Arne Slot’s Pressing Game: A Lesson for Ten Hag

Following Manchester United’s 0-3 defeat against Liverpool, many experts and fans criticized Erik ten Hag and Casemiro. Some believe that the Dutch coach won’t be able to deliver positive results in the Premier League, despite a strong summer transfer campaign.

On the other hand, Liverpool fans are thrilled with the outstanding results and high-quality play shown by the Reds at the start of the season. Arne Slot, despite the absence of key players in pre-season matches, has won 7 out of 8 games as Liverpool’s coach, including a flawless record in their first three Premier League fixtures.

What caused Manchester United’s sluggish start to the season and their defeat in the third round? How has Arne Slot managed to so swiftly implement his pressing philosophy at Liverpool, leading to such an impressive run of victories?

Let’s discuss these topics and explore the contrasting fortunes of these two managers in this article.

Arne Slot’s Masterclass: Liverpool’s Defensive Renaissance

In previous seasons, Liverpool’s main problem was defensive lapses, which led to the team conceding more chances than rivals like Manchester City and Arsenal.

Last season, the Reds ranked third in goals conceded and expected goals conceded in the Premier League, despite topping the charts for goals scored and expected goals created. 

However, since Arne Slot took over as manager, Liverpool’s pressing, counter-pressing, and defense in the middle block has significantly improved. Slot’s approach has made the team more compact and aggressive defensively, allowing them to win back the ball in the middle third and launch quick vertical attacks.

In their match against Manchester United, Liverpool’s organized pressing traps on the left flank and in the center of the field made it difficult for United to build attacks. The Red Devils‘ players were frequently closed down from all angles, often starting attacks under pressure, which led to three costly errors resulting in goals for the hosts. 

Liverpool’s pressing and counter-pressing were notably flexible, with players reacting situationally to their opponent’s movements and choosing the right moments to apply pressure. Dominik Szoboszlai deserves special mention for his significant defensive work and constant harassment of Manchester United’s players.

Though Liverpool’s pressing wasn’t flawless, when Manchester United managed to break through their high press, Ryan Gravenberch, Ibrahima Konaté, and Virgil van Dijk provided excellent cover near their own penalty area. As a result, Manchester United’s forwards were restricted to their own half and only created a few opportunities in the second half.

Salah and Díaz Shine

Liverpool made the most of their opportunities, scoring three goals from three shots on target. Although Trent Alexander-Arnold’s goal was disallowed due to a marginal offside in the first half, Liverpool could have easily added another in the second half.

It is important to note that Mohamed Salah and Luis Díaz made excellent use of their chances in this match, demonstrating top-class passing and shooting skills in the opponent’s final third.

In contrast to Liverpool’s forwards, Manchester United’s attackers lost many duels to Liverpool’s defenders in the final third, which meant they could hardly capitalize on numerous promising attacks when Liverpool’s pressing occasionally faltered.

Liverpool’s Solid Rest Defence

Another important aspect of the match was how both teams structured their positional attacks under pressure.

Liverpool initiated their attacks in a 3-2-5 formation, compactly positioned on their half of the field, and using various flank openings by Luis Díaz, Diogo Jota, Dominik Szoboszlai, and Trent Alexander-Arnold. 

This approach allowed them to calmly move into the opposition’s half through the flanks. In the event of a turnover, Slot’s team consistently had five players on their half of the field ready to instantly transition from attack to defense.

On the other hand, Manchester United’s approach was less compact and involved more risks during their build-up play. The hosts utilized a 4-2-4 formation when advancing into Liverpool’s half and positioned themselves very wide, creating plenty of space in their own half for potential counterattacks.

Erik ten Hag’s team found some success attacking down the left flank, as Mohamed Salah’s pressing was less effective. However, when the ball was lost in the midfield, the gaps between the Manchester United players were too large, and Liverpool effectively exploited these spaces, turning them into dangerous counterattacks.

United’s Costly Errors

Erik ten Hag opted for a risky strategy of advancing into the opponent’s half through low passes, relying on Kobbie Mainoo and Casemiro, who made three crucial errors leading to their team’s loss in the match. Additionally, his team struggled to create dangerous moments during their attacking phases. 

But does this poor performance warrant consideration of Erik ten Hag’s dismissal? In fact, Manchester United did not make numerous positional errors in their defensive setup and, on several occasions, successfully bypassed Liverpool’s pressing and counter-pressing.

This means that, just like in the match against Brighton, Manchester United lost to their opponent not due to systematic issues and lack of organized play, but rather because of some crucial errors that theoretically could be corrected.

Liverpool’s Flying Start

Arne Slot has enjoyed a triumphant start to his tenure at Liverpool, and his team is demonstrating top-class play across almost all phases of the game. 

While it may be too early to draw definitive conclusions about the Reds’ overall success, Liverpool is currently leading the Premier League in expected points, expected goals conceded, and expected goals scored, indicators of their high-quality play in August.

In previous seasons, with rare exceptions, Manchester City has often been the team to lead the expected points after the first three rounds and ultimately win the Premier League. 

The last time Liverpool had such a successful start was in the 2018-19 season, finishing second and losing the title race to Manchester City by just one point.

The key concern for Liverpool moving forward is how many matches the injury-prone Ryan Gravenberch and Ibrahima Konaté can play, as much of Liverpool’s pressing and counter-pressing success depends on them.

Moreover, it will be quite interesting to see how Liverpool reacts if the Reds concede the first goal in one of the upcoming matches – a situation that could test their resolve and adaptability.

Conclusions

Liverpool effectively applied pressing and counter-pressing throughout this match, which allowed them to create several excellent opportunities and score three goals by the 56th minute. Mohamed Salah and Luis Díaz demonstrated almost perfect conversion of chances, punishing Manchester United for their mistakes.

At the same time, Liverpool had plenty of space, as they frequently intercepted the ball in midfield. They exploited United’s players, who were spread too wide during the build-up and struggled to quickly recover to their defensive positions when possession was lost.

Erik ten Hag needs to prove that he is capable of stabilizing the team’s game and eliminating some of the mistakes that hinder the team from achieving success.

On the other hand, Arne Slot has demonstrated promising potential for improving Liverpool’s defensive quality, positioning the Reds as strong contenders for the Premier League title this season.