Set-Piece Storm and Defensive Discord: Liverpool's Season Takes a Rough Turn

Liverpool is rattled by a defensive upheaval this season, with structural flaws, individual errors, and a weak high-press evident in every match. Set-pieces have become a fresh burden, and the team lacks cohesion in defense, amplifying crises across all fronts.

According to The Athletic, Arne Slot expressed frustration with Liverpool's defensive display ahead of the Champions League clash with PSV Eindhoven, noting that goals conceded are the main difference to last season.

Defensive fragility and the burden of set-pieces

The numbers tell the tale: goals conceded are up, and the solidity expected from the backline is missing. Slot said that when the moment to defend arrives, Liverpool are not as ready as they should be, and that duels and density in defense have not been enough, especially against the top sides.

He emphasized that it's not a single match problem but a recurring pattern where increased intensity is required in duels and transitions. The team has not shown the same level of aggression or precision as in the prior campaign.

Yet the intensity has waned. Liverpool were beaten 4-1 by Eindhoven at Anfield, and their defense has shipped 34 goals in 20 matches across all competitions, a figure unseen since last season's Merseyside Derby.

Last season's success rested on a sturdy backline and compact structure that allowed attackers to flourish from a position of strength; this season that solidity seems absent.

Open play, gaps, and individual errors

Questions surround Liverpool's capacity to fight after recent defeats, with a lack of aggression in duels exposing thin seams. The report notes moments when opponents outran Liverpool's rearguard and found room to maneuver, including a midfielder slipping past Salah to start a fluent counter and a precise pass that followed.

Gravenberch's freedom to advance beyond the midfield has unsettled balance, and failure to track runners has hurt the team's shape. Konaté's form has dipped, complicating central defense decisions for the manager.

As for the set-piece crisis, Aaron Briggs was tasked with improving delivery and organization, but conceded more goals from set-pieces this season. Ten goals from dead balls, plus penalties, contribute to a total of 14 goals from set-pieces.

Interestingly, most goals from restarts did not come directly from a cross and header but from the second ball, as seen in a United goal where defenders did not track runners and a counter followed.