Are Liverpool better than under Klopp? What did Arne Slot change?

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Things couldn't be better for Arne Slott at Liverpool so far. The 46-year-old Dutchman has taken on an extremely difficult task. He did this brilliantly, thanks to Guardiola's influence.

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Few envied him this task. This summer Arne Slott succeeds the superman Jurgen Klopp, who, like all his previous posts, has his heart set on Liverpool. The German won the Championship and Champions League with the Reds but after nearly nine years on Merseyside he no longer had the energy. It is widely believed that Liverpool's next manager can only fail. But that was a mistake.

Who should follow in these footsteps? Jurgen Klopp is a Liverpool legend.Image: trapezoid

Because slot machines are off to a brilliant start. Liverpool are eight points clear of first place after 12 matchdays and that gap can be widened further with victory over rivals Manchester City this Sunday (5pm). Liverpool is also the team with the most points from five games in the Champions League. The wins on Wednesday against Real Madrid (2:0), Bayer Leverkusen (4:0) or away to Manchester United (3:0) in Sloter's third official game are true statements. Nearly six months after Klopp's tearful farewell, the mood at Liverpool couldn't be better.

But is Slott's approach vastly different to Klopp's, or is he simply benefiting from his predecessor's preparation? There's no denying that he inherited a complete and competitive team. Still, Liverpool don't look as strong as they do now. Slott's style of football is very similar to Klopp's. Otherwise the 19-time champion wouldn't have hired him in the first place. Ultimately, Liverpool used data to find a team whose playing style was similar to the appeal and intense football of a “normal team.” Arne Slaughter found what he was looking for at Feyenoord Rotterdam.

The 46-year-old Dutchman also relies on attacking football and high pressing. “I want as many good players in the team as possible and I want them to work as hard as possible,” Sloter said in a quote that could also come from Klopp. However, the new Liverpool manager has also been inspired by the likes of Marcelo Bielsa, Mikel Arteta and especially Pep Guardiola.

Liverpool Football Club is the leader of the Premier League and Champions League.Image: trapezoid

This is also evident at Liverpool. Because the biggest difference between the Red Army's games this season and last season is that they are sometimes restricted. Unlike Klopp, who asked his team to cause chaos but never really deviate, Slott placed more emphasis on control. “Their style of play isn't that wild anymore,” said BBC commentator Chris Sutton. Liverpool pro Alexis Mike Allister also explained: “We have more structure.”

This is reflected, among other things, in the fact that Liverpool are no longer as aggressive as they were under Klopp, whose motto was to chase opponents around the pitch with the ball. Liverpool try less to win the ball back in the final third and are more defensively stable to prevent counter-attacks.

Klopp attempts to use his long-standing attacking trio of Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane to control the opposition's play and steer it in a certain direction. Now midfielders like Mike Allister or Ryan Gravenberch are even more important – they are supposed to intercept the ball and anchor the so-called residual defense (the defense in possession). The move has paid off so far, with the Reds conceding 0.4 fewer goals per game than last season (0.67 instead of 1.08), although the difference in expected goals values ​​is much smaller (0.95 instead of 1.08) 1.05 pieces).

In order to be more grounded and methodical, Liverpool are no longer so quick and direct in pushing forward. Star player Mohamed Salah, who has 12 goals and 10 assists after 19 games, described it this way: “We now try to control the ball all the time. Before we relied on counter-attacks and counter-pressing, and we still do that, But when we get the ball, we also let the ball rotate among our own teams.

According to Slaughter, the purpose of this is to prevent your own players from losing confidence after conceding the ball after a dangerous pass, while the opponent's confidence will also increase. “You feel better if you have the ball more often,” Slaughter said. Guardiola's influence can be clearly felt here. Despite this, Liverpool's average possession rate this season is slightly lower than in 2023/24. Players can still feel this effect. Several players have been in top form so far this season. Including midfield engine Gravenberch, winger Luis Diaz, and the proven Virgil van Dijk and Salah.

Mohamed Salah is as healthy as ever and has scored 22 points.Image: trapezoid

What's equally impressive about Slot is his meticulous preparation. He prepared the team brilliantly for their opponents and explained his tactical techniques after the game. Speaking to Sky as Liverpool beat rivals Manchester United on the pitch, he dissected their opponents' pressing tactics and explained what he told his players to do in anticipation of the many one-on-one situations that could arise. After the Champions League game against Bayer Leverkusen, he explained why he chose Luis Diaz over the more traditional centre-forward Dalvin Nunez. The Uruguayan could face Jonathan Tah, “perhaps the best German defender”. This is why Diaz should always drop deep into midfield and surprise Tah with a quick run deep. The Colombian scored three of the four goals.

Regardless, Slaughter has had an excellent record against tough opponents so far. That wasn't always the case with Klopp. Slott will face Klopp's old nemesis Guardiola for the first time in the Premier League's top flight this Sunday. The Dutch coach and what is probably Europe's best team at the moment can then make another statement in what has been a near-flawless season so far – with the only defeat coming against a surprising Nottingham side.

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