A couple of years ago, Liverpool were a team to be feared. The machine designed by Jurgen Klopp struck terror into all their opponents with their vertical play, solid defence and voracity in front of goal. They were the best and they showed it every week. However, they lost power as the seasons went by, repeatedly falling in the Premier League to Manchester City and falling short of glory in the Champions League. They even missed out on Europe’s top competition last season, but they are back with a vengeance. With Slot and a renewed philosophy, they have regained their reputation as a fearsome team that no one wants to face… and Real Madrid’s next Champions League opponents.
‘Not normal for a human being’ – Pep on Haaland’s acrobatic goal, but says he has seen ‘similar’
There were many doubts about the arrival of the Dutch coach to the Anfield bench, but as the weeks go by, it is proving to be a complete success on the part of the sporting management. Leaders in the English League and leaders in the new first phase of the Champions League. There are few complaints that can be made about a team that aspires to everything and that, why not say it, are the best in the world today.
Against Bayer Leverkusen, they again demonstrated their greatest strengths. Despite Alisson’s injury, they still maintain a solid defence, with Tsimikas on the left joining the duo of Van Dijk and Konate to give solidity to the backline. They have a similar style to that of the other great team in Europe, Barcelona, as they tend to have a very advanced line to press high and win the ball back in the opposition half. It seems easy to get behind them, but nobody does. There must be a reason for that.
One of the main differences from Klopp’s time is in midfield. Slot has resurrected Gravenberch, who was one of the most promising midfielders in the world when he joined Bayern Munich and seemed to have fallen by the wayside during his time in Germany. His first season in England was not too good either, but in this second season he is shining brightly. He is a box-to-box midfielder capable of destroying and building, jumping lines with his dribbling and imposing his powerful physique.
Alongside him, Alexis Mac Allister takes the reins of the team. The Argentine, who shone at the World Cup in Qatar, is still in a state of grace. He is the director of the Reds orchestra. To complete the midfield, Curtis Jones or Szoboszlai bring different things depending on the opponent. The former has more physicality and the latter more attacking ability. Both are high-level options to join the attack from the second line. However, the real fear comes up front.
A terrifying trident
Liverpool’s attack is a real beast. 19 goals in the Premier League and 10 in the Champions League make them a net-busting machine. The face of the team is Mohammed Salah, who is back to his prime. He gets the ball on the right and defences start to tremble. He is not the goalscoring striker of 2018, but has become a luxury playmaker without losing his edge in the final metres. An evolution similar to that of Lionel Messi and he is the beacon of this Liverpool side.
His teammates are not far behind. Luis Diaz is no slouch. The Colombian has found his best form. Whether on the left or in the centre, he uses his speed and dribbling to find favourable situations. He has added a repertoire of luxury finishes to these weapons that allow him to score nine goals in 15 games. He has gone from being a great second fiddle to having the potential to lead the best team around.
The best thing is the squad depth they have. Cody Gakpo has been the starter in recent games, once again being the player who dazzled in the Netherlands jersey. However, there are many more options on the bench, such as the ever-reliable Diogo Jota or the powerful Darwin Nunez. Even Federico Chiesa, who arrived from Juventus eager to prove himself, although he has not yet had many opportunities.
After the storm, the sun shines and at Anfield it shines brighter than ever. Everything is joy and everything goes their way. Football is a capricious sport, but it seems difficult for anyone to stand up to this Liverpool side, who have returned to their best after a couple of dark years. They never walk alone and now they do less than ever.
