The Reds dominated possession in a narrow 1-0 victory in Pittsburgh, with Conor Bradley catching the eye at right-back
The Arne Slot era has begun. And so far, there are definite signs of encouragement. The Dutchman’s new-look Liverpool side were sloppy at times but showed enough about them at the start of their U.S. tour to suggest that life after Jurgen Klopp will be rosy.
With a number of big names given time off following the summer tournament madness, Slot supplemented a number of star names – including Mo Salah and Dominik Szoboszlai – with some back-up players, and it showed at times as we didn’t quite see the free-flowing Liverpool we’ve been used to.
Indeed, the contest simmered for most of the first half, a new-look and much-changed Reds struggling to find a rhythm under Slot. Szoboszlai provided the majority of the threat, thriving in the space afforded to him on the right side of the pitch.
He scored the opener and what would turn out to be the winning goal for Liverpool, sprinting behind the backline and taking a delicate Salah pass in his stride before finding the bottom corner with a clever finish. Chances were few and far between otherwise, with the impressive Bradley offering ideas and invention on the right wing. Without a recognised striker in the team, however, the Merseysiders failed to truly capitalise.
After an hour, Slot introduced waves of academy products, giving his bigger names a rest ahead of a fast-approaching season. There is still a lot of work to be done, but the new manager might have something to play with here.
GOAL breaks down the winners and losers from Acrisure Stadium…
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Barry Reeger-USA TODAY SportsWINNER: Dominik Szoboszlai
The former RB Leipzig man struggled to make an impact during the second half of last season under Jurgen Klopp. Hampered by a hamstring injury and failing to find his groove, what seemed a good piece of business started to appear something of a dubious deal.
But he recaptured some of that early season form here. Szoboszlai ate up ground on the right, galivanting up and down the wing. He combined effectively with Bradley and Salah, and very much deserved his goal – a tidy finish into the bottom corner after the Egyptian expertly played him in.
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GettyLOSER: Curtis Jones
So much for a strong start to the Slot era for Jones. The midfielder insisted earlier this week that the Dutch manager was the best coach he’d ever played under – leading to hopes that this might be the campaign where the local product finally kicks into gear in red. And it might still be. However, things didn’t get off to an overtly promising start here. Jones exited the game with an apparent injury after 30 minutes, and might now have to watch from the sidelines for a few weeks.
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GettyWINNER: Arne Slot
He has quite the job to live up to here. Slot will find it difficult to cast off the Klopp comparisons – no matter how much he might emphasise that he is overseeing a new era.
This Liverpool will look somewhat different to the title and Champions League-winning outfits under Klopp. It won’t build up as quickly, nor will it press as high. But, after 90 mixed minutes, Slot has started to put something together here. There is a recognised structure off the ball, clear patterns of play down the wings, and an emphasis on clever runs in behind the defence. Yes, his team only found the net once, but they still controlled the game, even with a number of key players missing. It all points to a positive start.
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Getty ImagesLOSER: Fabio Carvalho
Carvalho looked like an odd signing at the end of the 2022 summer transfer window. Neither an attacking midfielder nor a winger, the former Fulham man didn’t have a natural position to slot into under Klopp. Two loan spells later, with a new manager in place, and this might have been an opportunity to stake his claim for a place on Liverpool’s crowded left wing.
But he didn’t really impress here. Carvalho tried to do too much, too often. He sacrificed the easy pass in favour of the highlight reel, and some of his defensive work was lacking. By the end of it all, he completed just 16 passes in 64 forgettable minutes in his debut under the new coach. Not exactly the best start.
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Barry Reeger-USA TODAY SportsWINNER: Conor Bradley
Trent Alexander-Arnold probably won’t leave Liverpool. The Real Madrid talk seems to have little actual substance, his name caught up in the swarm of summer transfer rumours. Still, there will likely be some minutes available at right-back this year. Alexander-Arnold’s long-term position, as has been chronicled on many occasions, could change. Indeed, it’s unclear at this stage if Slot sees the academy product as a central midfielder.
Either way, Bradley has done enough over the past six months to at least put himself into the conversation for plenty of minutes at right-back. He offers more of a marauding presence than Alexander-Arnold, a more natural runner to hold width. And he was useful in that capacity here, creating chances from wide areas; it’s a shame Liverpool didn’t have anyone in the middle to finish them.
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GettyLOSER: The fans
Well, that was hardly a thrilling watch. Pre-season football is usually a dour thing, but there really wasn’t a lot to take from this one for the thousands that packed into the Pittsburgh Steelers’ usual stomping ground.
The two teams combined for just four shots on target, and the general standard of play here was lacking. Neither side consistently completed more than a few passes at a time, while individual inspiration was nowhere to be found. Yes, it’s still July. No, these players really shouldn’t be on the other side of the Atlantic. But still, fans pay to watch these games. It’s hard to say they got their money’s worth.
Source goal.com
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