Liverpool certainly looked back to their best with a vastly improved performance against Real Madrid, earning a deserved 1-0 win in the Champions League.
Post-match, Arne Slot was keen to point out that it was the manner of the performance, not just the result, that was impressive, especially given it arrived against a Madrid side 'in an unbelievable run of form' who had won 13 of their previous 14 matches.
Slot was right. The 2-0 Premier League win over Aston Villa was a vital improvement, but not an overly impressive performance. It was a stepping stone and contextually huge but in regular times - not in the midst of six defeats from seven games - nothing more than a very routine win.
Liverpool tactical shift helps deliver much-needed Real Madrid victory
But against Xabi Alonso’s side it was evident how much better Liverpool’s intensity was. The Reds were physically stronger, winning duels, outmuscling and out-running opponents. Players were more proactive and front-footed than they had been during their early season slump.
So what’s changed? Well, Slot has reverted back to the proven winning formula of last season.
Szoboszlai back as the No.10
First, Dominik Szoboszlai has been played where he is absolutely key to Liverpool, and especially their press: the No. 10 position.
Last May, Jurgen Klopp said how the Hungarian is, in his opinion, the “best pressing player in Europe right now.” But the Liverpool No. 8, who has clearly been the best player of the season so far, has featured at right-back, central midfield, and occasionally as the advanced midfielder.
Having Szoboszlai back as the No. 10 is one of the major reasons for the Reds' return to form.
This makes it all the more puzzling that Slot had moved him from that position in order to accommodate Florian Wirtz in the first place, something many observers had noted back when the German was signed.
Wirtz on the left
When Wirtz was signed, many expected him to be an almost like-for-like replacement for the departing Luis Diaz on the left. It’s the position that Wirtz mostly occupied for Bayer Leverkusen and Germany, but then came reports that Slot had promised him the more central, No. 10 role.
It seemed at odds with what had provided Liverpool with their platform for success; abandoning the midfield engine room that had been pivotal last season.
“Liverpool is an interesting example, when Wirtz had the choice between going to Bayern Munich or Liverpool, he said to Liverpool ‘I come to you if I play No. 10, I do not want to play wide,'” Arsene Wenger told Bein Sports' broadcast on Tuesday night. “Liverpool, to get him, they say ‘okay’. So they start him but they destroy their midfield.
“To play Wirtz they took Szoboszlai out [of the No. 10 position]. Against Aston Villa they come back to their normal midfield of last year.
“Tonight they play Wirtz, on the [left] side, because the manager has said if you want to play a game you have to play wide because I do not want to destroy the midfield. He [Wirtz] will have to play left where he was at Leverkusen.”
Wirtz was superb in that more suited role playing from the left, able to drift inside and influence play centrally still.
Wirtz (11.37km) and Szoboszlai (10.61km) covered the greatest distance of any two players on the pitch, providing the press that’s so vital for Slot’s side. Quite why the Dutch boss hadn’t sought that solution before facing Madrid is baffling.
Wirtz is also a huge upgrade on the ball than the rather one-dimensional and predictable Cody Gakpo.
Andy Robertson back in the team
It had reached the point where playing new signing Milos Kerkez every game was proving counterproductive for the youngster’s development.
After starting every league game so far, Slot finally dropped the Hungarian for Andy Robertson to get his first Premier League start of the campaign against Villa.
The Scot then kept his place against Real, and his experience and understanding alongside Virgil van Dijk proved to be a vast improvement.
Again, supporters will be baffled why it took so long to make what seemed like an obvious change for the better.
Formation and back to basics
By getting the band back together in midfield, playing Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister and Szoboszlai, Liverpool have a functioning unit that complements each other expertly in the heart of the team. As a result, the whole team is more balanced, with players understanding their roles.
But also, the last two fixtures have seen just one outfield new signing [Hugo Ekitike against Aston Villa] and two [Ekitike and Wirtz against Real Madrid] in the team. This makes the transition much easier.
Up until now, Slot had been seeking to introduce too many new signings at once, all while tweaking the setup in midfield and the roles of the full-backs - like changing the roof while installing a new foundation at the same time.
Mo Salah has repeatedly pointed at the new signings needing time to adapt. “I said at the beginning it is a very tricky season for us,” he said recently. “We have a few new players, very good signings, but they need time to adapt to the team and we lost a few good players as well. We just need time to adapt and know each other’s games and we will be fine.”
Perhaps now, Slot will allow the new signings time to adapt gradually, rather than forcing them into a team that was lacking cohesion.
