Arne Slot led Liverpool to the Premier League title in his first season in charge
Arne Slot’s revamped Liverpool side made their debut at Wembley on Sunday, and the initial assessments are mixed. Glimpses of brilliance were interspersed with periods of disarray, indicating areas that require refinement.
Four of Liverpool’s summer acquisitions were named in the starting lineup for the Community Shield, a match they ultimately lost to Crystal Palace on penalties.
The club’s record £116m signing, Florian Wirtz, featured in attacking midfield, while Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez formed a new full-back partnership. Hugo Ekitike led the attack as the central striker.
Goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili was the only new arrival not included in the starting XI, beginning the match on the bench as Alisson retained his place.
There were encouraging signs that the team’s overhaul could yield impressive results, with the match ending in a 2-2 draw courtesy of goals from Ekitike and Frimpong. This marks the first instance of two Liverpool players scoring on their competitive debuts since August 2006, when Craig Bellamy and Mark Gonzalez scored against Maccabi Haifa.
However, the new-look Liverpool exhibited some vulnerabilities. They surrendered their lead twice, demonstrated defensive lapses, and appeared under pressure towards the end of the match.
“We have four new players – we need time to adapt,” Slot stated at the post-match press conference held at Wembley.
The Community Shield performance was not an isolated occurrence. In Monday’s friendly match against Athletic Bilbao, which Liverpool won 3-2, the team conceded two goals from set-pieces.
Crystal Palace arguably created just two significant opportunities during the game – Jean-Philippe Mateta’s 13th-minute penalty and Ismaila Sarr’s late breakthrough – and capitalized on both.
As Slot succinctly put it: “We don’t concede chances, but we concede goals.”
Jeremie Frimpong scored Liverpool’s second goal after 21 minutes at Wembley
For years, particularly under Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool’s full-backs, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson, were key to their attacking prowess.
Frimpong and Kerkez appear to fit a similar mold, prioritizing attacking contributions over traditional full-back duties.
While Kerkez mirrors Robertson’s playing style, Frimpong adopts a wider position than his predecessor. Expect fewer Alexander-Arnold-esque ventures into central midfield, and more traditional overlapping runs.
This attacking inclination directly contributed to Liverpool’s second goal, as Frimpong skillfully navigated into the area and chipped the ball over Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson. Regardless of intent, the foray into the box showcased a remarkable display of skill and audacity.
This graphic shows the average positions of Liverpool’s starting XI against Crystal Palace at Wembley, with Frimpong in particular clearly hugging the right touchline to provide added width – almost like a winger at times
This graphic shows Liverpool’s average positions against Tottenham in April – the last match Alexander-Arnold and Robertson started together. Alexander-Arnold, unlike Frimpong, played much more narrow. More on the rest of the team shortly…
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Defensively, concerns remain. While Liverpool hoped Frimpong would bring defensive stability, the Dutchman played Sarr onside for the second equalizer.
Liverpool’s defensive vulnerabilities extended beyond the full-back positions. The team was too easily breached in the lead-up to the first-half penalty, with Mateta being set free by a through ball, initiating the attack that culminated in Virgil van Dijk fouling Sarr.
Notably, there was no recognized center-back on Liverpool’s bench, as Jarell Quansah has departed for Bayer Leverkusen and Joe Gomez “has a minor injury”.
While Slot anticipates Gomez’s return soon, Liverpool will need to sign at least one more central defender before the transfer window closes on 1 September.
The player they reportedly hope to sign captained the opposition at Wembley. Marc Guehi – a subject of transfer speculation as he enters the final year of his contract – once again demonstrated his commitment to Palace before being substituted in the closing seconds due to cramp.
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In midfield, Wirtz delivered an outstanding performance. Slot appears to have adapted the system to suit the record signing, with promising early results.
Wirtz has been granted a freer, more advanced role than previous Liverpool attacking midfielders, a position the team lacked last season.
At times, he appeared to form a strike partnership with Ekitike, operating in close proximity. By the time of his substitution, Wirtz was playing as a false nine, with Ekitike having already been taken off.
This freedom allowed the German to drift wide left after four minutes, collect the ball, and set up Ekitike for the opening goal.
The build-up to Liverpool’s first goal involved 22 passes, lasted 66 seconds, and included nine players.
Until his substitution in the 84th minute, Wirtz appeared composed, controlled, and unfazed. His influence across the pitch for Liverpool is already evident.
At the time of his substitution, Wirtz led Liverpool in passes and entries into the final third, crosses, and touches in the Palace box, and had the third most touches overall. He was central to Liverpool’s play.
“It has been a really impressive performance for Wirtz,” former Palace striker Glenn Murray told BBC Radio 5 Live. “Very dominant.
“He was tiring by the end of it and that is something he will need to get used to. But he is looking like a very good signing.”
This raises questions about Mohamed Salah’s role in the team. The Egyptian has now failed to score in eight Wembley appearances, managed only one shot on target, and missed his penalty in the shootout. However, that is a topic for another discussion.
This graphic showing Wirtz’s range of passing illustrates just how influential he was – from just about everywhere across Palace’s half of the pitch
But this heat map graphic also shows he naturally gravitated towards the left, linking up with Ekitike and Kerkez
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Ekitike possesses the characteristics of a genuine center-forward, a type of player Liverpool have previously lacked due to Darwin Nunez’s inconsistencies.
His goal was well-executed, and his first-half cross with the outside of his boot, which found Cody Gakpo in an offside position, was sublime.
However, Nunez’s debut also came in the Community Shield, in the 2023 win over Manchester City. The Uruguayan scored, appeared superior to Erling Haaland, and then failed to replicate that form.
Ekitike displayed similar tendencies, missing a header from inside the six-yard box early in the second half and blazing another chance over from 12 yards. Converting one of these opportunities could have secured a Liverpool victory.
Ekitike scored the quickest goal in a Community Shield since Gary McAllister for Liverpool versus Manchester United in 2001
“Always nice to score a goal, but it would have been even nicer to win a game,” Slot said of his new frontman.
“Ekitike had a good impact, but he came two weeks ago during the Asia tour. But he had a good game for sure.”
So, who will Liverpool add in the remaining three weeks of the transfer window? Alexander Isak’s name is on everyone’s lips.
At times on Sunday, it seemed the last thing Liverpool needed was another first-choice striker. But as Palace celebrated, the appeal of the Newcastle forward became clearer.
“Liverpool want another striker,” former Reds goalkeeper Chris Kirkland told BBC Sport after the game. “We’re all greedy. Every team wants as many strikers as they can.
“Liverpool want Isak, they have bid for him, and he wants to go. Normally, when that is the case, a deal gets done. I’d want a centre-back and a forward because we are all greedy in this world!”
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Do Liverpool need Alexander Isak?
Liverpool also displayed weaknesses in deeper midfield positions, but addressing these issues may be less costly.
Ryan Gravenberch was absent due to his partner giving birth, while Alexis Mac Allister was only fit enough to make a late appearance off the bench.
Curtis Jones partnered Dominik Szoboszlai in holding midfield and completed all 53 of his passes.
“Gravenberch was a massive miss today – he was my player of the season last year,” said Kirkland.
Liverpool will undoubtedly be disappointed to have missed out on a trophy, particularly against a side that finished 12th last season and is currently dealing with several injury concerns, with Eddie Nketiah and Cheick Doucoure among those set to miss the start of the season.
However, Reds fans should not be overly concerned. Historically, only one of the past 14 winners of the season opener has gone on to lift the Premier League trophy – Manchester City in 2018-19. In the Premier League era, only eight of the 33 winners of the Charity or Community Shield have gone on to win the title.
More importantly, Slot’s Liverpool 2.0 is still in the troubleshooting phase, with 38 more opportunities to come.
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