Liverpool sit top of the Premier League but there have been complaints about their fixture schedule so far
If there’s one thing modern football doesn’t like very much, it’s nuance. Too often every positive result is treated as a sign of imminent great triumph, every defeat as though the squad is on the brink of being binned in its entirety.
Rarely, though, are matters quite so black and white. And context is required when assessing the opening few months of Arne Slot’s reign as Liverpool head coach.
Certainly, with nine wins from 10 in all competitions, putting Liverpool a point clear at the Premier League summit, into the last 16 of the League Cup and ensuring a 100% start to their Champions League campaign, it couldn’t have gone much better for the Dutchman, who has overseen the best start to a reign of any Reds boss.
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But for many observers, it’s all smoke and mirrors. The relative low quality of opposition – Liverpool have faced only one the current top half of the Premier League table in a game they lost – has given a greater sheen to performances than otherwise should have been possible.
The accusation that the Reds are in a false position, though, is inaccurate. A return of 18 points from 21 is perhaps exactly what would have been expected. It’s not Liverpool’s fault the schedule has fallen the way it has.
Indeed, given the comparative fixtures last season – with then Championship title winners Burnley replacing current holders Ipswich Town – the Reds side are actually a point worse off this time around.
While they turned last April’s 2-2 draw at Manchester United into a 3-0 win, last season’s home win over Nottingham Forest became a defeat.
Not much change in terms of results, then. However, defensively Liverpool have conceded three goals fewer – two – compared to the same seven games last term, and already have half the number of Premier League clean sheets – five – as they managed over the whole of last season.
And the eye test without doubt highlights the manner in which the Reds have stepped away from the high-octane football of Jurgen Klopp to a more considered approach under Slot.
That, though, hasn’t necessarily translated into more of the ball or greater number of passes. In comparison to the respective games last season, only against Brentford at home have Liverpool had a higher share of possession this season, and generally are making fewer passes per game.
The control has instead come from both defensive positioning and care in possession. There’s less rushing about and therefore less movement. Liverpool can this season in the Premier League boast a slightly improved pass completion rate of 85.1% compared to 83.6% over the course of last term.
No team had more shot-creating actions per game than Liverpool last campaign, whereas this season they currently rank fifth. And if the average expected goals per game is down – 1.96 from 2.31 – so too is the number of expected goals conceded per game, this term’s average of 0.73 the lowest of any Premier League team.
Of course, all of that comes with the caveat of the opposition thus far faced. The next batch of league games – at home to Chelsea, Brighton and Aston Villa, and away to Arsenal – will provide a more accurate barometer of Liverpool’s standing. That said, from those four games last season, the Reds took nine points.
In the dressing room, meanwhile, the general overview is one of cautious optimism. Nobody is becoming carried away, but there is obvious encouragement at how the changes are proving of benefit.
“We are top of the league now,” says Cody Gakpo. “That’s important, we are aware of that, but that’s not the most important thing. Everybody feels in the team we are growing in the way the gaffer wants us to play, that’s the most important thing.
“First half (against Palace) was controlled, dominating in possession but we should have created even more chances to make it more easy for ourselves. In the second half we should have been a little bit more patient to create even more bigger chances and score the second one.
“It’s important to go through such moments. It’s also a little bit of a test for our team, how resistant we are. We did well. We still can improve in a lot of things.
“We really are believing in ourselves what we are capable of, hopefully it can lead to a lot of wins and hopefully we are still on top at the end of the season. For now it’s just staying very calm, keep improving, keep working hard and we will see.”
