Slot Talk: Set Pieces are a Team Focus

Speaking to the press ahead of Liverpool’s Saturday match against Wolverhampton Wanderers, head coach Arne Slot addressed set plays, noting that they have been a “frustration” this season:

I am so focused on [them] and since I’m here as well, but I know the importance of set-pieces – it gets more and more and more. That’s why I, we are so annoyed by our current record, because it’s impossible to play top four, top five with our set-piece balance, let alone winning the league. So, we’re the only team in the top end of the table that has a negative set-piece balance. All the others have a positive balance.

We’re not only negative, we’re minus eight. Minus eight and we’re still on equal points for fourth, if I’m correct. We all know why: because in open chances created we’re the No.1 in the league. So, no-one has to tell me how important set-pieces are and not even any manager in the world anymore, let alone in the Premier League. Because the Premier League is, if I say 50-50 I exaggerate a bit too much, but set-pieces are so, so, so important.

That’s why it’s a big frustration for us that we are where we are this season, because last season when we were halfway through the season we had not even conceded one set-piece yet and in the second half of the season – where I’ve said many times already that we didn’t play the same football anymore as we did [in the] first half of the season, not as good anymore for all kinds of reasons – we had a great set-piece record because I think we scored seven set-pieces [in the] second half of the season.

So, it’s a chance for winning the league if you have a good set-piece balance. But if we are minus eight and Chelsea is, I think, plus eight, Arsenal is plus eight, I don’t exactly know the numbers, United is very high in set-pieces. So if you look at that, you could almost say how special it is that we are having the points we are having if you have that set-piece balance.

The Reds were not as bad at set plays last year, and Slot was asked to discuss what had changed between seasons:

Nothing. Our set-up is the same. Defensively, our set-up is the same as almost any other team in the league. And if you look at xG, you probably know what it is, then you wouldn’t expect us to concede so many goals. So you could argue then if things go back to normal, we will not concede as much anymore. But after half a season is it still a coincidence that we concede so much more than what you would expect us to concede? That’s a difficult one. But our set-up has been mostly the same. Of course in the summer we’ve changed players. Everybody only thinks we’ve brought in but we did lose a few as well. But I don’t even think that has had so much of an impact because the ones we’ve lost were not the ones that were defensively the ones that made sure we didn’t concede.

Hugo Ekitiké scored from a set play against Tottenham, but the Reds also conceded a sloppy goal from a corner late. Liverpool will want to improve on both sides of the ball to get a better set play goal ratio if they hope to compete this season.