Arne Slot’s choices in the first half almost cost Liverpool more in their defeat to Crystal Palace.
The Reds have now lost their first game this season, ending their five-game unbeaten run in the Premier League after Eddie Nketiah scored late to win the game 2-1 in a much-deserved victory for the Eagles.
Liverpool fans were incredibly hopeful that when Federico Chiesa came on to score a late equaliser, Slot’s side may have got away with one, considering the dominant first half for the home side.
However, it was not meant to be, and this may be a wake-up call following a season that has been categorised by late winners. It feels as though this could be a Nottingham Forest-type game from last year, which could reset thinking on the team selection.
It is hard to pinpoint which major problems cost Liverpool the game, but multiple individual performances were not good enough, and the poor defending of the set-pieces they conceded was among the biggest issues.
Sky Sports pundit Michael Dawson criticises Arne Slot’s team selection
The starting XI for this game was changed due in part to the absence of Hugo Ekitike, who was sent off against Southampton for his shirt-off celebration, meaning Alexander Isak moved into the striker role.
This was also one of the first games where the Dutch coach fully experimented with playing Florian Wirtz on the left-hand side after his less-than-stellar performances since joining the club.
Technically, the German played more of a free role in the midfield, which made Milos Kerkez a makeshift winger before a half-time change saw Cody Gakpo make a solid cameo on his favoured left.
This decision not to start with Gakpo may have caused more problems and affected the defensive display, considering how far the Hungarian left-back had to push forward.
It was a decision highlighted by pundit Michael Dawson during Sky Sports Soccer Saturday, who labelled the manager’s choice as ‘questionable’.
Speaking to the panel, Dawson explained: “This was against a Liverpool team who’d won five out of five, and people are saying they’re not quite at the level we would expect, and I would agree with that.
“I mean his team selection Slot would be questionable in my opinion. No Gakpo on the left in the first half. It was so narrow. Florian Wirtz, unfortunately, at this moment in time, hasn’t got to the level that we expected, and I’m a big fan.
“He cost an awful lot of money. He’s still very, very young, and we know how demanding the Premier League can be. But it was just the fact that when I saw the team sheet and there was no Gakpo. They were so tight. It was so compact, and there was I mean, it was pretty easy for Crystal Palace to get down that right-hand side under Munoz.”
Florian Wirtz is struggling with Premier League physicality
Palace had found success down that side, and maybe the introduction of a winger could have meant more cover down that side, which lacked from the overload in the midfield.
Wirtz is no doubt a talented player who will eventually be a fantastic player, although at the moment, it is not only the pace of the league that he is struggling with, but also the physicality.
When you watch the young German, he is easily dispossessed by the opposition and loses the ball too often, causing some issues that lead to counterattacks.
Against Oliver Glasner’s side, he lost the majority of his ground duels (four out of six) and lost possession 10 times during the game, which is not what fans would expect from a midfielder at this level.
The 22-year-old does need time to get used to everything, but putting him in countless different positions instead of letting him get comfortable in his natural number 10 role will not help matters.
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