Liverpool’s next match isn’t until April 2, and with many of Arne Slot’s squad off on international duties, the head coach finds himself with plenty of areas to address.
The Reds have lost their stride following consecutive defeats against PSG and Newcastle. Between the Carabao Cup final and the looming Merseyside derby, there’s been a lengthy 17-day break filled with growing frustrations.
Yet, despite these setbacks, Liverpool are still in the running for the Premier League title, and it’s essential not to overlook what an exceptional season it has been for Slot and his team.
The span of time between their Wembley loss and Everton’s visit next Wednesday night offers Slot and his team a chance to reflect on their shortcomings and take necessary steps.
Here’s a closer look at three key areas Liverpool could work on during this break and for the rest of the season.
Set-pieces
Liverpool had expressed their intentions to hire a specialized set-piece coach last summer, even putting out job ads on LinkedIn and their official website.
However, their attempts to recruit Etienne Reijnen, a Feyenoord analyst and technical advisor who has a history with Slot, didn’t pan out—but they haven’t completely abandoned their search.
There’s hope that Reijnen might be brought on board for the 2025/26 season, should he qualify for a UK work permit.
In the meantime, Liverpool’s struggles with set-piece situations remain, despite Salah’s cleverly executed goal against Man City in their recent 2-0 victory.
According to WhoScored, Liverpool has only managed four goals from set-pieces in the Premier League this season—which is second-worst across the league.
They’re comparable to the league’s struggling teams like Leicester, Southampton, and Wolves, who have similar statistics.
Moreover, Liverpool ranks 11th in set-piece goals conceded, a statistic that brings attention to choices like letting the 5’9" Alexis Mac Allister mark 6’7" Dan Burn in the Carabao Cup final, revealing their rigid zonal marking approach.
In absence of a specialist coach, first-team individual development coach Aaron Briggs has taken charge of set-pieces. While he’s earned praise for some successes, there’s clearly room for improvement—hopefully to be addressed during this extended break.
Finishing
Improving their finishing is a challenge given that most of Slot’s forwards are representing their countries, leaving Federico Chiesa as the only fit and available forward on hand.
Still, it’s evident that attackers aside from Salah and possibly Cody Gakpo and Chiesa need to enhance their finishing touch.
Players like Darwin Nunez, Diogo Jota, and Luis Diaz have underperformed in recent weeks, suggesting that a mental break might be what they most need.
On international duty, Nunez candidly admitted seeing it as a chance to “forget a little about what’s happening” at Liverpool, where “the ball doesn’t want to go in.” He emphasized enjoying his time with the national team and staying motivated to work hard.
After some expensive misses and heavy reliance on Salah for offense, there’s a pressing need for Liverpool’s center-forwards to rediscover their scoring touch. Encouraging signs were seen in Diaz’s well-executed goal against Brazil.
Chances for squad players
The hectic close to the Carabao Cup final underscored one area where Slot has faced criticism: not utilizing players outside his core lineup effectively.
Harvey Elliott’s midfield play and Chiesa’s precision to secure a goal highlighted brilliance beyond the regular starters.
Wataru Endo also went unused in the final, despite his proven importance in recent games, yet players like Ryan Gravenberch were overtaxed to 74 minutes.
These three players—Endo, Elliott, and Chiesa—have under 750 minutes on the field this season, contrasting with team regulars like Gravenberch, Salah, and Virgil van Dijk, who’ve played double that.
Excluding cup matches, Endo, Elliott, and Chiesa collectively only have played around 698 minutes, or roughly less than eight full games combined.
While sticking to key players has driven Liverpool toward potential Premier League glory, Slot’s management of his broader squad could be adjusted better at times.
With just nine games remaining, there’s a pivotal opportunity for fringe players with more time to stake their claim or even less given the absence of cup competitions to allow rotation.
Slot and his team are likely to learn from these experiences, and there’s a need to value contributions from the entire squad—not just the starting eleven.
