Liverpool’s 0-0 draw with Las Palmas was quite the contrast from the friendly it immediately followed, but Arne Slot‘s style again caught the eye as Darwin Nunez misfired.
Liverpool 0-0 Las Palmas
Pre Season (5), Anfield
August 11, 2024
Nunez is a square peg in a round hole
With Diogo Jota purring earlier in the day, the pressure was on Nunez to show that he is worthy of a starting berth at Ipswich next Saturday.
The Uruguayan failed his audition, however, completing just 60 percent of his passes, according to FotMob, as well as losing possession eight times and failing to complete a dribble.
Nunez feels too chaotic for Slot’s more measured approach compared to Jurgen Klopp‘s, with subtlety not something you associate with him.
An offside goal ruled out during the first half was predictable and the 25-year-old should have opened the scoring after the break, fluffing his lines.
Nunez clearly has assets and could yet spark into life under Slot, who has spoken of his confidence in the Uruguayan slotting into his system, but more than ever he feels more like a square peg in a round hole.
If Jota is a sensible, mature footballer, Nunez remains a loose cannon who can go from outrageous to incompetent in the space of minutes. The obvious caveat here is that this is his first outing since coming back from his summer break.
‘Slotball’ catches the eye despite the vast changes
It was always going to be fascinating to see how Slot’s football compared to Klopp’s, and the early signs are exciting even if this second friendly was a damp squib.
Criticising the legendary German can feel like sacrilege but there was a risk to his play that would leave Liverpool exposed, particularly on the counter-attack.
We have seen throughout pre-season how Slot’s style differs, though, with far more patience in possession and fewer long passes on show.
But that’s not to say the football is dull.
Noticeable how Conor Bradley or Andy Robertson are often staying high and coming more central in build-up.
It's not every Liverpool attack but definitely something Robertson will have to learn. pic.twitter.com/2ppkiDtzJo
— Sam Millne (@sam_millne) August 11, 2024
Liverpool have played with purpose and pace all summer, not being afraid to play long balls when the time is right.
Against Las Palmas, it was interesting to see how Conor Bradley and Andy Robertson were positioned at times as inverted full-backs high up the pitch, making those key underlapping runs.
Heavy metal football was incredibly fun and ultimately brought a huge amount of success, but ‘Slotball’ should be less stressful and more controlled.
An unwanted reminder of the Covid era
Has anyone tried watching a game back from the 2020/21 season when grounds were empty due to COVID?
It’s not something we would wish on our own worst enemy.
The second of Sunday’s friendlies at Anfield felt eerily similar, with the tempo of the game painfully slow and the voices of the players far easier to hear.
And we even got the sight of Nat Phillips in a head bandage to complete the throwback!
Granted, it was interesting to hear Slot yelling at Harvey Elliott to “press,” but this simply didn’t feel like real football.
Quite why it had to be behind closed doors is up for debate, but this was the kind of game that nobody should be force to sit through.
Endo now firmly a squad player
Wataru Endo deservedly earned cult hero status last season, following a dogged first year in a Liverpool shirt, but his limitations were apparent.
At 31, the Japanese cannot be viewed as the solution at No. 6 – the Reds’ pursuit of Martin Zubimendi continues – and it looks as though Ryan Gravenberch is now ahead of him in the pecking order.
The Dutchman performed well in a double pivot alongside Alexis Mac Allister against Sevilla, and Endo has to be given a squad role this season.
His experience can make him an effective substitute, helping Liverpool manage games when they are ahead, and Slot would prefer to have him than sell him.
In fact, Endo being a squad player sums up the depth Klopp has left his successor with, which Slot noted when speaking about transfers post-match.
“I think as a club like we are, we’re always looking if we can strengthen the squad but it’s not too easy to strengthen the squad if you’ve seen both games today,” he said.
Not a bad second XI!
There was a time when even Liverpool’s first substitutes in a game felt weak – we’re looking at you, David N’Gog, sorry!
Having top-quality players to introduce against tiring legs can be priceless, and while Liverpool were flat against Las Palmas, their personnel was impressive.
The Reds’ second starting XI of the afternoon included Robertson, Conor Bradley, Ibrahima Konate, Curtis Jones, Harvey Elliott, Cody Gakpo, and Ben Doak among others.
Some of those may well start next Saturday, but either way, there is now an embarrassment of riches that should only stand Liverpool in good stead.
There is still time for new signings, too, with Zubimendi hopefully coming in along with another centre-back and wideman.
Life under Slot feels very promising as another campaign beckons.
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