Liverpool faces issues when slowing down the pace

Van Dijk expressed frustration over Liverpool's overly slow and predictable play following the 1-2 defeat to Wolves. In truth, with or without the ball, Arne Slot's side has been missing tempo and intensity all season long.

1. Ahead of the home match against West Ham, there was much talk about Liverpool's typically slow starts. But in that game, they began extremely quickly and took a 1-0 lead within just five minutes.

However, that was only their third goal in the opening 20 minutes of Premier League matches this season, and just the 11th time Liverpool have scored in the first half across 29 league games, with a total of 17 goals.

In the match against Wolves, Liverpool controlled the first half and much of the second, but rarely gave the impression they could find a breakthrough from open play.

When Arne Slot arrived at Anfield in 2024, he implemented a tactical structure aimed at helping the team control matches better, moving away from the high-energy, sometimes chaotic style under predecessor Jurgen Klopp. Last season, Liverpool could still balance that with rapid transitions, a key factor in their Premier League title win.

However, the personnel changes in the summer of 2025 have left the squad with fewer players suited to executing the previous high-intensity style, while Slot has placed even greater emphasis on match control.

The difference is that last season the adjustment was perfectly calibrated, whereas this season the balance has tilted too far towards slow, deliberate build-up. Consequently, Liverpool's threat in transition situations has noticeably diminished.

This is evident in the number of possession turnovers per match, meaning how often the ball switches from one team to the other during the 90 minutes. A higher number of turnovers indicates a faster-paced, more chaotic game. According to The Athletic's statistics, Liverpool's average number of possession turnovers per match this season is just 82, the lowest in eight years, and this figure has dropped significantly since Slot took over.

However, this doesn't necessarily mean the style is "worse"; for instance, Pep Guardiola's Manchester City favors similarly low numbers. Liverpool also won the title last season with a similar approach (84.3).

Part of the change in tempo was almost forced upon Slot early in the season as he sought to halt a dreadful run of form that saw Liverpool lose 9 of 12 matches. Implementing a more rigid and compact team structure helped improve results during a 13-game unbeaten run, but the team's attacking play still lacked conviction and explosiveness.

2. Meanwhile, Liverpool's key player Salah no longer possesses the same pace as before and is in poor form this season. Cody Gakpo, on the other hand, has different physical and technical attributes and does not provide the necessary acceleration.

Salah and Gakpo have faced considerable criticism this season. Although Salah scored against Wolves, he and Gakpo generally had little impact on the game.

Currently, Liverpool lacks clear attacking patterns to break down stubborn defenses. To "unlock" such defenses, Liverpool need incisive passes executed quickly. Arne Slot has Florian Wirtz, who could handle this role, but he is currently sidelined due to injury.

Under Arne Slot, Liverpool also tends to drop into a passive midfield defensive block. Their ability to regain possession in the final third has decreased significantly this season, even falling below the levels of the 2024/25 campaign.

Recall that Liverpool's goal at Wolves came from a high press situation, where Mohamed Salah intercepted a poor pass from Jean-Ricner Bellegarde. Such situations often yield the best scoring chances, as the opponent hasn't had time to reorganize defensively.

Liverpool has lost the relentless pressing energy of Luis Diaz, who left the club last summer, as well as that of Dominik Szoboszlai, who has been playing in a different position due to injuries.

The current wide players are not effective enough, while the lack of solidity from midfielders Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch makes it easier for opponents to bypass Liverpool's press.

3. Liverpool's recent improvement in form has largely come from set-piece goals. However, relying on dead-ball situations cannot sustain them indefinitely.

If Liverpool fails to find ways to increase their attacking intensity and become more creative in open play, manager Slot's team will struggle to compete for a Top 4 spot or a Champions League qualification place.