When Liverpool went two goals down to Arsenal on Sunday, they seemed to adopt the attitude of ‘what do we have to lose?’. This is the same approach the Reds should take for the remainder of the season, trying out different tactics and showing their fighting spirit. For instance, using Trent Alexander-Arnold as an inverted full-back who came into central midfield was not a complete success against the Gunners, but Liverpool should keep experimenting with this idea.
The draw against the Premier League leaders was encouraging, but it did not really change much about the Reds’ disappointing campaign. They are still in eighth place, have failed to win any trophies and a top-four finish to secure Champions League football is still a distant dream. It is clear that Liverpool are in need of a rest, both physically and mentally, yet they have always been able to compete with the best teams. Apart from last week’s 4-1 defeat at Manchester City, they have risen to the challenge in big matches and put in good performances.
The same was true against Arsenal. Initially, there was a lack of confidence from Liverpool which was understandable after what had happened at Etihad Stadium, but this changed when Granit Xhaka clashed with Alexander-Arnold and got the crowd going. Mohamed Salah’s goal quickly put them back in the game and, if they had played like that in the second half, they would have gone on to win it.
It is unclear why Alexander-Arnold was asked to play in a different position and whether this was something that had been worked on before the draw with Chelsea on Tuesday or had just become part of the team’s thought process in the last couple of days. It was far from ideal for him as he had to adjust to playing at Premier League level and against a team that already plays that way. Alexander-Arnold improved in the second half when Liverpool saw more of the ball but, to begin with, he kept being dragged out to the full-back position as part of his defensive duties, and he was not doing that side of things particularly well.
For this system to work effectively, you need the rest of the team set up properly too. The centre-backs will always be pulled out wide to cover which leaves more gaps between them and makes it easier for the opposition’s runners from deep. This is where you need legs in midfield to track them or centre-backs who are very aware of what might happen and a left-back who is always covering in.
Alexander-Arnold’s best work will probably be done from his usual position, standing the ball up in the box from wide areas, but his passing range was good from more central areas against Arsenal and it will be interesting to see how Klopp uses him next time. If it is in an inverted role then he will still be judged on his defensive work – whether he has the intensity to close people down in midfield or track runners.
Liverpool were much better in the second half but only really looked like they were going to score a second goal once Roberto Firmino came on with 12 minutes to go. Mohamed Salah looks nervy at the moment and is not at his brilliant best while Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo are still adjusting to English football. Nunez has scored plenty of goals and created a lot of chances but appears lost at the moment while Gakpo does not take players on and try to create something for someone else like Sadio Mane used to do before he left last summer.
This is why Liverpool are lacking belief at present and why Luis Diaz’s return from injury will be so important. Diaz brings a different dimension to their attack because he has the ability to beat his man and Liverpool need him back in the team as soon as possible. He has the individual brilliance that they are missing at the moment and could make all the difference up front.