Thread by @EBL2017

A little bit of Pep,

A little bit of Klopp,

And a little bit of Ancelotti.

A thread on Arne Slot's philosophy and tactical approach at Liverpool.

Liverpool's press can be exploited at times because they prefer to stay zonal as opposed to jumping man-to-man, but when they get it right it is the optimal way of pressing.

Why?

They apply near max pressure on the ball whilst maintaining a +1 in defence.

SO hard to beat that.

This is it.

Szoboszlai stands in between both #6's with Diaz & Salah ready to press the centre backs.

When the ball is passed to one side, Trent pushes high, Szoboszlai presses the ball-side #6, Diaz stops the switch, Gakpo tucks in so he can manage the far-side #6 + fullback.

Liverpool trap Brentford on one side and are prepared to manage the situation if Brentford try to switch play.

Not to mention that if Brentford try to play over the press or through the lines, Liverpool have a +1 at the back, and that +1 is Virgil van Dijk.

So, even if you do beat Liverpool's initials lines of pressure, it is difficult to exploit them in that self-created transitional moment because they have some of the best defenders in the sport but also because they have a numerical advantage.

Not to forget that when the press is bypassed, these guys sprint recover.

That zonal approach can be exploited, though, particularly in the mid-block where Liverpool have been hurt by the likes of Chelsea & United.

So Slot needs to improve that, but outside of that so, so good.

It's in these defensive moments where the Slot/Klopp comparisons make sense.

Offensively, though, we can see a blend of Pep and Ancelotti. Heck, even De Zerbi.

Here we see a De Zerbi-esque 4-2-4 build-up where Liverpool use 3rd man patterns or play over vs the man-to-man press.

In the final third, we see more of Pep.

Triangles on the sides with the fullback, ball-side #8, and wingers have license to interchange and combine with each other.

Optimal for combination play, but the deep-lying guys on each side help keep the block compact in transition.

And the reason I talk about Ancelotti when I mention Slot is because of how he is fluid to the demands of his elite players.

Trent is at his best as a deep-lying fullback facing the play?

Let's play him there then.

How many coaches do we see use a flat 4-3-3 nowadays?!

Slot has got the absolute maximum out of this Liverpool team and he has done it by implementing his own stamp & style on things whilst adapting to the elite quality & depth he has at his disposal.

So far, he has done a flawless job.

Hard to see anybody stop this Liverpool team.