Why Liverpool are feeling effects of Trent-shaped gap

Short build-up is clearly an issue that requires addressing and compromises have had to be made in getting the ball up to the attackers. One way in which Liverpool have done this has been in using Wirtz deeper.

The German midfielder’s biggest strengths lie in the final third but given his excellent technical quality, particularly his passing, Wirtz is dropping deeper in order to get on the ball, before helping bring it up the pitch.

For Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen, Wirtz would often stand on the left flank waiting for the ball to be brought up the pitch by team-mates before getting involved. Comparing where he’s receiving passes this season to last season highlights a stark difference.

In the short term this is a sensible solution given Wirtz’s qualities and Liverpool’s weaknesses but it fails to maximise Wirtz’s individual attacking game.

Aside from short build-up and technical quality, long passes and switches are tools teams need to bypass a press or to disrupt the shape of the opposition’s defensive block.

Liverpool played 3.4 switches of play per 90 minutes last season and this is down to 1.3 per 90 minutes this season. This decrease is partially explained by Trent leaving with the English full-back able to play crossfield passes reliably and with both feet, often finding the left winger.

Tactically, this forced a deeper defending side to have to shuffle across the pitch. Switching the play quickly allows the players receiving the ball to exploit the spaces that appear in the opponent’s now less-compact shape.

In terms of long passing, Virgil van Dijk possesses a great long diagonal pass that has found Mohamed Salah isolated on the right wing numerous times over the last few years to similar effect. However, the rest of Liverpool’s current crop of defenders don’t tend to play as long very often.

Alexander-Arnold played 11.3 long passes per 90 minutes last season with a 42.1% pass accuracy. In the league this season, Bradley and Frimpong by comparison have only played 3.7 and 1.1 long passes per 90 minutes with a 16.1% and 0% pass accuracy respectively.

The players at a coach’s disposal dictate what tactics become viable and, without Alexander-Arnold, skipping short build-up to find Liverpool’s quick attackers in space is less of a possibility.

Isak and Salah are both players who thrive when attacking at speed, facing defenders, in space. With this option not being opted for as much, their strengths aren’t being platformed as often as they could be.

Slower build-up results in attacking situations against deeper, more compact defences as there is more time for the defending side to get back into their desired shape. It has also meant Salah has found himself playing with his back to goal both centrally and out wide more often.

For as great a player as Salah has been, he struggles more when defenders apply close pressure on his back, preventing him from turning to face the goal. His options become more limited and he tends to pass it back when this scenario arises.

Slot’s men face Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United and if United are to get anything from the game, they will need to look to take advantage of some of Liverpool’s recent frailties.

Amorim has on occasion asked his team to defend in a 5-4-1 shape out of possession, moving away from his normal 5-2-3 and, if chosen, this alternative approach is likely to pose Liverpool more questions.

By defending deeper and blocking the centre of the pitch well, a larger percentage of the possession for Liverpool will be with the central defenders who are less apt in breaking down a stubborn shape. This may force Wirtz deeper, out of zones he may be more destructive in.

The reluctance for Liverpool to play switches of play will make it harder for them to break down a 5-4-1 shape that has good coverage across the width of the pitch to begin with too.

Finally, a shape that aims to reduce space the likes of Isak and Salah can run into is naturally a smart plan to counter two of Liverpool’s most impressive players, especially if it is paired by proactive, aggressive defending from United’s left wingback.