January and February always seem to build up to ‘crunch time’ for Premier League fans, simply because once the new year is in sight, the countdown to the season’s end really begins. For Liverpool this time around, even the most faithful supporters can agree that something major needs to change if they are going to have any chance of claiming the title for 2025/26, with Arsenal stretching ahead at the time of writing.
We recently addressed Liverpool’s chances of winning the season from the autumn’s ‘drift’, and it’s safe to say that our collective opinions haven’t changed. Realistically, the team need to be more consistent and really convert their chances against Spurs, United, Chelsea and Villa, in particular, as spring pulls into view.
But what else can Arne Slot and the team do, tactically and technically, to help turn the team’s fortunes around? Is even grasping a top-four finish out of the question now?
Taking stock tactically
Fans who have been keeping a close eye on LiveScore Liverpool standings and have notifications pinging them the latest results have every right to be surprised at how the side has been playing recently. It’s safe to say that transitioning away from Klopp to Slot was always going to be a challenge, and what’s more, recent team changes have meant that the backline is playing much differently from before.
Specifically, Trent Alexander-Arnold’s transfer and Alisson Becker’s early-season injury meant that the defensive dynamics had to shift. Now, Liverpool have been mainly sticking to a right-wing play that has let some teams take advantage of weaknesses in the midfield.
Slot’s tactics are largely rooted in moving fast from possession and keeping up the gameplay tempo, meaning that there’s a focus on advancing with power and speed. This isn’t entirely dissimilar to Klopp’s style, but many argue that the current manager’s approach is more structured and based on predetermined pressure zones.
As we all know, tactics should evolve over a season as other teams adapt, and this certainly seems to be the case at Anfield right now. There’s a strong argument for focusing on reinforcing defensive and especially midfield strength, and possibly even moving back to the old Klopp 4-3-3. That said, Slot did manage to help Liverpool secure their 20th league title, lifting the club to fifth in the Premier League ranking, so the head coach demonstrably knows his stuff.
Perusing players
As with any Premier League side, Liverpool have had to deal with multiple injury dramas across the season so far, with the likes of Stefan Bajčetić and Jayden Danns still unavailable at present for health reasons. Missing defensive and midfield talent, such as Giovanni Leoni (anterior cruciate ligament) and Jeremie Frimpong (muscle injury) are also harming the team’s potential.
Thankfully, at the time of writing, Joe Gomez is reportedly on his way back after a scare in the latest AFC Bournemouth match. Alexander Isak is also said to be on the mend, with Slot keen to get the striker back on the pitch before the end of the season. With the transfer window for this season having just closed, however, there are no further opportunities to bring in fresh players just yet.
At the very least, fans can expect to see Rennes’ Jérémy Jacquet debut at Anfield this summer, but this doesn’t help supporters’ concerns in the here and now. However, the side’s recent dominance against Newcastle in the 4-1 win clearly shows that prioritizing some of the greener talent’s core strengths is conducive to success.
Midfield star Hugo Ekitike, who has only been at Liverpool since July last year, scored twice, in the 41st and 43rd minutes, showing his fantastic aptitude for sneaking into the right spot and storming ahead with momentum. This style of play certainly complements Slot’s desire for quick-tempo football, so perhaps it’s simply a case of putting the right players in the right spots.
Ultimately, we are still a few months from the end of the season, and while their odds on winning the Premier League aren’t strong, stranger things have happened. With legends such as Michael Owen backing Slot all the way, it’s far too soon to write off the manager and his tactics just yet.
