When the teamsheet dropped, there was debate.
Should Liverpool prioritise control or attacking flair?
Should midfield balance come before forward rotation?
In the end, Arne Slot made two key calls that proved decisive: starting Joe Gomez at right-back and restoring Dominik Szoboszlai to his natural midfield role.
Both decisions brought something Liverpool have lacked at times this season — structure.
Gomez at Right-Back: Defensive First, and It Showed
Gomez is a natural defender.
Not an inverted midfielder.
Not a hybrid playmaker.
A defender.
And that mattered.
Against West Ham United, Liverpool needed someone who would:
Defend transitions properly Win first duels Protect the back post Stay positionally disciplined
Gomez did exactly that.
It allowed the centre-backs to hold their shape and gave Liverpool more security when possession was lost.
Sometimes the smartest tactical move isn’t flashy — it’s logical.
Szoboszlai in Midfield: Energy, Drive, Balance
Moving Szoboszlai back into midfield immediately improved Liverpool’s structure.
He’s at his best when:
Driving forward from deeper areas Pressing aggressively Linking defence and attack Arriving late in the box
When used higher up or wider, some of that influence gets diluted.
In midfield, he impacts the game constantly.
His energy lifted the tempo. His movement created angles. His pressing helped disrupt West Ham’s rhythm.
That’s where he belongs.
Control Through Profiles
This wasn’t about individuals playing brilliantly.
It was about profile balance.
A natural defender at full-back A natural midfielder in midfield
It sounds simple. But when roles are clear, performance levels stabilise.
Slot recognised what the game required and adjusted accordingly.
A Sign of Tactical Growth
It’s easy to criticise managers when things don’t work.
It’s just as important to acknowledge when they do.
Slot read the game correctly before a ball was kicked.
He prioritised balance over experimentation.
And Liverpool looked more structurally sound because of it.
Final Thought
Liverpool may still have areas to improve — especially in midfield control — but on this occasion, the setup made sense.
Gomez brought defensive security.
Szoboszlai brought midfield energy.
Sometimes getting it right isn’t complicated.
It’s about putting players where they are naturally strongest.
And this time, Slot did exactly that.
If you want, I can also give you a more debate-driven headline option to push engagement higher.
Jamie (The Kopite View)
The Kopite View 
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