Sometimes statistics tell you things you already suspected. Other times they highlight something that is easy to miss when you are simply watching Liverpool every week.
WhoScored’s latest statistical profile of Liverpool is interesting because the strengths are pretty much what I would expect from this team.
The weaknesses are where it gets more intriguing.
According to WhoScored, Liverpool’s biggest strengths include creating chances with through balls, defending set pieces, coming back from losing positions, finishing chances, attacking down the wings, creating long-shot opportunities, protecting a lead, winning the ball back and competing in aerial duels.
That is quite a list.
And when I look at Liverpool under Andoni Iraola, quite a lot of it makes sense.
The through-ball statistic particularly interests me. Iraola wants Liverpool to play forward and attack with purpose, rather than simply moving the ball around for the sake of possession. When Liverpool find the right pass through the lines, there is enough pace and movement in the team to cause serious problems.
The wide attacking strength also makes sense.
Liverpool have players capable of stretching teams and attacking from different areas. Milos Kerkez can provide width from the left, while the right side has offered plenty of attacking threat depending on who Iraola uses there. Add players such as Cody Gakpo, Florian Wirtz, Bradley Barcola and Alexander Isak into the equation and there is certainly no shortage of attacking talent.
Finishing chances is another encouraging one.
Liverpool have spent a lot of money rebuilding their attack and, even though I still don’t think everything has clicked yet, there are players in this squad who can punish teams when opportunities arrive.
Isak is probably the obvious example. He doesn’t need five chances to score a goal. Give him the right opportunity and he can finish it.
Then there is the less glamorous side of the game.
WhoScored has Liverpool down as strong at defending set pieces and in aerial duels, and that is something I think has become increasingly noticeable. Virgil van Dijk remains one of the most important players in that department, while Jérémy Jacquet and Ronald Araújo give Liverpool plenty of physical presence.
For all the criticism Liverpool have received at different times this season, the defence has become a much more reliable part of the team.
And protecting a lead is important too.
It sounds obvious, but it wasn’t always something Liverpool could be trusted to do last season. There were too many occasions when a comfortable position suddenly became uncomfortable.
This Liverpool side looks more capable of managing games once they get their noses in front.
The other strength that caught my eye was coming back from losing positions.
That tells you something about the mentality in the squad. Liverpool aren’t necessarily going to dominate every match from start to finish, and Iraola is still trying to establish exactly how he wants this team to play. Being able to respond after conceding is therefore valuable.
But then we get to the two weaknesses.
Avoiding offside.
Liverpool apparently have a problem with it.
I can’t say I’m shocked.
There have already been plenty of occasions when Liverpool have got themselves into promising positions only for the flag to go up. Sometimes it is fine margins, but there is a difference between making aggressive runs and constantly giving the opposition an easy way out.
With the quality Liverpool have in the final third, they don’t need to make life harder for themselves.
The bigger concern for me, though, is the second weakness:
Defending counter-attacks.
That one deserves attention.
Opta previously highlighted Liverpool’s vulnerability when opponents break quickly, noting that Newcastle had repeatedly exposed the space between Liverpool’s midfield and defence. (Opta Analyst)
It is also one of the natural risks of the way Iraola wants his team to play.
Liverpool want to attack. They want players forward. They want their full-backs involved. They want to win the ball high up the pitch.
Brilliant when it works.
Dangerous when it doesn’t.
Lose possession with too many players ahead of the ball and suddenly Van Dijk, Jacquet or Araújo can find themselves defending a huge amount of space.
That is probably the area I would be watching most closely as the season develops.
Because Liverpool’s other characteristics suggest there is plenty to like.
They can create through balls. They can attack from wide areas. They can finish. They can win aerial battles. They can defend set pieces. They can recover from losing positions and protect a lead.
Those are useful foundations.
The challenge for Iraola is making sure Liverpool’s attacking ambition doesn’t leave the back door open.
And if he can improve that one part of the team’s game, while also getting the players to time those forward runs a little better, I think Liverpool could become a very awkward team for opponents to deal with.
WhoScored’s numbers don’t tell the whole story.
But they certainly give us plenty to talk about.
Jamie (The Kopite View)
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