.

    This means that we may see direct battles in positions all over the field. The two double pivots will fight it out in midfield, and if Trent bombs forward, he will be met by Ipswich’s own marauding full-back in Leif Davis, who likes to advance down the left flank.

    This potential to cancel each other out will require a few tactical tweaks, so it will be very interesting to see how it plays out.

    Plenty of work for the centre-back pairing

    Insight from The Coaches’ Voice indicates that McKenna will look to spearhead attacking play with a strong central forward, such as Liam Delap, who will aim to occupy centre-backs with both hold up play and runs in behind.

    Additionally, stats from FBref show that Ipswich created the most chances from set pieces in the Championship last season. From these chances, Ipswich scored the second most goals from dead-ball situations in the league.

    Last season, Liverpool only ranked 10th in the league for goals conceded from set pieces, but the likely pairing of Van Dijk and Quansah will still have be extremely vigilant in their own box tomorrow.

    The forward line takes shape

    In terms of attackers, pre-season was consistent in its inconsistency. Szoboszlai was given one match as a central forward, and Carvalho, impressive on the left, was then sold to Brentford.

    The only thing that is clear is the defined positions that players will be fighting for. Slot confirmed that Gakpo will not be tested in a central forward or midfield position again, as he was under Klopp, but will instead compete with Diaz on the left.

    Down the middle, Slot has Jota and Núñez to choose from. The only certainty in attack is the presence of Salah, who is one of the first names on the team sheet. By midday tomorrow, Slot may have given us some indication of the attack that he will go for.

    Trent’s position

    There is a new coach at the helm, and we are still none the wiser as to where Trent will play this season.

    Slot was ambiguous on the topic during the pre-match conference, explaining “I think he’s capable of playing both positions really good, and then it’s up to me where I think he could help the team the most.”

    A double pivot system would, theoretically, provide Trent with the option to play as a deep-lying-playmaker, picking out long passes for quick transitions from a defensive position. These speedy counter-attacks have been a theme of pre-season, and look integral to Slot’s footballing philosophy.

    However, the match against United also showed us that Slot sometimes wants the right full-back to be brave and make advanced runs inside and outside of Salah, who likes to drift inwards. Bradley was impressive that day, but Trent would devastate teams with crosses from such forward positions.

    Did Slot play to Bradley’s strengths against United? Is he still indecisive about Trent’s hybrid inverted role? Saturday may have answer some of these questions.

    Double pivot personnel

    Following Zubimendi’s rejection (a saga that may not be completely over), Slot will have to solve the No 6 dilemma with resources from the current squad.

    Mac Allister’s place in the double pivot is practically assured, given his excellent form in midfield last season and the suitability of Elliott and Szoboszlai to a more advanced midfield role.

    His partner in this setup, however, is still a mystery. Given Slot’s emphasis on ball retention and press resistance, Gravenberch and Jones have been given a chance to impress during pre-season. Endo represents a more defensive-minded option of course, and Nyoni and Morton are fringe options.

    This tactical question, like every other talking point, may be answered tomorrow, but bigger pictures like Slot’s preferred XI and formation will only become fully clear in the months ahead. For now, we concentrate on Ipswich. Come on you Reds!

  • Fabio Carvalho has a point to prove: And he’s proving it.

    The 21-year-old has hit the ground running during this pre-season, netting two goals and giving Slot some thinking to do.

    Carvalho is put through his paces as the team warm up for Thursday’s friendly against Arsenal © Nada Salem

    If Liverpool fans can pinpoint a low during Carvalho’s brief stint at Anfield, it was probably his substitute appearance against Real Madrid the season before last. 6-2 down on aggregate, and fast approaching the conclusion of two minutes of added time, Klopp brought on the Portuguese youngster, who looked frustrated.

    In a way, the moment summed up his struggles to fit into the squad. Alternately deployed in attacking midfield and on the left-wing, only on four occasions did Klopp give him more than 60 minutes on the pitch, which can perhaps explain Carvalho’s lack of consistency.

    Inevitably, Carvalho requested a move elsewhere, and was granted a loan move to RB Leipzig last summer. However, his fortunes in Saxony were grim, managing just 15 appearances and registering no goal involvements. His playing time was severely hampered by the electric form of Xavi Simons, who was competing with Fabio for a spot in attacking midfield.

    As 2023 came to an end, so did Carvalho’s woes. Recalled from Leipzig and sent back out on loan, he rediscovered his form at Hull City, where he joined fellow loanee Tyler Morton. Trusted by the gaffer to play directly, Carvalho switched between centre-forward and attacking midfield, often playing as a second striker.

    His second loan spell of this season proved much more fruitful than the first, with Carvalho bagging nine goals and notching two assists. In an interview with the Liverpool ECHO, Carvalho said how happy he was at Hull. “You can tell that I’m happy off the pitch, which translates onto the pitch. There’s nothing I can ask for better than that”, he told the ECHO.

    The Reds’ pre-season tour in the USA has given Carvalho even more reason to smile, with the midfielder having scored in back-to-back games. His first was a special volley against Arsenal, which was soon followed by a composed finish against Manchester United.

    Despite his good form, however, there is a degree of uncertainty about Slot could fit Carvalho into the side. If he is deployed on the left, he will have to contend with Díaz, Jota and even Gakpo, after his spectacular campaign on the left wing during the Euros which saw him win the Golden Boot.

    But down the middle there is a similar amount of competition, as Caravalho would have to battle with Szoboszlai, Mac Allister and his long-time team-mate in Elliott, who is having an impressive pre-season himself.

    Carvalho confirmed that Slot plans, at least for now, to use him on the left, and has outlined some responsibilities that this role will bring. Speaking to the club website, he said that the gaffer “wants me to do the defensive stuff first,” and added that the coaching staff “have been on to me about running in behind, not just getting it into feet.”

    The midfielder’s sublime finish against Arsenal was certainly proof that he is learning to make runs in behind, but his defensive work has also been impressive across the three games. According to Sofascore, Carvalho made 7 defensive actions and contested 18 ground duels during the US tour, while Salah managed 3 and 17 on the opposite side.

    If these early matches are anything to go by, Slot is emulating his predecessor by requiring wide players to track back and help their full-back, so Carvalho’s hard yards will certainly not go unnoticed by the training staff.

    Unfortunately for the Portuguese, his future in the team depends on the players around him. As is the case with any top team in Europe, Liverpool’s attack is teeming with elite players who are all jostling for position.

    With everyone back bar Alisson, we will have to wait and see where Carvalho places in the pecking order. Will he be first-choice on the left? Can he edge out Elliott and Szoboszlai down the middle? Liverpool’s next friendly may hold some answers. They will take on Sevilla at Anfield this Sunday.

  • Liverpool dismantle Manchester United in final stop of US pre-season tour

    The Reds secured an empathic victory over their bitter rivals in South Carolina, winning 3-0 against Ten Hag’s near full-strength side.

    On a hot and humid night at the Williams-Brice stadium in Columbia, SC, Slot’s men were playing blistering football from the first minute. The opening goal came about after just ten minutes, with Carvalho cleverly wrong-footing Casemeiro to dispatch a low shot into the corner.

    United did not shrink, however, producing a handful of chances shortly after the opener. Mount’s effort was brilliantly blocked by Kelleher, and Rashford came close from distance after a poor giveaway from Konate.

    Ultimately though, the Red Devils proved disorganised and uninspired in attack, a pattern that would repeat itself across the whole 90 minutes. In turn, Liverpool looked to hit on the counter, with a mixture of quick passes between the lines and long balls to Salah, which often came courtesy of Elliott.

    In between chances at both ends, the match kept up a good level of physicality, reminding spectators that there is no such thing as a friendly between Liverpool and Manchester United. Tsimikas left a bit on Diallo on the touchline, while Collyer cynically took out Bradley on the other byline, angering the Reds bench.

    Despite a few half-chances for the opposition, the Reds doubled their lead ten minutes from the interval. Quansah stepped into midfield to intercept the ball and quickly lifted it down the line, where Salah was waiting. The Egyptian controlled it brilliantly and glided past Collyer, bursting into the box and crossing it to Jones, who couldn’t miss.

    Half-time saw two changes, with Kelleher replaced by Jaros and Sepp Van den Berg taking Konate’s place at centre-half. United made switches of their own, hooking Lindelof, Rashford and Evans.

    Both teams continued to create chances, with United’s best effort at goal coming ten minutes into the second half. Amass’ cross found McTominay in plenty of space in the box, with his first effort thwarted by a diving Tsimikas block. The rebound came back to the Scotsman but his goal-bound shot was parried excellently by Jaros.

    If United thought this was a sign of things to come, they were sorely mistaken, with Liverpool notching their third goal of the night within five minutes of the goal-mouth frenzy.

    Bradley played a quick one-two with Salah, with the Northern Irishman’s cut-back finding Jota. The forward should have finished the chance, but Onana’s save put it on a plate for Tsimikas, who slotted it away after drifting into the far post.

    The replays showed that Salah would have been offside if it had gone to VAR, but the goal stood thanks to the absence of the technology during this US pre-season tour. The goal was Tsimikas’ first for the club.

    There were a plethora of changes upon the two-thirds mark, with both clubs making a raft of changes. Endo came on to push Nyoni up from holding midfield, who had come on shortly before the goal. Phillips, Chambers and Stephenson freshened up the defence, while Bajcetic and Morton injected fresh legs in midfield. Blair and Doak represented the more attacking changes.

    As is usually the case when substitutions are aplenty in pre-season, the match lost a little pace, and full-time arrived without incident.

    The Reds leave American soil with three wins from three, having dispatched two Premier League sides with relative ease. Slot’s men will play their next friendly against Sevilla at home in a week’s time.

  • Liverpool under Slot begin to take shape with convincing win over Arsenal

    From Pittsburgh to Philadelphia, the Reds change cities but the result stays the same with an impressive win over a strong Gunners lineup.

    Slot’s vision comes to life during Liverpool’s pre-match preparations on Thursday © Nada Salem

    After a solid, if unspectacular, win over Real Betis on Saturday, Liverpool made it two for two against the Gunners. If Slot’s maiden game in front of a crowd can be described as a slow start, this game certainly picked up the pace of his new project.

    The gaffer opted for the same setup as last time out, except he had a true number nine at his disposal in Jota. Carvalho, Elliott and Salah filled out the attacking midfield while Szoboszlai was pushed back into holding midfield, partnering Jones in the middle and relegating Endo to the bench. The defence was unchanged.

    While goals can sometimes come about through luck or a defensive mistake, both of the Reds’ goals came courtesy of, they will hope, Slot’s tactical guile. Salah’s opener was initiated by a cushioned header by Jota from Kelleher’s long kick, which found Elliott, who had snuck through Arsenal’s lines. The 21-year-old then slid a brilliant through ball in between the centre backs, which Salah galloped onto, Gabriel and Zinchenko in tow. The Egyptian kept his composure to slot the ball in the bottom left corner.

    Salah’s outside-in run is hardly new, and this movement has come to define his wonderful attacking legacy at the club. But Slot seems to have given Elliott the same freedom that Szoboszlai was afforded last match, except while the Hungarian used his running power to drive into the box, Elliott uses his positional freedom to play his team-mates through. If Slot keeps Harvey in this role, it will surely get the best out of a player who may not be blessed with pace, but possesses a fantastic passing range and imagination.

    Spectators at the Lincoln Financial Field were reminded of Elliott’s brilliance with the the Reds’ second goal of the night, with the Englishman bagging his second assist of the night.

    After a driving run forward by his Hungarian team-mate, Elliott received the ball and, spotting a darting run from his long-time colleague at Fulham, clipped an incredible lobbed through ball over the Arsenal defence, which Carvalho dispatched convincingly on the volley.

    Speaking to Liverpoolfc.com after the match, Fabio said he “been working on those runs”, stating that the coaching staff had told him to focus more on getting in behind the defence rather than receiving the ball into feet.

    Perhaps this instruction was designed with Elliott’s strengths in mind, who is more than capable of finding a smart pass to find the man either side, or in front, of him. Or maybe this was a game plan specific to Saturday. In any case, it seems that Slot’s footballing philosophy is really starting to take shape, leaving Liverpool fans to highly anticipate what comes next. Liverpool take on Manchester United in South Carolina on Sunday.

  • A tidy win in Slot’s first game at the helm

    A tidy win in Slot’s first game at the helm

    The Reds kicked off their US pre-season tour with a solid victory against Real Betis on Saturday morning.

    Arne Slot walks out onto the pitch at the Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA, after a 1-0 win against Real Betis in a club friendly © John Atela

    While the heat was sweltering in Pittsburgh, Arne Slot cut a cool and composed figure on the touchline. This was his first match in front of a crowd, having fallen to a narrow defeat against Preston North End behind closed doors a week prior.

    Against Real Betis, however, the Reds never really looked in trouble. They had the lion’s share of possession and created the better chances, and overall had the look of a team teething a new play-style.

    On paper, Slot trialled a formation that Klopp flirted with towards the end of his tenure at Liverpool. The back four are protected by a double pivot in midfield, who sit behind an attacking trio of midfielders. This triangle are then spearheaded by a centre forward.

    But football is not played on paper, and in reality the formation was much more fluid. Tsimikas and Bradley bombed down the flanks, with the Northern Irishman putting on a particularly impressive display in possession.

    The double pivot of Endo and Jones largely operated in a central and deep area, breaking up play and looking to find passes between the lines to set the more attacking midfielders on their way. Endo struggled in both regards, while Jones’ replacement, 17 year-old Trey Nyoni, was brilliantly forward-thinking.

    As for the the attacking quartet – Carvalho, Elliott, Szoboszlai and Salah – they were delightfully interchangeable. Carvalho, looking to impress the new gaffer after a good stint at Hull last season, mostly held the width on the left-hand side, keeping up an impressive work rate with his support of Tsimikas in defence. Elliott picked up spaces in between Betis’ defence and midfield, drifting between the left and central spaces on the pitch.

    Szoboszlai and Salah’s positioning can perhaps be best summarised by the passage of play for the opening goal of the game. The Egyptian drifted out to right, where has thrived for seven seasons now, and played a cute pass into the surging midfielder, who slotted the ball into the bottom left corner.

    The Hungarian seems to have been absolved of some defensive responsibility by Slot, pressing as much as he did under Klopp but using his extensive running power to stride into the box, rather than cover ground in deeper midfield.

    Of course, it has to be acknowledged that the Reds played without a centre forward in this match, and so any attacking setups going forward will be significantly altered by the presence of Gakpo, Jota or Núñez.

    As the match wore on, players on the periphery picked up minutes, with wholesale changes upon the hour mark including Morton, Chambers, Phillips, Beck, Bajcetic and Doak.

    It will be a while before this team, so firmly entrenched in Klopp’s ideology of football, begins to reflect their new manager’s philosophy. But for now it looks like we’re still very much in for quick and exciting football.

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    Oscar Schulze

    Mentality Giants