Relentless march of the Slot machine
Kolkata: After dropping the 2011 Champions League closing 1-3 to Barcelona, Alex Ferguson had stated: “No one’s given us a hiding like that.” Ange Postecoglu didn’t stroll the route of the previous Manchester United supervisor following Sunday’s goalfest, selecting as a substitute to focus on Tottenham Hotspur’s damage issues, however there may very well be little question that Liverpool completely cleaned out their opponents at White Hart Lane.
Main the Premier League standings by 4 factors with a match in hand, Liverpool host relegation-threatened Leicester Metropolis, who haven’t received at Anfield since 2000, on Boxing Day. They’ve been unbeaten away from residence at Christmas. The final time that occurred was in 1987-88. And in 1893-94 earlier than that. They’ve misplaced as soon as in 25 matches in all competitions this season. And this isn’t a couple of beneficial run of fixtures.
Twice, Arsenal went forward, twice Liverpool pulled again. Inside three minutes of Nicolas Jackson’s equaliser, Liverpool discovered a aim towards Chelsea by Cody Gakpo. Within the season Spurs grew to become the primary Premier League group in historical past to lose 10 factors from two objectives up, Liverpool have received factors after chasing matches towards Arsenal, Fulham, Brighton and Southampton. Like champion groups are anticipated to.
From the time Arne Slot changed Jarell Qansah with Ibrahima Konate within the season opener away to Ipswich City, Liverpool have managed matches throughout competitions in a method it didn’t appear attainable firstly of the season. A brand new coach changing a vastly profitable one is at all times troublesome – right here’s taking a look at you, Manchester United – and never having been energetic within the switch market, the query was: would the gamers Slot inherited be recent after their years with Juergen Klopp. It has been answered and the way.
On Sunday, the best way Liverpool bombed ahead, performed by Spurs’s press, the best way they moved the ball from their aim to the rivals in two, three touches, the best way they exploited the huge open house Spurs left was a lesson in mixing pace, power and ability. Liverpool had 12 photographs on track on method to the 6-3 win.
Such relentlessness, remorselessness even, is proof of collective effectivity however some people do stand out. With 18 objectives, 15 assists in 24 matches throughout competitions – 15 objectives and 11 assists within the Premier League, a primary within the competitors’s historical past earlier than Christmas – Mo Salah retains displaying what Liverpool may miss from subsequent summer time. Luis Diaz’s pace and the flexibility to play false 9 means house for Dominik Szoboszlai to surge up in the best way Jude Bellingham would at Actual Madrid final season. Add to that Szoboszlai’s skill to win duels, within the floor and within the air (the Hungarian received 5 headed duels within the first half and had 13 touches in Spurs’s field).
“It was perhaps our greatest efficiency away from residence…We scored six objectives and will have scored extra. Mo and Lucho (Diaz) had been perhaps those that stood out by way of scoring objectives however we’d not do justice to Dom’s efficiency if we didn’t title him as nicely…He was an important a part of our recreation plan with out the ball,” stated Slot.
Trent Alexander-Arnold’s passing vary and his being extra of a right-back as a substitute of inverting on the base of the midfield has additionally performed an element as has the defensive solidity and management qualities of Virgil van Djik. Together with Salah, Szoboszlai and Andrew Robertson, Van Djik is likely one of the worldwide captains in Liverpool’s first 11 and having leaders in all areas of the pitch is rarely a foul factor. His contract, and that of Alexander-Arnold, is up subsequent summer time.
Crucially, and this has been in proof by the season, Liverpool have absorbed the influence of unavailable gamers in the best way others haven’t. Konate was not there on Sunday so Joe Gomez stepped into the breach. Caoimhin Kelleher did that for Alisson, Conor Bradley admirably towards Actual Madrid when Alexander-Arnold was not there. When Diogo Jota was injured, Darwin Nunez stepped into the breach. When Alexis Mac Allister wanted a break, Curtis Jones got here on with out a perceptible dip in high quality.
There’s a cautionary story in all this. Having let in eight objectives in 13 matches within the league, Liverpool have leaked eight of their final three. Okay, they had been 5-1 up when Spurs scored twice but it surely reveals Liverpool might be weak. They had been on prime on Christmas Day in 2018-19 and 2020-21 as had been Arsenal within the final two seasons. Neither received the league.
“You must carry on going, carry on going, each three days you need to be on prime of your recreation, each minute of the sport,” Slot has stated. “That’s why it’s so exhausting to win it, as a result of it’s not at all times simple to point out up each three or 4 days.”
However as Manchester Metropolis take care of internal demons, Arsenal cope with out Bukayo Saka and Chelsea with disciplinary points, Liverpool are nicely positioned to go all the best way.
