S Poddar
The Reds’ first loss under Arne Slot this Saturday afternoon, a defeat that has acted more like a tactical wake-up call. Slot’s flawless start to the Premier League journey comes to an end with this one, and Slot must find ways to recover from it. True, there should be no cause for panic, but the way Nottingham Forest exploited those weaknesses could provide a template for other teams.
Slot’s Liverpool had the perfect start to their season by gaining three successive wins without leaking a single goal. Fresh from Feyenoord, Slot easily adjusted to the world’s toughest league, and many fans and pundits saw an exciting prospect of “Slotball.” But against Nuno Espirito Santo and his Nottingham Forest, the scheme was laid bare.
Victory 1-0 by Forest cannot be a cause for panic but will certainly throw important light on the deficiency areas in Liverpool’s vulnerability. Nuno’s tactics were spot on and other coaches watching the game would take the notice. He has bought into his defensive setup with a smart shift in strategy in the second half to nullify the real onslaught of Liverpool’s attack and, thereby, to prove the depth of discipline and structure in his team.
While the loss can also be partly attributed to Liverpool’s wastefulness in front of goal and a few defensive lapses, Forest’s game plan definitely deserves full credit. Callum Hudson-Odoi’s strike was all that his side needed to take all three points in this match, where they performed tactically better than the rest.
Nuno’s Tactical Setup
With five central midfielders packed into Nuno Espirito Santo’s lineup, the Forest coach went one better than that by handing the baton to James Ward-Prowse, Nicolas Dominguez, Ryan Yates, Elliott Anderson, and Morgan Gibbs-White. Up front, another of Moxey’s new signings, Chris Wood, dropped deep as a striker, frequently swelling the numbers inside and halting Liverpool’s compacted passing style. It prevented the Reds from getting into their rhythm and instead made them rely on distant shots and hopeful crosses, not one of which really troubled the Forest defense.
Central defenders Murillo and Nicola Milenkovic are an imposing force at the back, and full-backs Alex Moreno and Ola Aina did a fine job of nullifying any kind of threats Liverpool had on their wings. MORENO, particularly, managed to keep Mohamed Salah – though only for once all game – oddly quiet, while Aina held the lively Luis Diaz. Every outfield player for Forest contributed, it being a true team effort, with Matz Sels being well-supportive in goal.
This congested midfield and defensive solidity left Liverpool with nothing to do. The frustration was beginning to tell at Anfield, and the atmosphere was now pregnant with tension as Liverpool failed to create clear cut scoring chances.
The Golden Tactical Change
Approaching the hour mark, Nuno took a tactical gamble. He introduced wingers Callum Hudson-Odoi and Anthony Elanga, in a move swapping midfield congestion for pace on the flanks that he redeemed. Whereas Forest were becoming an ever greater threat as they transitioned into counter-attacks, the speed on the break meant Hudson-Odoi only released his shot after neat work past Conor Bradley that would give Forest its winning margin.
It was a long shot that could blow up in his face, but Nuno believed Liverpool were fragile, and his players fully exploited the softness. Forest’s capacity to transition from a deep defensive block to more expansive style show great tactical flexibility-a trait that is going to trouble many teams in the Premier League this season.
The Problems Facing Liverpool
For Arne Slot, this match evidenced how often he will face something similar to this as the manager at Liverpool. Slot himself said that this was the first time he experienced a low defensive block in English football and certainly presented problems for his team. Mohamed Salah showed visible frustration, having been frustrated multiple times in an attempt to unlock the defense without success.
That the impact of Slot’s substitutes remained limited, especially with the likes of Darwin Nunez, who was guilty of losing possession in the lead-up to Forest’s goal, and it remains a cause for concern that much less was made of Cody Gakpo; far worse was the non-co-opting of new signing Federico Chiesa from the bench-what might he have done had the opportunities been meted out?
Still, it is worth reminding everyone that this is only a defeat. Just as there was no necessity to be overly exuberant after three wins in a row, there is no need to panic and start feeling blue right after one defeat. Slot has a chance to get back on its feet in no time, and the real test will see how Liverpool will react in their next games.
The Future Course
Next for Liverpool is a Champions League game against AC Milan. Milan, at their destructive best, are no longer but never allow such ease as can be expected from the opposition-especially not at the San Siro, and certainly not after a defeat. Slot and his men have a lot of work ahead to get themselves together and figure out solutions to address the issues that Forest exposed if losses are not going to be added to those they have already experienced.
It is but one loss within the grand scheme of things, and Pep Guardiola needed time to acclimatize himself to the Premier League before building the giant Manchester City we now see today. The same can be applied to Slot, who requires patience and time to fully implement his philosophy at Liverpool.
However, if more teams in the league begin to emulate Forest then Slot might have to reassess a few aspects of his strategy. After all, the Premier League does not take kindly to stalling on its own terms, and versatility is a key determinant of survival, let alone success.
Two weeks ago, Slot’s system came in for general applause following a win over Manchester United at Old Trafford. Tonight, after this defeat, Slot faces his first real test. It will be interesting to see how the Dutchman reacts and whether he can steer Liverpool back on course before minor concerns become major problems.
