Arne Slot deserves praise for tweaking Liverpool to be a better version of themselves during Wednesday’s win over Marseille.
The Reds limited Roberto De Zerbi’s free-scoring side to a handful of opportunities while looking a much more cohesive and slicker outfit going forward.
Employing a ‘box midfield’ with Florian Wirtz and Dominik Szoboszlai as the most advanced pair and using Hugo Ekitike and Mohamed Salah as wide forwards, Slot gave Liverpool a framework to build from for future fixtures.
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Mohamed Salah puts his hand on his head after missing a chance during Liverpool's UEFA Champions League match against Marseille at Stade Velodrome (Getty Images/Justin Setterfield).
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Justin Setterfield
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It is easy to see how this system can get the best out of Salah, Ekitike and Wirtz, while also protecting Liverpool’s back four with two holders in Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister.
While that is great news for the time being, however, it does nothing at all to answer the question of how Slot fits Alexander Isak back into the team in two months’ time.
Arne Slot must find Alexander Isak-friendly system
Liverpool supporters have been frustrated with Cody Gakpo this season and, just as he was on Wednesday, the Dutchman is likely to be the player left out to make this system work moving forward.
But Slot must also work out how to get the most out of Isak when he returns from a broken leg. The Swede is scheduled to come back in March, and could still be vital to Liverpool’s chances of silverware this season.
Arne Slot smiles on the pitch after Liverpool's UEFA Champions League match against Marseille at Stade Velodrome
Photo by Mustafa Yalcin/Anadolu via Getty Images
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But it will do nobody any good if Isak cannot slot straight back into a system which is not set up to get the best out of him.
Slot did not appear to know how to fit Isak in with Wirtz, Ekitike and Salah, but he must do so in order to give Liverpool the best chance of saving their season in the spring.
The three star Reds may thrive in the tactical set-up Slot stumbled upon in France, but where does Isak fit into that? The simple answer is that he does not. The system is specifically designed to cope without a centre forward, and although he could perform Ekitike’s role, you ideally want them both on the pitch together.
Who was your man of the match during the win over Marseille?
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Olympique Marseille v Liverpool - UEFA Champions League
Photo by Eric Verhoeven/Soccrates /Getty Images
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What system should Liverpool be playing?
On the one hand, some may argue that this system is exactly what Liverpool want to be doing long-term. If you replace Salah for Isak, then maybe we would get a real glimpse into what the Reds dreamt up over the summer.
However, it feels more likely that they were actually always planning to use Salah, Wirtz, Isak and Ekitike together for at least two years. As a result, something different must be found.
In the opinion of RTK, the best system to do that remains a slightly lopsided version of 433, with Isak and Ekitike rotating between left and centre, while Salah gives them width out wide. Wirtz should then operate in behind that, with two sitting midfielders giving the necessary protection.
Some may argue that this is not massively different to what Slot is currently doing now, but Szoboszlai is not Isak, and as a result the whole emphasis of the set-up will change when the No. 9 is back. Plans are always liable to be ripped up when key players are missing from any team, but with this version of Liverpool it has been happening too much.
System tweaks are fine to get results in one-off matches, but supporters want to see a clear picture of how their team is planning to play longer term. Unfortunately, despite a good display, Wednesday was not it.
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