Good morning chaps, I have not posted for many years, so have lost my credentials. The reason I’m here today is to speak about how Arne Slot might tactically setup the Liverpool FC team based on what we have seen against Preston.
Let’s look at the attacking phase; Two centre backs stay put as cover and he likes a left and right footer, so expect Inacio or similar to join.
Next we had a 3 consisting of a number 6 and both full backs inverting presumably to prevent counters and occasionally any one of these players would also drift forward while two covered, making our attack unpredictable although the 6 roamed no further than the 8.
Next up we had no actual 8s, we had a line of four players. Two very wide wingers and two number tens, which I imagine will be Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai with Fab and Harvey Elliott as back up.
I think all will be excellent in this system. It also makes sense that we may be considering replacing Luis Diaz with Gordon as he’s a wider winger than an inverted one. And last of course, we had a 9 who stayed central and pressed the front line, as well as trying to break the offside trap.
Therefore, in terms of transfers once everyone is back, I expect us to certainly get a left footed centre back and possibly Sepp van den Berg or Joe Gomez to leave, a salad replacement long term but someone who can also play as a 10 as cover. perhaps Kubo and possibly Gordon to replace Diaz.
The big question is where is Ryan Gravenberch’s future? Maybe he could be the 6 with the full backs helping cover but I doubt it and we also have jones who played there against Preston so I expect him to maybe moved on, jones also maybe our 6 to play rotation with endo i don’t see us signing anyone for that position and I feel Stefan Bajcetic will be loaned out until he’s mature enough to replace Wataru Endo, say 2 seasons from now.
All in all, very exciting and a very different formation to what I’ve ever seen. Certainly not 4-2-3-1 and not an exact replica of Manchester City in possession. It seems to be a 2-3-4-1 if you will and I think Trent Alexander-Arnold remains at right back, inverting. I also believe Andy Robertson and Kostas Tsimikas will stay, with Owen Beck going out on loan.