How did Liverpool get so good so quickly?

[@TheAthleticFC]

Hello! The Tifo Football Podcast is available on The Athletic: www.nytimes.com/athletic/podcast/197-the-tifo-football-podcast/ Also available on all the aural sensation delivery platforms out there (Apple, Spotify, etc.).

[@FPL_Frost]

Bring back The Bull.

[@GranblueEnjoyer]

😃 W

[@djorgen]

Video version please :D

[@Dutchfr1908-d3d]

james said no knew liverpool would do this good this is not true. All Feyenoord fans already knew and said it beforehand.

[@darkidz24]

THE PODCAST IS BACK!!!

[@alpacino5466]

No one really gives credit to liverpool last season. We were top at Christmas and New Years. Then we had a whopping 11 PLAYERS INJURED. Chelsea were called the Blue Billion Pound bottlejobs because they lost to Liverpool's kids. The reason Klopp had to play kids in the CUP FINAL is because we had 11 FIRST TEAM players injured. City have Rodri out for a while and they can't stop complaining about it. We had a whole first team out for a huge part of the season. SMH, nobody gives Liverpool any damn credit. I'm just tired of it.

[@jonathancampbell9133]

Relax - Liverpool don't want credit, we want trophies. We're not out of third gear yet and we're already 5 points clear. Performances are only going to improve too, as the squad gets to grips with Slot's tactics and players return from injury. Slot's already realised the power of anfield, as we saw in that second half against a very good Brighton side. We just ran right through them and tactics be damned, until we took the lead and throttled back. City are lost without rodri and their squad's looking old now, while arsenal's toxic fanbase is already in meltdown. If Liverpool have a good November, both their rivals could implode before Xmas.

[@alpacino5466]

@@jonathancampbell9133 its just that bald guy has a history of discrediting liverpool. must be a united fan.

[@crisis_za6491]

City have 13 players out atm mate rodri is just coincidencentaly the most important

[@alpacino5466]

@@crisis_za6491 liverpool had 11 first team players. thats the difference

[@greengrass811]

@@jonathancampbell9133 If Slot plays elliot as a no 10 instead of that hungarian bloke . I think that could bring Liverpool to the next level . Elliot looks like a really special player his first touch , close control , vision, and his ability to unlock a defence and eye for goal . What i really love about him is those quick changes in direction when he runs with the ball . I am not a Liverpool fan but I love watching him play.

[@raoulthimothy]

Jon is misinterpreting Slots comments. He's not saying he's fine with the press being broken (i.e happy to get away with it). He was just turning the question into a positive. He consistently talks about how important the high press is, so he is surely focused on improving it.

[@TheAmazingKoki]

Jon's complaint is basically "He's gotten away with it, he shouldn't be content", while Slot's comment is pretty much "We've gotten away with it, we shouldn't be content". Just with the addition that you should always celebrate your successes.

[@sjolson68]

Of course he is misinterpreting it, it's Liverpool.

[@patrickmorris3721]

Guys don’t forget about getting away with 9 point head start without any other team even notice it us 🥊😂🔥🎪🥊🔥😂 When he pulled up the charts EGD. Think he was using USA election charts 🥊😂👍😂

[@nelsonang]

to use his stupid analogy of walking onto the road blindfolded, Slot is saying once in the middle of the road, the blindfold quickly came off…

[@rushpan93]

Also apparently the 19-20 season was Covid year but 20-21 was just a "weird" year

[@azeemkhan1066]

Jon talking about Liverpool through gritted teeth as always

[@ManUtd-Gerrard]

Liverpool were already strong last season, but injuries and Klopp leaving shook things up. People forget the squad is still full of talent. Slot didn't change everything; he made small tweaks. Klopp’s style was all about high energy..pressing hard and attacking quickly. Slot, on the other hand, has slowed things down, focusing on patient, controlled play. But he still lets the team go *full Klopp mode* when they need a quick goal. The main tactical shift Slot introduced is in the midfield. Instead of Klopp’s one number 6 and two box-to-box 8s, Slot uses two deep-lying 6s and one attacking 10, making Liverpool more defensively solid. This makes Liverpool more solid defensively. He also prefers a slower build-up rather than Klopp's fast transitions. What’s smart about Slot is that he didn’t completely abandon Klopp’s old way of playing. Liverpool still press hard when it’s needed..like Salah’s great goal against Brighton. Slot trusts his players to know when to switch between quick counters and patient build-up, mixing the best of both styles. This squad, with 7-8 international captains, is still underrated. Players like Gakpo, Diaz, Gravenberch, and Jones are shining under Slot’s management. Basically resulting in A strong, hard-to-beat Liverpool that combines Klopp’s intensity with Slot’s tactical calmness...

[@hcamp74]

@@ManUtd-Gerrardwhat is your profile... I feel cursed 😳

[@rosco3866]

You said the same thing about 3 or 4 times. You said the same thing

[@nonnayoubuzinnes1669]

Klopp is a better manager than Slot with 13 trophies. Stop talking cr*p and making out Slot is superior, he wasn't even our first choice to replace Klopp. Klopp took us over when we were 10th and had to rebuild. He has the highest win rate of any Liverpool manager and but for corruption would have 3 PL titles to add to the 2 he got in Germany. We have had 4 or 5 injuries already under Slot, most of the injuries last season were impact ones or done on international duty. VAR did for us as well.

[@hcamp74]

@@nonnayoubuzinnes1669 agreed. Hard to win when Klopp had no money to improve his squad like Guardiola. We had a bunch of kids win the league cup last year because of injuries and no overall squad investment. FSG only broke the bank when the older guys had been run to the ground. If FSG don't squad build I can see the same happening in 3-4 years. This is the reason why Klopp got worn out. It's hard pushing sh*t uphill, even for a generational manager like our Kloppo.

[@HansKazan-f9t]

You dont understand brother…. Its not that you can Come in and it Will be good just because Klopp did Well also. That a really stupid way to think of things dont you think? Utd would be top4 with slot no doubt.

[@ironicvirus1496]

Good to see Alex getting a chance to do this, impressed by his shorts

[@GlynnParry-bs6xg]

Errr...😅

[@tequila_tibbs7938]

He likes whats in his shorts. Very nice

[@DafWilliams1]

One day Jon will tell us of whatever LFC experience is haunting him - For years now he has seemed to have a vendetta against them

[@talisa222]

The Tifo Podcasts are the absolute business but as a Liverpool fan Jon’s angst whenever he has to analyze Liverpool or say anything positive is so funny. One day I hope they ask him to talk about it.

[@sjolson68]

@@talisa222 It's by design now as they always get engagements from Liverpool supporters because they keep pushing the nonsense narratives and provide cherry-picked "analysis" to rationalise it.

[@cjf7364]

Victim FC

[@liverbot4854]

@@cjf7364 This isn't an Arsenal video, mate.

[@antonio_curtis]

It is amusing that Jon here is saying that the rest of the league is worse compared to Liverpool, while on your sister channel the topic of the latest Athletic FC Podcast is ""Why the Premier League is stronger than ever"

[@Do27gg]

Agendas will agend

[@mkuehter12]

Downplaying Liverpool while promoting the Prem. 🙌England.

[@stavenid]

I think you make a good point but both points can be true depending on the part of the league you mean, Arsenal and City are definitely worse this year than last. But the 10th to 4th teams are a lot stronger this year

[@jaysmith2858]

Those that trott out that "the league isn't that good this year" line usually do so because their team isn't doing well and/or they dislike the team or teams that is/are doing well.

[@mkf628]

both can be true, not mutually exclusive

[@weownnoobs123]

I appreciate Jon's comments on perhaps the teams being so bad is the reason why Liverpool are ahead, but I think that could be flipped. I think the premier league teams, particularly mid table teams and even relegation contenders are stronger than ever before. I think that could be a reason as to why Liverpools Xgd is fairly low. Whilst I do think there has been very slight drop offs from Man City and Arsenal, I'd contribute that more to the increasing competitiveness of the league rather than their own downfall, and I believe slot has made this team still a dominant team against very tough sides

[@leeshields1516]

Yeah so agreed. Everyone always thinks it means a drop off from dominant teams but never take in the bigger picture of other teams. Superiority complex

[@GlynnParry-bs6xg]

Good call and analysis. I feel a point was missed by the Athletic though, in that Liverpool are actually making the opposition they play, worse. The frustration and pressing traps are forcing teams to play through routes they don't want to, and it exposes opposition build up.

[@weownnoobs123]

@ great point. I think that's what Slots comment was getting at when he mentioned how, while yes the opposition may surpass our initial press, they're still in an unfavourable position as they've built up into an area that isn't necessarily threatening due to that initial press AND they now have to somehow beat a back line which has arguably been the most defensively dominant this season

[@javorgeorgiev6130]

It's all factors together. The league is getting harder and top teams are also slipping. The high press is getting tested and beaten more and more, so having these expensive high pressing squads is no longer a secure recipe for total domination. Teams outside the top 3 now have keepers and defenders competent on the ball. You can't look as the same juggernauts when you're not pressing only Pickfords and De Geas. Football is evolving past teams being "direct" or "short passing". It's now about where the space is no matter if it's close or far. Barcelona isn't the only example, but the easiest to give. "Staying compact" no longer means you're impenetrable. It means you're also vulnerable wide and teams can hit that switch of play a lot better. When you spread out to cover more ground the same team can also pass in quick combinations and carry the ball. There is no "one tricking" it to the same degree as before. "Forcing" play wide doesn't mean you're defending against poor crosses on a prayer with your far stronger expensive top 3 world level center backs. Half space throughballs and cutbacks inside the box will ruin you.

[@oliverthompson9922]

If we finish with over 90 points, no one can claim it's because Arsenal and City have been poor.

[@eishanmishra7171]

Some way to misinterpret what Slot said and then criticize him for it. Incredible analysis, Jon.

[@thomasjohannessen7525]

Jon really doesn't want to give Liverpool or Slot any credit at all

[@MrBrasserie]

"They're best in all stats but it's just luck"

[@isaacboshin1292]

BRO THE GUY IS GIVING YOU ANALYSIS FROM ALL ANGLES AM A KOP AND I LIKE IT

[@wafflesjmr]

He’s always had a bias against Liverpool. I never heard him give them full credit. When they play well, he highlights the other team’s deficiencies or Liverpools area of improvement.

[@castropassion667]

​@@wafflesjmrCootes bf

[@somdutta7322]

@@wafflesjmr Absolutely, he always criticizes LFC. According to him Arsenal is “ellite”, when Arsenal hasn’t won anything under Arteta. 😂

[@timbolton5968]

People will create narratives to suit their agenda. 1. Liverpool will suffer a downturn once Klopp leaves. 2. OK Liverpool have started well but haven't played anyone good yet. 3. OK Liverpool are beating some good teams but were always going to be good with the squad that Klopp left. And if they win it, the narrative will be they only won it because Arsenal and City dropped off.

[@noahs68]

Something I don’t quite get is that many (not all but many) rival fans were saying “Liverpool are gonna drop off because klopp is the X factor and without him their average, thin squad falls apart”. Now Klopps walked out the door and an identical squad is top of the league under slot the season after, it’s like “it’s because slot inherited a great squad”. It’s like, make your mind up already!

[@sjolson68]

The narratives will pivot all the way and, if Liverpool don't win the league, it'll be "never a doubt" and they'll fabricate reasons borne of old narratives.

[@brzt4256]

Wow, people rationally change their mind when presented with new information, what a radical and controversial insight!

[@christiaancarstens4091]

Trying to understand people, that's a big job. Once spoke to guy trying to fix his broken Land Drover next to the road, in the conversation guy goes "Land Drovers never break down". Mental gymnastics is a sonovabitch.

[@kayemmee]

Keep them yapping in the echo chamber

[@LeonWagg]

Jesus Christ, the way that guy totally misinterpreted Slot’s quote is actually embarrassing. It's impossible to be 100% successful every time you do a high press. The point Slot was trying to make is that even though the opposition team might break Liverpool's high press, Liverpool's defensive system is still able to defend the mid and low block, limiting the opposition team to low-quality chances.

[@MrBrasserie]

He Had some terrible Liverpool takes

[@davecrawley4634]

He looks like a Tory.

[@oliverthompson9922]

Absolutely. If slot said they are beating our press but not scoring, he might have a point, but he said they aren't creating lots of chances, which can only mean we are defending adequately.

[@tkjp999]

Exactly. Biggest improvement from last season is our defensive transition. Quickly getting into a mid or low block was really effective against Chelsea. They can give up possession but handle any crosses easily and double up on the most dangerous players (Palmer or Saka in recent games). So getting clear shots on goal is still difficult

[@rushpan93]

@@tkjp999 But Jon did make the fair point that if teams beat our high press, in certain situations, like with Chelsea's equaliser, we are vulnerable. It's happened a few times this season when opposition centre backs have broken lines to get the ball into midfielders who can then turn. So, that's definitely something Slot is looking at.

[@alpacino5466]

I suppose everyone in the Champions League is playing poorly too, since we are top there as well.

[@nolanthompson5855]

the whole point is to analyze the team independent of results, anyone can go top of the table=good

[@alpacino5466]

@@nolanthompson5855 exactly. The bald guy has a history of bias against liverpool.

[@asada7484]

Tbf they are 😅… Madrid lost, City lost, Villa lost, Arsenal lost. It’s not been a good month for big teams.

[@Lahfo]

Even if all of those teams won their games in the Champions League this month, we would still be top (possibly joint-1st with Aston Villa). Shows how consistently good we’ve been.

[@machomano207]

Come on Jon… comparing xG differential for a team over an entire season to the xG differential of a team 11 games in?!? Then misinterpreting a Slot quote?!? Then saying Arsenal could win the league if the season started today? Crazy takes, brother

[@niklas3963]

Also the xGD if Liverpool this season isnt even that bad. Its only significantly worse than citys 17/18, 18/19, and 21/22 season. They had more than 93 points in those seasons. if you compare them to "normal" seasons they look ok.

[@sjolson68]

He only brought up xG difference because it suits his narrative in this example. It really tells you very little in any specific year eg. in 17-18, United finished 2nd on +0.4 xGD and 81 points which was lowest xGD out of the whole top 6.

[@sjolson68]

Who knew MacKenzie would effectively say "It's because the rest of the league is crap" as if Liverpool is Leicester in 2015. Wonder why no one is talking "Trent can't defend?". Well, because he's not being pushed forward by the system played under Slot. "Just wait till they play ______." Old narratives shelved, new narratives generated.

[@leolovetoparty]

well said

[@michthered6296]

💯

[@richfrench288]

Leicester had a magical season with great players at important positions. Not like they lacked talent, yes other teams weren’t great, but they didn’t completely lack talent either.

[@sjolson68]

@@richfrench288 My comment was not a shot at Leicester but an actual case where all the top 6 sides so grossly underperformed that Leicester were able to overperform long enough to win the title on 81 points and by 10 points over 2nd place Arsenal.

[@adivinci1]

I might be reading too much into this but we might be witnessing one more bald rivalry in this video itself

[@leeshields1516]

Why does Jon just hate Liverpool? Honestly never seen him say a good word about them without a caveat.

[@Do27gg]

Which ones Jon

[@ShowmethaMane]

@@Do27gg The one that tries to be funny in the middle by talking slow and wierd

[@Do27gg]

@@ShowmethaMane thought it was the bald one

[@youri6371]

That's Joe

[@rushpan93]

@@ShowmethaMane That's not Jon

[@michaelandrews117]

Think this is the third Liverpool focused video I've seen where Jon, who is usually pretty insightful with his analysis, comes across as misinterpreting/misrepresenting words and data about the club. And its really weird because I don't think I've ever seen him make such weird assumptions before because he's usually really sharp with his analysis.

[@CianMcsweeney]

He has some kind of personal problem with Liverpool and has for awhile

[@JackWhyte-c9e]

@@CianMcsweeneyI have noticed this, too. Any idea when or why it started? I can’t remember if he was always like this. And I’m a long-time viewer.

[@CianMcsweeney]

@@JackWhyte-c9e don't know either, could've always been there but it's gotten worse in the last 2 years

[@vgyxdr]

Most prob have to do with which epl club he support......or he had drip into coote's stash of snow bunnies

[@CianMcsweeney]

@@vgyxdr not an excuse though, Jamie Carragher is obviously massively biased towards Liverpool but he always objectively analyses rival teams imo

[@RobMullee]

Does Jon support United? Jerez like listening to Gary Neville.

[@odaily]

Can we say that Slot has found the balance that combines the Guardiola and Klopp styles of ball control and counter-attacking? It's just my thought.

[@deucese7en199]

no

[@lfc4hfc]

The ginger fella speaks very well. I am impressed with his analysis and his level of detail. Keep it up 👍🏽👍🏽

[@jackrenton973]

They didn't just "get good quickly" they've been dominating english football for the last decade if you take the cheats (115FC) out of the equation.

[@TheRuchirgupta]

Generally i agree with their analysis, but this time i feel it is a bit off. While considering historical data they are not considering how much better the premier league has become in general. Plus there is a certain bias that has been set but exceptional winners in last few years. You don't need to win by absolutely dominating each opponent, you need to be able to win close games. And thats what Liverpool is doing. The only challenge to predicting Liverpool winning the title is that they are not so dominant that it gives clear indicator that they will win. So it will be a fun watch to see who ends up at the top at the business end.

[@adamageli]

Jon Praise Liverpool Challenge (IMPOSSIBLE)

[@oronsayepaul6709]

The look on Mac Kenzie's face when he was been lectured about slots Liverpool is awesome 😅😊

[@zailkhalsa5261]

Liverpool fans won't start worrying until The Athletic says something positive about us.

[@papamurrth1]

To be fair to Liverpool, they did win a trophy last season, go far in the FA Cup, did okay in Europe only to be knocked out by Real Madrid, were top of the league for the most days last season, and actually finished on 82 points which is higher than some of the best Man Utd title winning teams. They won lots of games and hardly lost, they were a top 20 side in all football history by stats. They were already good. They're just continuing what they're doing.

[@jeewa7114]

We got to the quarters in the europa league and were knocked out by eventual winners atalanta

[@TriXuw27]

no, no, no... Klopp could not win more than did once... Slot made a minor but huge change. he turned the same team to a better balance , tactics and strategy

[@Do27gg]

You’re either a loser or a winner to the world

[@sevak1631]

God I love these videos. Anyway as a Liverpool supporter, maybe one thing to keep in mind about this team which the fans have been noticing since we are watching all the games, is that there is a clear restraint being shown not just at the end of games when Liverpool are leading, but throughout as well. This may give context for example to the Xg difference: I think Slot instructs the team to get a lead and focus on protecting it rather than going hell for leather, which is what Klopp used to encourage. I think that approach would result in more goals in both directions, but imo definitely more goals for, increasing the Xg difference, but also probably leading to more injuries in the long run and more tiredness in the legs throughout the season. So I am super curious to see how the team is performing in April for example, and how sharp the players are.

[@leolovetoparty]

well said - for example our xG against when we played Man U went up after we were leading 3-0 and dropped back. This is not a reflection on the game itself. The scoreline is a fairer reflection than the xG for each team. And look at the total goal difference so far 🤔

[@paulie-g]

@@leolovetoparty In more professional game models (with data not available to the general public), xG conceded is parametrised based on game state. In our case, it's fine if the other team runs up a high total xG when we're in the lead, especially if they run it up with a big volume of lower quality chances. Giving them the ball and making them come onto us when we're in the lead is just another way to create the transition moments we're most dangerous from.

[@leolovetoparty]

@@paulie-g 100%. That's more or less my point, and it feeds into not playing at 100mph all game. Slot is teaching the team how to preserve energy and I think this has the potential to turn us from also runs into champions. Never rule out City (or Real Madrid) tho...

[@paulie-g]

@@leolovetoparty It also has the chance to turn us into a bad copy of Man City. There's a reason why a lot of prominent/successful (recently) managers are all-in to the extreme on specific principles of play - it sets the character of the team and the baseline for performance. It's all well and good while the team still has Klopp's imprint on it, but that will dissipate over time. That's when we find out how good Slot really is, imo. With that said, despite my concerns about that and a few other things (like the drop in effectiveness of our press and the fact we appear to be showing the ball inside, or the fact we aren't scoring much from Slot's patient build-up), I have long suspected we are in need of tactical tweaks, a bit more pragmatism, flexibility based on opponent and game state, and possibly a new voice. Not a knock on Klopp/Lijnders, mind you, but in the modern era management regimes have a shelf life, particularly as Klopp couldn't credibly implement significant change after being so adamant about his core principles. Slot's in-game management has been the highlight for me so far. Despite concerns, I certainly have a lot of hope. In a much stronger league with our title rivals being inconsistent, what Slot is doing - if he suceeds - makes a lot of sense.

[@leolovetoparty]

@paulie-g I agree with pretty much everything you wrote. I think Slot has a much more risk averse attitude to pressing. At present we seem to press with the 3 attackers and no10. If the opposition beats the press we’re in a good position to defend with 6 well positioned defensive players. It’s very different to Klopp’s 100mph high octane hi risk/reward full on press. This is why we haven’t been conceding. The last few games have shown (me at least) that Slot is learning more about the team’s capabilities and how the team and crowd dynamic can essentially win games. We missed this and we missed the intensity against Nottingham Forrest. I think and hope we’ll see this as some sort of secret weapon as and when we need it esp at Anfield. It’s way too early to judge Slot and it’s way too early for his tactics to come into full effect. I see nothing to make me feel nervous - much the opposite - if anything, the past couple of years under Klopp have not been easy on the old heart rate. Conceding the 1st goal and having to come back on so many occasions knackered the players physically and mentally last season. I genuinely believe we have a better chance to win things this season and I’m keeping my fingers crossed.

[@kwisatzhaderach9087]

We got 82 points last season and we're top at Christmas & won silverware. We have gotten even better not just good.

[@InstigatorDJ]

How on planet Earth is Mo Salah STILL not nominated for the Ballon, gentlemen????? Is it racism??

[@NatalieLawrence]

Yes. Yes, it is.

[@Jack-nr1nn]

This year might be his year, he was off a bit last year and previously just completely outshone by others, as good as he’s been

[@zulkifliebinjaffar.zulkifl9337]

Obviously.....and add Favorism n Corrupt....😢

[@talisa222]

@NatalieLawrence 🙄🙄 I suppose you also think it’s racism that he wasn’t on the shortlist for this year’s top African footballers? Must be cause of his skin color right? Salah is just underrated , period. There’s something wrong with his branding I guess.

[@Gadeberg90]

@@Jack-nr1nn You can't tell me he wasn't in top 30 any of the past 3-4 seasons.

[@Konszky]

Jon Mackenzie has got it backwards. Neither of the top teams is WORSE than before. The League is MORE COMPETITIVE, making it harder to create and score. These parameters change and fluctuate up and down, season to season. Things are influenced by a couple of key things like form, roles on the pitch, new signings, adapting to new tactics, injuries, new managers, etc. Liverpool is creating fewer chances now because they have a new manager with new ideas, the top 6 is getting stronger, AND the whole league is stronger, making it harder to break through. If you put away your biased glasses, Jon, it's quite easy to see.

[@lamuerte8687]

Liverpool have always been good under Klopp bar a couple of seasons. Last season was no exception, they were doing well until Christmas and then had the terrible run with injuries. They have very very good players in each position. Their attack is better than anyone's, just look at the attacking depth. Slot and his team of coaches have been super smart with his team, realized very early that he inherited an excellent squad of players and tweaked a few things to get them going. Results so far have been convincing and they look a very solid team heading for trophies this season.

[@oliverthompson9922]

The motorway analogy doesnt work, because Slot talks about chances, not goals. If we aren't conceding chances it means we are defending adequately to stop them, despite them beating the press, which means it has nothing to do with luck.

[@bogawa]

liverpool now are smart, and still explosive when needed, amazing stamina as always too. their wingbacks not even need to help attacking anymore now because of szobo really playing like crazy engine, ryan can do forward run like glider, jones can move the team forward with the no ball movement, amazing!

[@jamesvictor6682]

Alex Barker "Top of his class at the Athletic's daycare"😂😂😂💀

[@jamesvictor6682]

Continued watching then saw: Jon Mackenzie "Headmaster of the Athletic's daycare"😂😂😂😂💀

[@nimay13]

No disrespect to Slot, but Klopp did say he wanted to leave the club with a good foundation so that his successor could thrive. He did exactly that. That's why Liverpool just didn't feel any transitional period.

[@fknoa]

These aren’t Lego sets. You can’t just slot the pieces together in any configuration. Players need to be willing to commit and work as a team. If they place me in that position, I know the team will be battling to avoid relegation.

[@madeovstarstuff]

Correct. ​Winning over the players with a playing style and system ​that brings the best out of them was key to any succession and Slott has managed just that. Almost seamlessly @@fknoa

[@YoungMulaBaby808]

Hear what you’re saying but Slot has done miracles since coming in, perfect balance of change and keeping what already works. Gravenberch has been a revelation and fixed our previous huge issue of not being able to play through the middle, we’ve also stopped trying to make the buildup all about Trent and that’s allowed Salah to flourished more

[@timmy5876]

Basically we now have Gravenberch on form and playing comfortably and we attack in a more controlled way. Most of the goals we conceded last year came from us pressing too hard leaving gaps or us getting counter attacked, when we attack slowly pushing players up the pitch if we lose possession there’s no as many gaps as before for them to play through. Of course we still break fast like for both the goals vs villa but that’s mainly the front 3 and one midfielder, everyone else gets back into shape

[@YoungMulaBaby808]

Yup Slot fixed an issue we had for multiple years under Klopp instantly by moving 1 player and gets 0 credit for it. He’s also better at utilising Salah and less reliance on full backs giving us more numbers in defence

[@timmy5876]

@ tbf until last season our midfielders weren’t creative at all so we needed trent and robbo to create cus henderson and wijnaldum aren’t exactly de bruyne but i kinda get ur point. It’s just a different system tbh and different players benefit or lose out depending on the system. Thankfully more players have benefitted from it but i think mac allister hasn’t looked amazing so far compared to last seasons standards

[@YoungMulaBaby808]

@@timmy5876 We bought Thiago to try and solve that issue after the 19/20 season. Teams were getting wise to our style of play and forced us to play through the middle. Watford 3-0 game was the start of that shame Thiago could never get going properly

[@timmy5876]

@ ye and he never played consistently sadly so our fullbacks were still needed to create

[@alphazero5421]

It's all because of the brilliant man Jurgen Klopp. The team he has built not only for himself but for a future manager to come in and take over is incredible! It's as simple as that, Klopp is a genius! All Arne Slot needs to do is implement his tactics, which he has done fantastically so far, it does also help when the players he has adopted are very world class and very in form right now!

[@asrarshafi9054]

The best thing about Liverpool this season is that they can play very direct and aslo take their time building up. So they don't get stuck when their build up doesn't work.

[@leolovetoparty]

I thoroughly enjoyed your video. As a LFC supporter I've seen us lose to City by the odd point too many times, to consider Liverpool favourites. Man City are serial winners and I fully expect them to go on another mad run in the new year. We also don't know (as pointed out in the video) how well LFC will perform in the 2nd half of the season. You pointed out one difference between Klopp and Slot (i.e. the risk averse-ness), however, one thing you didn't mention is that Slot's style of play is less demanding on the players, so, in theory *should* result in fewer injuries. Lest we forget that LFC were top with 10 odd games to go last season, and fell off a cliff as the players were knackered physically and mentally. I can't see this happening to the same degree this season. Finally, if LFC beat Soton and Man City in their next 2 games, and put 8 points between themselves and City, I would then make them favourites. But write off Man City at your peril...

[@johnprince5931]

Injuries aside, Liverpool were title contenders last year. Why is it so hard to understand how they are up there again?

[@andrewwright4195]

Because people wanted liverpool to fall off so it no top 4 now it not played anyone now it arsenal had injuries and city are tired and injured

[@lukesanders4623]

Always enjoyed this cast but the latest versions have really leveled up. Keep it goin gents!

[@mohammedvachhiat4233]

Got trent to stay put in defence and not leave a big hole in the defence helped a lot

[@WaniZame]

John talks so much nonsense. He just loves glazing Pep and City and doesn’t want anything to change.

[@jaysmith2858]

He probably gets well treated whenever he visits the Emptihad. Gotta kiss the hand that feeds him.

[@barnaclefelching4079]

Chuckie really grew up to be an excellent football analysist, bravo

[@barnaclefelching4079]

The strength in depth is astonishing, almost on the sly, we only got Chiesa and we didn't have to, we just wanted to. The control we have shown in the game, the mentality whenever they've conceded is incredible, scary for opposition. It's like water off a ducks back. I'd absolutely hate to play us

[@fillipe4700]

You folk make my morning better. Thank you!

[@nigl2807]

I appreciate how Man City failed to reinforce in past summer (bringing back Gundogan really?) and their current issues, and Arsenal fell over when Odegaard got injured so early on (why havent they got a good backup?), but Liverpool can only play who they play and Slot has done a pretty good job with a solid to very good squad in his first season. You guys forgot to mention he does clearly adjust his tactic's and use of subs when he sees things aren't going right especially in first halves of games where he is feeling opposition teams out (Chelsea game case in point). I do realise there is a lot of improvements to be made not only with attacking set pieces but the front four press is bypassed so easily at times and certain struggles at times with low block (Szobo\s short passing has been pretty bad/ordinary although Slot uses him more of a defensive no.10 than creative one like Harvey - many of us fans clearly surprised he is yet to be used more but i guess the defensive press up front is a bit more important right now).

[@DjokerFan]

I think Harvey was injured

[@Do27gg]

Could say city only won because of our injuries 🤷🏽‍♂️ you only win leagues when things go your way

[@andrewwright4195]

Facts 21 city won the league because of no center backs ​@@Do27gg

[@sahafhussain6751]

Why are you surprised Harvey is not involved more? He is injured ffs

[@JuT11]

"After 10 games you generally have a good idea of where every team is going to finish at the end of the season, unless Liverpool are top of the league, in which case it means absolutely nothing." Jon Mackenzie, probably

[@InstigatorDJ]

The whole game Chelsea had 2 shots on target. Doesnt matter what they did and how they penetrated. TWO SHOTS ON TARGET THE ENTIRE GAME. Id say Liverpool played Chelsea.

[@paulie-g]

I mean, Klopp played his insane high press leaving his 2 CBs naked with huge space in front of them *for years*, basically betting that a) VVD + A.N. Other would be good enough to defend that most of the time and b) the press would create more chances at the other end. The fact Slot seems happy to sometimes have his back line 4 vs 4 with the rest outworking the opposition to get back in doesn't seem anywhere near as much of a gamble in comparison. And so it has proved so far, proven with various micro metrics around chances conceded, and with far less game to game variance, while also not being at full tilt all the time and most big injuries this season being contact rather than muscular.

[@InstigatorDJ]

This is awesome. Never thought of the riskfree wide plays. Its very clever. Slot makes teams work twice as hard to get anywhere.

[@adam-yk6yd]

Joe Devine is the 🐐 of footy podcast hosting - The ending made my laugh out loud 35:22 😂 great work from all involved 👍👍

[@idw9159]

such top analysts but who fail to see that DxG is also a feature of the opposition - & rest of the league has got quite a lot better; in past man city capable of running riot some days; winning the title is about getting the most points so key for lfc this season is really performing against man city and arsenal; as a reds supporter i honestly find them hard work to watch sometimes, but the silly give away goals against run of play have dried up & that's not only due to better shape, but relaxing the high press, & keeping taa home at rb where he is supposed to be

[@agushi2794]

Alex, the impact sub

[@GlynnParry-bs6xg]

The Gravenberch metamorph has been massive. The ability to play to a '6' who can break a press and play/drive is almost unheard of, and opens up so many options in how to progress and hit spaces between lines. The weakness is how to cover him? Such a unique profile, he definitely cant play 60 plus games.

[@AIIXIII0]

Wasn't Kante like that or he didn't do it as often?

[@GlynnParry-bs6xg]

@AIIXIII0 Can see why you say that. He certainly drove from deep, and drive was a key part of his game. He never was very smooth or fluid under pressure though, his technique let him down a bit, or he didn't trust it enough. Grav reminds me of Rikjaard with a touch of R.Guilt in his technique to turn.

[@JabbarTV1]

Endo can do the opposite, break play but less on the drive forward, could rest him whenever game isn't high profile

[@GlynnParry-bs6xg]

@@JabbarTV1 Agree, but substantially changes the build up and out play. In a game where we're not pressed or play a higher line of suggest?

[@vendexa5840]

Moussa Dembele, Busquets

[@indexpictures]

best analysis of any outlet on Slot so far, but worth remembering liverpool are at 40% right now. good coaches improve teams & we expect it to take 18 months to fully implement for even the most elite. their defensive basis is so good & is the biggest departure from Klopp: a willingness to get everyone back behind the ball & make blocks the xG differential massively misrepresents 19/20 because everyone who watched those games knows that lfc team was laughably dominant despite often winning by one goal margins. they managed gamestate incredibly that year which led to to 26W1D from their first 27 games. it wasnt luck even when they won it late vs ie. Villa, they consciously attacked less (Salah's worst league season for goals) to be near flawless defensively until the last 11 games where they eased up

[@Td101_31]

Good assessment of LFC season. I have read several reds fans saying the points shown are unfair, but I ask all fellow Liverpool fans if despite the good results have they not seen the many areas where the opposition has dominated but made awful decisions. We can't continue to get away with it. I hope Arne addresses these issues.

[@nathanminer1100]

Slot has done an admirable job of reducing defensive risks by strategically reducing "needless" aggression. I would argue this also minimizes player fatigue, which is quietly contributing to the improve outomes. Fitness and depth are key to season-long success in the over-scheduled calendar of top teams

[@forgetfulLlama31]

HAHAHA omg Joe cracks me up.. check out that self-satisfied smirk 6:22

[@AbdulMuij08]

One of my favorite podcast has uploaded a new video & it’s about the club I support. I better grab my popcorn for the next 35 minutes

[@asparagusbrown]

Yess been waiting so long for this one..!

[@jhardworkpaysoff474]

A manager with good in game tactics also players have experience winning major trophies that are now leaders in the dressing room Utd fan since 2005

[@manuelbarros4898]

I always laugh at how Joe Devine will make a number of really simple comments and suddenly bring up a really critical point on how the tactics of the best teams function. Please keep him front and center, he’s a treasure!❤

[@Jim90117]

You guys forgetting last season? That was a Liverpool team that still racked up points and sat at the top of the table despite conceeding first in almost every game. Now that the issue of goals conceeded first hasn't been the same this season, you're seeing what we have now, a Liverpool team with 11 games played and just 6 goals conceeded with 5 points clear.

[@sahafhussain6751]

And still the 2 football experts in the podcast believes our “out of possession” metrics (which include defending mostly) not elite. If the team with best stats in the league is not elite then who the hell is😂

[@Gegota82]

I was at the stadium when they played Chelsea. I thought Liverpool restricted Cole Palmer's time on the ball really well. He did almost nothing in the game, and Liverpool won the game deservedly. the xG numbers are lower because we play more defensive, more controlled, so we are winning more games 1-0 rather than 3-0 or 4-0. so it might be a bit more boring, but we concede less which is great

[@loganme]

Nothing is better than this podcast.

[@leolovetoparty]

I would also love to see an analysis that compares the squad depth of each of the 3 title contenders. Liverpool literally have 2 players for each position (albeit one of them is Chiesa), so are arguably better equipped to deal with injuries than the other 2. Arsenal have been incredibly lucky with injuries the past 2 seasons and their squad depth has been found out this season - similarly with Man City. Having said that, I fully expect Man City to reinforce in Jan, and once their players are back fit, they will undoubtedly go on an all conquering run. I see it as a two horse race between LFC and MC.

[@neilpa]

There are no three title contenders. The title race is between Liverpool and VAR/PGMOL. Simple as that. No other side is involved.

[@MwilaCharles-d9p]

Jon's analysis is at 6s and 7s really. The guy just said will not count the 2019/20 season because Liverpool won it during covid.

[@aleksanderthorset235]

As a liverpool fan im baffled, weve been great since 2018, only exceptions has been major injuries to van dijk

[@tdyerwestfield]

What has been interesting in our build up is that we're building up in the wide areas but mainly on the left rather than through Alexander-Arnold, which is why Tsimikas has become first choice at left back as he's better in the pass whereas Robertson looks to break and carry the ball which isn't what Slot wants.

[@NeilMalthus]

The manager inherited a brilliant squad. And then he did his own thing, and in doing so the players look just as happy as they were under Klopp. Gravenberch found his mojo early in the season to give the club an extra spring in its step. (Klopp couldn't get him to settle so quickly.)

[@iaincphotography6051]

I can see the players at Liverpool not being as tired towards the end of this as they were last season. Also unlike some teams Liverpool are not spending huge amounts of Money on transfers, maybe that will change come January. Top four is still the aim.

[@benbaker1737]

What a shocking video. Terrible analysis from Jon Mackenzie... totally misinterpreting Slots comments to such a degree it must be intentional. Which begs the question, why is he so biased against Liverpool and Slot? He has got history of this as well...do better

[@shredmaster2000]

podcast is back!

[@smaugballer7337]

These pods are use less

[@tdyerwestfield]

I didn't see a single Liverpool fan predicting even just a title challenge this season. Last season the objective was to get back into the top 4, this season with such sweeping change across the entire coaching staff, it was to retain the top 4 place and watching Arsenal and the 115ers battle it out.

[@ConfusedLynx]

TAA has been playing with a slight injury most of the season, peaking with his precautionary early sub last game. My guess is that this (paired with Elliott's injury and Chiesa's lack of adequate speed/condition) is a big part of why his performance has been a bit off, why Salah is given more responsibility on the right wing, why they've prioritised utilising the left wing so heavily, and why they've had a sub-par performance on set pieces. Trent is hard to replace, so unless he gets fit, they'll probably continue having some of these problems. Signing a player of his caliber on set pieces would help, maybe someone who could share minutes on the midfield with Gravenberch. Liverpool would be at big risk of losing their chances for the title if he gets injured.

[@simonrose594]

You can’t compare expected GD over a season with expected GD over 11 games. Start of the season will generally be more cagey and games tighter. Especially in the context of Liverpool having a new manager with a somewhat new style which still needs time to bed in. The key metric right now is goals against (or expected goals against if you must) - it’s the defensive tightening that has put Liverpool 5 points clear at this stage. Lest we forget that was also the difference in 19/20 when we won the league, a far more pragmatic approach from the start It’s easily forgotten also that last year was a transition season for Liverpool (more so than this). No one foresaw how quickly Fabinho would drop off, so the midfield rebuild had to happen sooner than expected. The players came in under Klopp; the style and tactics have been honed under Slot. *IF* we win the league this year it will be a two year project and both Klopp and Slot should take the credit

[@talcual2138]

Very interesting and professional. Eye opening to many, I am sure. But can I ask you to pronounce correctly "Gravenberch", admittedly a difficult Dutch last name, but still...he deserves to have his name to be pronounced correctly.

[@guffy2339]

The conversation of Slot vs Klopp is that Slot inherited a fantastic squad that had already geld into a comprehensive group. Klopp likely would be here too! Slot is a lot more patient in his game management and that's likely the difference. It will be interesting to see how he transitions his squad next season. Ten hag failed as he brought his Ajax success mould to Utd and it failed miserably. Slots evolution will be more interesting to observe as he goes through his contract.

[@ComradeOgilvy1984]

I agree. Klopp would have been similarly good. Liverpool was going strong until midfield injuries forced Klopp to overplay his remaining midfielders, and they got tired and heavy legs. As the formerly injured were eased back into playing more minutes, the energy level was just not there. There was a period of a few weeks where 5 of 8 midfielders were injured, and a significant spell where 4 of 8 were injured. We do not know well Slot will do if he is down to 3-4 senior midfielders for an extended period. It is reasonable to hope that Slot is less grinding on Liverpool players than Klopp, especially with a more stable defense means Liverpool is rarely finding themselves behind. goal. But we do not know.

[@Afterthoughtbtw]

It's crazy how the exact argument used by Jon to claim that the league has got worse actually is closer to proving* the exact opposite instead. He assumes that it is because Man City and Arsenal have suddenly become rubbish, as opposed to that the other teams have improved - which is actually far more likely. There is no plausible explanation for the claim that Man City and Arsenal have drastically regressed. Neither have had a serious injury crisis. (No... 1 important player doesn't count, guys.) Neither has seen an exodus of players, coaching staff, or manager. What we have seen is a revitalised Chelsea, a Brighton who look like they could be taking the next step in their footballing journey, a Nott'm Forest who have been vastly exceeding their expectations, clubs that have fallen off (like Man Utd, or Spurs) actually being punished for it by other clubs hungry to take their place. I'd go so far as to say that it is probably the strongest the (Premier) league has ever been. I use 'prove' advisedly here, as xG is really, really easy to misuse if you don't know what you are doing. A team which goes looking for more goals when a couple of goals up will be more likely to drop points, and yet also more likely to have a better xG difference. That is because the cost/benefit ratio vastly punishes that mentality - a 2 goal lead carelessly dropped by overcommitting can cost you points, whereas creating more opportunities in an already won game nets you more xG against teams that crumble under the onslaught. All you need is 1 comeback win in a season in order to negate all extra goal difference gained. The very stats Jon provides demonstrate how dubious this stat is as a metric if you don't take any other factors into account. That season that Liverpool won before Covid hit? (And it was pre-Covid - had they not taken a single point after that, they still would have won the league). Man City racked up lots of goals, but weren't in the title race after November. In comparison to other seasons (where their xG difference was lower, I might add) they were poor that season. Like I said, xG is really, really easy to misuse. Honestly, no analyst should use base xG anyway. No professional club worth its salt does - they use expanded versions, which don't rely on shot taking, but rather add a myriad of other factors (so if a forward miscontrols a ball when they have an open net in front of them and doesn't shoot, that still gets taken into account for example).

[@ComradeOgilvy1984]

I agree that xG is often overused. In Liverpool's title winning season, there were models put out by statistics wonks favoring Man City at the half way point, when common sense told everyone that Liverpool was not going to be caught up a month earlier. That team found a groove where they pushed hard when tied or down a goal, eased up some when up one goal, and conserved their energy when up two goals. To Liverpool haters and people drunk on a bad understanding of statistics, Klopp was "lucky" to win so many games by 1 goal. It was not luck, Looking at the breathtaking consistency before the covid break, one could make the argument it was the best club football seen in the history of the sport. They were literally on pace for 112 points on the table before covid knocked them out of their groove.

[@Turnthatbiglightoff]

He just changed the setup and style of play..utilised the players better..simple! Slot is a genius!

[@Qddregrets]

It's so funny to me how at 26:40 he keep waffling about how bad of a quote it is and not a reasonable thing to say from Slot as a person who sits in the sofa with a hoodie on and criticize a PL manager top of the table

[@RawFishHeader]

People seem to forget the injuries that Liverpool have had. Happened a couple seasons ago where they wrote us off cus we struggled to get top 4 while completely forgetting that at one point we had to use Henderson and Fabinho as CB's. Then everyone was shocked when we won 2 trophies and nearly won the PL and CL. Same here, last season we still won the League cup with kids and still people think this Liverpool aren't good enough when fully fit

[@betselotaderaw83]

Love the host

[@subhasmusic]

Really enjoyed the jokes in this one 😂😂 great insights also

[@NrMaibam]

so good so quickly, liverpool has always been the title contenders in pl and champions league

[@saisunilmahakhud9543]

This is very beautiful analysis as a football fan but a scary one as a Liverpool fan. Please stop this😅. Great work.❤

[@davidmccallum3950]

The ginger lad's analysis is very good, but the bald man is just frequently contradicting him. Especially at 13:00 when he says Slot is prioitising goalscoring over stability when ginger lad was explaining why that WASN'T the case just before.

[@xerikl]

What a silly question, they were already good. The transition was last season with the complete midfield overhaul

[@21_fifa80]

Liverpool were already great, Klopp assembaled a great squad, rock solid defenders with goalkeepers (injury prone some of them), great midfield (except a destroyer), all-round attackers. 2 things let klopp's team was extreme high line and finding to create effective attacks against low block. Slot has changed a few things in defense, not having an obnoxious high line and not having the fullbacks obnoxiously high on the pitch all the time. The attack has not changed barring Luis DIAZ finishing getting better. This team still needs a few things to work out, who's the no. 10, szobo or curtis or someone else, what if Liverpool need a better defensive midfielder than Gravenberch, which could open the squad where Gravenberch can even play further up the field. Nunez and Jota do their jobs, but one can't finish regularly and another keeps getting injured. So another efficient no. 9 can take LFC to another level. Also the video shows, attackers pressing very high and two holding midfielder staying back. sometimes this situation can cause problems. Arne Slot can take the team to the next level, he needs more time.

[@oliverthompson9922]

Also. Im pretty sure that we woukd have a higher xg difference under Klopp because we often went behind and had to press for a goal, obviously also just a different style, Under Slot we are much more patient and seem to pick moments. Weve shown we are more than capable of pressing for a goal when needed, though.

[@DavidSmith-eh7rs]

Flawed question. Liverpool never really got bad. They are doing surprisingly well considering it would be normal to have seen a dropoff after a huge personality like Klopp goes, but they still have largely the same team that was quite competitive last year. Meanwhile City are clearly missing Rodri and Arsenal have suffered from self-inflicted disciplinary issues and injuries to a variety of key players. Let's see what happens the rest of the way...

[@ColonelVonPushUps]

Posch was once in an Arsenal sensible transfer video. Courtesy of Alex Stewart

[@moerocco775]

Why is dude with the glasses taking manager speak so seriously. You can't judge Slot's thoughts and intentions regarding any facet of his team simply by trying to interpret Slot's words. Worst thing is what the manager said was pretty generic and fairly vague so assuming Slot has decided to wing it from now on because Liverpool have had a good start is wild. He seems to be the kind of guy that looks for solutions and if he leaves something as it is then he's weighed the pros and cons carefully and has decided something may have vulnerability but is worth it overall.

[@winnerwinnerchickendinner-y4w]

33:50 Flawed logic in the sense that Liverpool are unlikely to continue to garner points at the rate they have thus far not least due to the pressure of being title favourites increasing as the season reaches its end.

[@aliverbirduponmychest3055]

What is exciting about the stability, composure and execution Slot has implemented in our team shape and structure enabling us to restrict goals and chances against us is it has been done literally from day one! If you look at his teams in Holland they displayed the same characteristics. But they also executed a quality and very efficient build up, high press and counter press leading to his teams also becoming free scoring goal machines. Ultimately I am excited by the fact there is plenty of room for improvement and evolution as his ideas and philosophies are coached into the squad and the player execute at the level this group of top quality players are capable of! The fact this analyst tells us it is not Liverpool doing well and performing well it is everyone else who are terrible.........REALLY??

[@actuallyoof76]

Missed the noti, came her after seeing a short and thinking when was this alex episode? then realizing it was this one. I may have missed it but you guys should link the full vid in shorts if you dont already

[@vivek16690]

If we are to win any major silverware, we need a new CF and a DM/CM. Gravenberch and salah are the reason why we are winning games and for whom we don't have any decent backup.

[@alpacino5466]

31:11 that one did count because most of the season was already over by the time everything had to close due to COVID. Liverpool were top without a competitor so maybe not the fairest comment there?