The way Liverpool buildup is balanced. They attract the defense towards the ball, but with each touch, like a spring, they are coiling up to play forward. The passing is short, but the runs are direct.

They are attracting the press like a De Zerbi team, but they don’t have to complete X pass to play pass Y. It is a less sterile mindset. You can see it in the body language of center-backs Jarell Quansah and Sepp van den Berg and goalkeeper Caoimhín Kelleher that they are patient but always looking to get the ball past the initial press. Certain other teams pass, and pass, and pass mindlessly at the back but the intention with Liverpool is different.

It looks similar to Feyenoord already, which speaks to the quality of the Liverpool players and new manager Arne Slot’s ability as a coach that he would be able to enact his way of playing this quickly.

Then, once they get past, I would compare the runs from the fullbacks and attacking midfielders to a barrage of unguided rockets. When they launch, they aim for a path, and then they must finish the run, but unlike with Klopp, where every run was rewarded with an attempted long pass, they have to be ready to switch off from the run to receive short in tight spaces, combining with the other midfielders.

It is the most direct way of playing without having to play the ball through the air.

Match: Liverpool 1-0 Real Betis, 27 July 2024