Arne Slot ‘doesn’t have a clue’ how to fix this major issue at Liverpool

On Anfield Index’s Media Issues, Dave Davis and David Lynch turned from Liverpool’s 1-1 draw with Chelsea to a recurring concern underneath Arne Slot, the lack to correctly contain a central striker. For a membership that has invested closely in Alexander Isak, that downside is turning into inconceivable to disregard.

Davis raised the difficulty straight, noting that “Alexander Isak had simply seven touches in about thirty minutes after approaching instead.” His conclusion was blunt: “Arne Slot has no concept find out how to use him.”

He then added one other element from the identical Chelsea match: “Cody Gakpo didn’t have a contact within the first twenty minutes of the sport.” That lack of involvement sharpened the argument that Liverpool usually are not merely battling one participant, however with the function itself.

Isak struggles for involvement

Lynch agreed with the central level. Requested whether or not Liverpool “have gotten no concept find out how to play with a quantity 9”, he replied: “No.”

For Lynch, this isn’t a brand new downside. He stated it’s “one of many points that goes again to final season” and pressured: “This isn’t a brand new factor that persons are getting annoyed about.”

That issues as a result of Liverpool’s summer season enterprise was supposed to deal with exactly this problem. Lynch recalled how Luis Diaz had beforehand operated as a low-touch false 9, saying “that type of labored” as a result of it helped Mohamed Salah get into scoring positions.

However Lynch then dismissed the concept this was at all times a deliberate system. “It’s not a tactical resolution,” he stated. “We are able to see this now as a result of they purchased two extremely costly quantity nines who by no means touched the ball.”

Arne Slot underneath scrutiny over quantity 9 function

The strongest criticism was geared toward Slot’s incapability to attach the group to its striker. Lynch stated: “If Cody Gakpo’s there, if Isak’s there, if Ekitike’s there, the quantity 9 barely touches the soccer.”

He then requested the important thing query: “Why is that?” His reply was damning: “He simply doesn’t have a clue find out how to get the ball into them.”

That line goes to the guts of the priority round Liverpool’s assault. If Isak, a record-breaking signing, is receiving so little service, then the difficulty can’t merely be put right down to particular person type.

Lynch additionally rejected the notion that Liverpool would spend such cash on centre-forwards to make use of them this fashion. “You can not inform me that Liverpool’s recruitment hierarchy are type of this and going, yeah, we spent £125 million on Alexander Isak and we wish him to have like six touches a recreation,” he stated. “There’s no likelihood.”

Liverpool nonetheless looking for solutions

For Lynch, the fear is that the identical downside retains reappearing with no answer. He stated Liverpool are seeing “the identical points, no options in anyway.”

That leaves Arne Slot with a transparent tactical query. Liverpool have the centre-forwards, together with Isak, however they nonetheless look unable to construct assaults via them. As Lynch put it, that is “actually problematic” and feeds the broader view that Slot “can’t discover options.”