Key Takeaways
Arne Slot shifted Liverpool to a 4-2-3-1 formation, focusing on tactical tweaks, leading to the most clean sheets in the Premier League so far this season.
The Dutch coach emphasises a 4-2-4 shape out of possession, which looks to restrict the opposition from building up in central areas.
Ryan Gravenberch excelled under Slot when shifted to a deeper number six role, showcasing impressive defensive stats and ball progression.
When Jurgen Klopp departed Liverpool in the summer, there were fears from supporters that they would struggle in the first season under the new head coach, Arne Slot. After 14 matches, it has been a seamless transition for Slot, though, as Liverpool sit at the top of the Premier League table. In the transfer window, the Reds only brought in Federico Chiesa and Giorgi Mamardashvili, who will officially join the club ahead of the 2025/26 season.
As a result, the new Dutch head coach has had to find tactical solutions with the same squad as last year, opting for a similar tactical approach to Klopp. There are some differences, though, especially defensively, which have led to the team picking up the most clean sheets in the league so far this season. Here is a closer look at the tactics of the two coaches, highlighting the key areas where Slot has made notable tweaks.
Formation In and Out of Possession
4-2-3-1 vs 4-3-3
Arne Slot
One of the major changes under Slot has been the switch to a 4-2-3-1 formation, especially when his team are in possession. Typically, Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis MacAllister play as the slightly deeper midfielders, with either Curtis Jones or Dominik Szoboszlai operating in a slightly more advanced role. This is flexible, though, with MacAllister able to play higher up the pitch alongside Szoboszlai in a number eight role, while Gravenberch maintains his position as the deepest midfielder.
The two wide players and striker have changed throughout the season, with Luis Diaz and Cody Gakpo rotating on the left wing, while Darwin Nunez has had to replace Diogo Jota in recent weeks following an injury. Mohamed Salah has been a constant on the right-hand side, playing slightly wider under Slot than Klopp, which has boosted his creative output with eight assists in the first 14 league matches.
Wednesday 4th December - Newcastle United 3-3 Liverpool - Slot's lineup
Liverpool's tactical setup against Newcastle United.
Out of possession, Slot's Liverpool press in a 4-2-4 shape, with the number 10 asked to push up alongside the striker and the two wingers staying high and wide. This relies on the four attacking players to stop the passing lanes for the opposition's double pivot and make it difficult for them to build up the play through the middle of the pitch.
Intriguingly, during the Reds' 2-1 win against Chelsea in October, the Blues were able to find gaps in Liverpool's defensive structure when one of the central attackers pressed too high and one of the double pivots drifted too wide. This often left space for one of Chelsea's double pivots to pick up the ball centrally, which was what happened for their goal when Moises Caicedo played through Nicolas Jackson after receiving the ball from Malo Gusto.
To stop this pattern from occurring, Slot dropped Szoboszlai deeper to cover Chelsea's two double pivots, while Liverpool's two deeper players could maintain their central positions. As a result, the Reds restricted the Blues to limited chances and held on for an important victory.
Klopp tactics in 2023/24
In contrast, under Klopp in the 2023/24 campaign, Liverpool played a 4-3-3 formation, relying on the three central midfielders to cover the central spaces, with the three attackers pressing the defenders high when out of possession. Last year, the German manager's favoured midfield three saw MacAllister play as the number six with Curtis Jones and Szoboszlai in advanced roles. The vertical runs of Nunez in behind the opposition defences, along with the directness of Diaz and the creativity of Salah meant Liverpool were a dynamic team capable of blowing teams away last season.
They were vulnerable to transitions despite their attacking prowess, though, and significant injuries in the last few months of the campaign caused their title challenge to deteriorate. The Reds conceded seven more goals than Manchester City and 12 more than Arsenal, highlighting the importance of tightening up their defence to compete at the top of the table.
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Liverpool midfielder Ryan Gravenberch bursting away from Bayer Leverkusen talisman Florian Wirtz
One of the players who has benefitted the most under Slot has been Gravenberch. He was signed by Klopp in September 2023 to play as one of the two number eights in his system, ahead of MacAllister or Endo. It became clear early on that the Dutch midfielders' main strengths were carrying the ball past opposition players and playing incisive passes to the front three. Due to Klopp's much more direct style of play and decision to play Gravenberch as an advanced midfielder, he struggled to make an impact last season, playing just over 1,100 Premier League minutes.
Under Slot, he has been deployed as a number six tasked with receiving the ball, facing his own goal, and winning duels in central areas. So far, he has been extremely efficient at doing both of these things, thriving in a deeper role due to his willingness to progress the ball quickly to advanced players and also his adeptness at duels, due to his impressive physical frame. In the last year, he has made 1.76 interceptions per 90, putting him in the top five percentile among players in the men's big five European leagues, and has also averaged 2.38 progressive carries per 90, which is in the top 11 percentile.
Ryan Gravenberch Ball Carrying and Defensive Stats
Metric
Progressive Carries
Successful Take-Ons
Interceptions
Blocks
Statistics courtesy of FBREF - Correct as of 10/12/24
Information gathered from Transfermarkt and FBREF - Correct as of 10/12/24.