None of Thiago Alcântara, Joël Matip or Roberto Firmino started for Liverpool against Wolves and as a result the Reds had problems in their preparations.
Liverpool picked up three precious points on Wednesday night, beating Wolves 2-0 at Anfield. It was an important win but it didn't go smoothly because in the first half of the match it was dull and colorless.
The Reds faced specific problems building from the back against Molineux's side, with Wolves appearing disciplined and organized on the defensive side of the game. For most of the first 45 minutes, Jürgen Klopp's men failed to make progress in the bottom third of the pitch as the players frequently had to retreat towards goalkeeper Alisson Becker. It was a difficult tactical issue to solve for Liverpool, who ultimately resorted to a free-kick to break the deadlock after 73 minutes. Klopp's men looked particularly distressed without three goals. defense, with Thiago Alcântara and Joël Matip injured and Roberto Firmino on the bench.
All three players have established themselves as essential elements as Liverpool have tried to build from the back in recent years, with Thiago in particular seen as an expert when it comes to receiving the ball under pressure and bringing teammates close to goal. become more.
Last season, the Spaniard averaged 12.6 progressive passes every 90 minutes in the Premier League, putting him on another level with his peers. João Cancelo is second with 9.9 for 90, followed by Oleksandr Zinchenko, Rodri and Granit Xhaka. Matip also demonstrates a unique ability to build play, giving his teammates distinct advantages. During his time with England, the Cameroon defender was famous for his willingness to pass the ball away when undefended.
Photo by John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images
Photo by John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images
This is a quality that Liverpool have benefited from. Whenever he remains a free agent on his team, Matip is bold and dynamic enough to rush forward with the ball until the opponent is forced to leave their designated position to stop It.
Firmino is another bright spot whenever he is involved. The Brazilian is known for his ability to keep the ball under pressure, and Klopp has called him Liverpool's 'connector' in the past. On Wednesday night, however, Diogo Jota was brought in to take his place, with the Portuguese still looking tired from just returning from injury.
None of the three, valued at $66m (£55m/€62m) by Transfermarkt, started the game against Wolves, which forced Klopp to count on a Trent Alexander-Arnold who took the helm. much of the burden. From the first whistle, the Scouse right-back looked like the only player capable of exiting his half by beating his man or finding his way forward.
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The 24-year-old made more progressive passes than any other player on the pitch against Wolves, serving as a solution for Klopp's men throughout the game.
Alexander-Arnold has always been a master at moving the ball forward, but with Manchester United coming up this weekend, his team-mates need to help if Liverpool are to prepare.
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