Manager says team must work on defending set-pieces
Arne Slot has dismissed suggestions that Liverpool have defensive issues after blowing several leads and conceding more goals this season than in the last.
Liverpool have conceded 12 goals in their opening nine games in all competitions this term, in comparison to the four they let in over the same period last season. They have also given away their lead five times in nine matches.
The club failed to sign a senior centre-back in the summer, the attempt to bring in Marc Guehi collapsing on deadline day. They have also replaced their famed full-back duo Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold, bringing in the less experienced Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong.
But Slot insists shutting out opponents is a collective effort.
“One of our strengths last season was keeping the other team away from our goal and normally that doesn’t start with your defenders,” Slot said.
“We’ve changed our full-backs, we’ve changed a bit more than our full-backs, but when I think about the goals we’ve conceded the first thing that comes to mind is not that the full-backs are a problem.
“It’s always a team performance. Last season we hardly conceded because 11 players worked incredibly hard to stop the other team having a chance.”
Slot pointed out that his side have also conceded goals because they have been very vulnerable in dead-ball situations. Last week against Crystal Palace, a game Liverpool lost 2-1 to see their perfect start to the league season come to an end, the champions conceded both goals from set-pieces.
“Look into more details, we’ve conceded four goals from set pieces this season,” said Slot.
“We have to prove in the upcoming games and months that we don’t normally concede from set pieces. It’s something we definitely have to improve. I see teams in the Premier League that win games by set pieces and we lose games by set pieces.
“More and more in football it is becoming a set-piece game. It is a style you see more and more, especially in the Premier League because you can do much more such as attack a goalkeeper or even touch a goalkeeper and it’s not a foul.”
