Overcommitting to Attack: The Problem with Liverpool’s Fantastic Four
Mo Salah, Sadio Mané, Roberto Firmino, Philippe Coutinho. Individually, they are all electrifying. Together they fashion an offensive unit based on speed, trickery and versatility. Unfortunately, playing them together contributes to Liverpool’s defensive woes.
Friday’s game against Arsenal was thrilling, if not a little slapdash. Two teams, blessed with great attacking talents and cursed with shocking defensive blunders. When the dust had settled, Jurgen Klopp was fuming. The German boss insisted that Liverpool should be “more angry than sad or disappointed”. It was the fifth time this season Liverpool had conceded thrice in a game, and Klopp spoke about “individual problems”.
On two of the occasions that Salah, Firmino, Coutinho and Mané have played together, Liverpool has blown teams away (7-0 against Spartak Moscow, and 3-0 against Southampton). However, on the other four, they have drawn. This includes the collapses against Sevilla and Arsenal and the drab draw against West Brom.
Too Much of a Good Thing
An argument could be made that playing all four attacking talents together ends up costing Klopp’s side in other areas of the pitch. Liverpool tends to play a 4-3-3 formation, but the inclusion of the “Fantastic Four” naturally forces them into a 4-2-3-1 formation. It leads to a front four of intricate moving parts, with each player capable of taking up any position along the line. The sheer volume of possibilities makes them a nightmare to track, but problems rear their heads when the ball is lost.
The Reds’ terrifying forward line masks a soft underbelly. Successful teams that play with four or five high-class forwards usually can do so as they had fantastic defensive support behind them. Liverpool does not have this luxury.
A defensive line of Joe Gomez, Dejan Lovren, Ragnar Klavan and Andrew Robertson, in front of the much-maligned Simon Mignolet, does not exactly jog memories of impenetrable walls. When they conceded three goals in five minutes, the reaction was not that of anger or shock, but of acceptance. Another instance of Liverpool shooting themselves in the foot, one defensive howler after another. This defensive instability has necessitated a strong presence in midfield to slow down opposing attacks.
Against Arsenal, playing all four attackers meant that Liverpool was a man short in midfield. In those vital five minutes, Emre Can and Jordan Henderson were overrun, leading to pressure on the Reds’ defence. Elite Premier League defences should be able to weather a five-minute storm, but Liverpool lacks the personnel to do so.
Next: Arsenal vs. Liverpool: What a game!
January Spending is Needed
Klopp may argue that this was not his full-strength defence. However, those waiting in the wings are not much of an improvement. Would Alberto Moreno have provided more stability at left-back? James Milner is a makeshift right-back, who is capable, but limited. Joel Matip is an improvement on Klavan and Lovren but is still not an elite centre-back. Trent Alexander-Arnold is excellent going forward, but is still young, and lacks defensive nous that comes with experience.
If Klopp wants to play his best forwards together, as a unit, he needs to make defensive purchases to augment his squad. The Reds’ attack heavy approach imbalances the side, and leaves them vulnerable and exposed. Mané, Coutinho, Salah and Firmino can bail them out more often than not, but they have off-days. There are teams in the Premier League that will be adept at putting Liverpool’s defence under pressure. If nothing is done, Liverpool will continue to blow teams away but will collapse in equal measure.
If Liverpool can wield their forwards in tandem, without fear of a collapse, they will be a force to be reckoned with. The fight for the Champions League spots is primed to go down to the wire. The January transfer window will play a key role in deciding how the second half of the season plays out.