Analysis of Liverpool’s Slow Starts and Defensive Numbers

Some worrying numbers as Liverpool look to get back on track

Paul Tomkins

Liverpool's defending – as a team – has broken down. By the second half against Arsenal (after bossing the first half), it had broken down completely.

The 4-2-3-1 against Rangers had appeared to fix this, but then Rangers didn't really attack until the final minutes, and then had joy down the Reds' right.

Perhaps the most telling statistics in Mizgan's piece that follows relate to the drop-off in defending from the front.

Then, for various reasons (age, fitness, injuries, absentees, rustiness, exhaustion carried over from the mad second-half of 2021/22) the midfield is not pressing like it was.

That leaves a lot for the defence to deal with, and obviously, the defence has not been about having "pure defenders", as Liverpool have pushed teams back for years.

How to solve this? That's easier said than done with yet more injuries (including the Reds' best and most energetic player, Luis Díaz), but this looks into some of the issues of the season so far.

Mizgan’s piece follows below, with a few minor additions by me.

Mizgan Masani

After the game against Brighton, Liverpool boss Jürgen Klopp labelled his team as “really horrible to watch.” If you are a supporter or a coaching staff of the team, you can concur with what the German was referring to.