Rampant
They’ve gone and done it. The reds have surpassed Galatasaray, reaching the quarter finals of the Champions League. In the end, the performance could well be described as riot. 4–0 was the score, with every attacking move ending up in a serious assault on the Galatasaray goal. The fans were roaring; Arne Slot was at times fanatical. With the rest of the world watching, the storyline was being prepared; Liverpool lose so Arne Slot deserves to be sacked. After spending 400m last season, it’s unacceptable to lose to Galatasaray. This was meant to be the slip up that was to be catastrophised in the media if it came to be. On the other hand, if Liverpool won, the idea of a successful season lives on. As it turns out, Arne Slot and the players managed to turn the book to the right chapter with what can only determined as a rampant performance. Anyway, let’s have a look.
Ironically, the first 25 minutes presented another insight into the difficulties of achieving certain game scenarios. Fans often call for their team to play quicker, or be bolder in penetrating the oppositions defence when the enemy deploys a low block. Galatasaray played this card in typical fashion, 11 players behind the ball, long passes, emphasis on winning the second ball and an overall insistence on randomising the events of the game as much as possible.
Arne Slot and the crowd were quick to show their irritation at the Turkish team’s tactic to accumulate as many stoppages as possible. But for the most part, whenever Liverpool had the ball, it would be somewhere in Gala’s final third, trying to find its way into the net. The Turkish team often sunk back into a low block quickly once Liverpool were able to easily bypass their front duo of Osimhen and Sara. This was exhausted even further by the fact that the Nigerian played a large part of the first half with a fractured elbow, waning Galatasaray abilities to push Liverpool away from their goal, the Reds further sunk themselves into Galatasaray and almost exclusively play the game in their half, evidenced in their field tilt of 84.9%.
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Though they had ball-possession most of the time the betterment of chances came from the moments they were without the ball The feeling was that whilst they were not consistently able to cut through Galatasaray, they took advantage of the fact they could recover and press the ball quickly to attack any spaces that opened up. Though Liverpool did well to move the ball well from side to side, their 442-diamond formation meant that it was the full backs who were designated to be the wide receivers. The wingers, Mohammed Salah and Florian Wirtz were to be pushed inverted closer to the centre.
Wirtz was regularly supported by Kerkez, whilst Salah looked to the centre for his game involvement, fielding as an inside forward. Dominik Szoboszlai appeared in midfield this time, slotted beneath Salah as a right centre-midfielder we saw sparks of what seemed to be the beginning of synergic bond with Frimpong.
In the end, the first goal came from well-orchestrated corner, surprising their foes by targeting the lurking Dominik Szoboszlai on the edge of the box. Who then guided the ball into the net with an arrowed side-foot shot. Ibrahima Konate deserves an honourable mention in this instance, as VAR noted he performed his blocking duties to the very last second, giving Szoboszlai the time and space to breath before shooting. Following on from this, as we all know, once the game-state changes, the game changes. Having to commit more fervently to the ball, Galatasaray’s 442 block stepped up a few meters, causing the Turkish Giants to seek for the ball in the higher spaces. An interesting stat to note before the first goal, Liverpool had had 5 shots, equalling a xG of 0.17. In the resulting 25 minutes, they managed 10 shots, scoring an xG of 2.06. Ending the half with an xG of 2.23, what we see here is the number of times you punch your opponent is fundamentally dependent on how reserved they are in their defensive strategy.
The road to Budapest continues, Liverpool keeps going. Whatever will happen when we come up against last year’s opponents? Though PSG haven’t quite replicated last season’s exploits both domestically and continentally, they are no doubt growing into themselves — Ousmane Dembele, Bradley Barcola, Khivcha Kvaratskhelia will be looking to get behind the backs of Liverpool’s defence to repeat last season’s result. From an out-of-possession perspective unlike Chelsea, Liverpool will have to be measured but aggressive. Applying pressure onto any suspicious looking players but also paying attention to any zonal spaces that may open up as a result. Will this new 442-diamond formation form a clearer impression in our minds as the season draws the latter stages? If so, Alexander Isak will be licking his lips in anticipation and the midfield quartet of MacAllister, Szoboszlai, Gravenberch and MacAllister will go from strength to strength.
Mohammed Salah becomes the first African Player to score 50 Champions League goals, ending the night with a goal and assist each, the mentality of the titan was laid bare for all to see after squandering a game-state changing penalty to put Liverpool ahead at one-nil. Particularly in the second half, Florian Wirtz looked to be back to his best, creating 8 chances in the game — the most by a Liverpool player since 2003–04. Hugo Ekitke scores his seventeenth goal of the campaign, getting closer to the 20-goal mark, the Frenchman continues to grow from strength to strength.
As already stated by Arne Slot, this performance will be hard to replicate due to context of the team and game. But optimism seem to have returned to the rank, Brighton and Fabian Hurzelar are up next. This season anyway, The reds have fared well against the Seagulls winning both games so far. Anyway, the turnover will be prompt so the players need to recover, Amex Stadium, see you soon.
