Arne Slot must fix this one issue to finally get Liverpool back to their best

Liverpool haven’t been able to reach the exceptional level they did last season, when Arne Slot won the Premier League at the first time of asking.

A number of issues have compounded to make life hard for the Reds this season, some down to bad luck and some down to decision making.

The result was Liverpool’s worst run of form in recent memory during October and November, during which the Reds lost nine of 12 matches in all competitions, including back-to-back 3-0 defeats to Man City and Nottingham Forest.

Slot’s side seem to have recovered slightly, winning four on the bounce and remaining unbeaten in seven, but one key problem persists – Liverpool seemingly cannot defend set pieces.

A deeper look at Liverpool’s defensive woes

The Reds’ defending has been questionable this season, but their biggest problems have come when defending set pieces.

If you include penalties, over half of the goals Liverpool have conceded in the Premier League this season have come from set pieces. When penalties aren’t included, Slot’s side have conceded more set piece goals than any other side in the competition.

According to The Athletic, Liverpool are averaging 8.2 goals conceded per 100 set pieces taken this season.

There will obviously be a number of factors contributing to the Reds’ vulnerability to set pieces, but more often than not they are conceding in the same manner.

Liverpool aren’t conceding standard set piece goals, where the ball is played into the box and finished first time, they are instead conceding in the second phase of set pieces.

The Reds generally have little problem winning the first contact after a set piece, but they struggle massively to deal with what comes next.

Have Liverpool simply been unlucky?

Slot is obviously aware of his side’s apparent inability to defend set pieces, but the Dutchman doesn’t believe his set up is the problem.

“For me, it’s not the setup, because it’s the same setup as we had last season, where we hardly conceded,” Slot said, via The Athletic.

“In this setup, there are a lot of similar players that are mainly important. So, tell me what it is. If I tell you now it’s bad luck, then you will probably say that’s a bit too much after 15 games.”

Andy Jones, writing for The Athletic, points out that Slot may have a point. Liverpool’s expected goals conceded per 100 set pieces is only 4.0, half the number that they are actually conceding.

The fact they are conceding at such a dramatic rate over their expected goals conceded may be down to bad luck, but Liverpool must improve in the second phase.

How can Slot get Liverpool back on track?

A change in system seems to have sparked the Reds current revival, with chance creation and goal scoring now not seeming as big an issue as they were in the depths of Liverpool’s bad run.

The Premier League champions are far from back to their best though, and shoring up their defence must be the next step.

Working specifically on the second phase of defending set pieces must be a priority, if Liverpool can eliminate conceding from this situation they will undoubtedly take a big step in the right direction.

If Liverpool can resolve their second phase issue, there is still plenty of time left this season for them to turn it around and enjoy a successful campaign.

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