How Liverpool can challenge PSG: Defensive discipline, high pressing and a reliable out-ball

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot Rico Brouwer/Soccrates/Getty Images Share full articleIf you were picking a match to play after losing 4-0 to Manchester City, it would not be a trip to France to face defending European champions Paris Saint-Germain. Yet that’s the challenge for Arne Slot and his players as they aim to bounce back from this season’s latest low and keep their hopes of winning the Champions League alive. Even if Liverpool were at the peak of their powers, a trip to the Parc des Princes would be laced with an element of trepidation due to the quality of the opposition. For supporters who have been watching this iteration of Liverpool, there is a fear of not just defeat on Wednesday but of another 90 minutes like they witnessed at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday. Luis Enrique’s team have already embarrassed one English club in the competition this season — knocking Chelsea out 8-2 on aggregate — so how can a Liverpool side devoid of confidence avoid a similar fate? Could last season offer any clues? Well, Slot’s team were in much better shape when they travelled to France 13 months ago to face PSG in the Champions League round of 16. They walked away with a one-goal lead, but there is no blueprint to replicate. It was a game that defined the phrase smash and grab (they were then eliminated following a penalty shootout after the second leg at Anfield). Harvey Elliott’s 87th-minute winner in that first leg last year was only Liverpool’s second shot of the contest (Slot’s team’s expected goals figure in the match was 0.27), and their first on target. Meanwhile, there were 27 efforts — totalling an xG of 1.78 — from PSG, nine of which were saved by Alisson. If the game this week follows a similar pattern, a different — and more painful — outcome is almost guaranteed. An important starting point would be not forgetting the basics — something that has been the concerning theme of this season. “That’s not the story of the whole game, but every single time we forget to block a cross, we forget to defend in front of goal, we forget to follow a runner — every single time it’s a goal,” Slot told reporters during his post-match press conference after the loss to Manchester City. While the opening 35 minutes against Pep Guardiola’s side offered encouragement that the 4-2-2-2 system could work by providing an attacking threat and a solid defensive base, the performance after they went behind was unacceptable. The three goals following Erling Haaland’s penalty showcased Liverpool’s passivity and, at times, apparent lack of desire. City’s second goal, which in effect ended the game, illustrated both. In the final minute of the half, Liverpool ceded possession from their own throw-in and lacked any aggression in attempting to halt City’s attack. Florian Wirtz was over aggressive in his initial press and then lacked urgency to help balance out City’s right-side overload, while neither Curtis Jones or Ryan Gravenberch drifted across. Milos Kerkez, who deserves sympathy for being left three-on-one, and Virgil van Dijk lacked aggression and Ibrahima Konate was beaten by Haaland’s movement. The third, again from their own throw-in, saw Joe Gomez give the ball straight to Marc Guehi. Liverpool were slow to react to the quick turnover of possession and their counter-press began too late. Gravenberch stepped out, leaving space for Rayan Cherki to receive possession and slide in Antoine Semenyo. Seven minutes later and City had their fourth when Nico O’Reilly squared for Haaland to tap in for his hat-trick. During the build-up, O’Reilly ran past Dominik Szoboszlai and Gomez. Jeremy Doku’s pass between Konate and Gomez to find the youngster was clever but preventable. It is that defensive discipline that has so frequently been missing across a 90-minute performance from Liverpool. The mindset is unbalanced, with too many players thinking about attacking play rather than anticipating danger. Untracked third-man runs cost them against Guardiola’s side and coming up against a quicker, more fluid PSG attack will only ask further questions. “The fighting spirit wasn’t there enough, the mentality wasn’t there enough,” Szoboszlai told Hungarian media outlet Spiler TV post-match. “None of us were there, to be honest, as much as we could.” Matches where Slot’s side have managed to maintain a compact defensive shape this season have predominantly come in the Champions League, during victories over Real Madrid, Inter, Marseille and Galatasaray. Repeating that type of performance is a non-negotiable. If the application is there then, with PSG not quite at the levels they hit last season, there are areas Liverpool could target. As this video below from The Athletic explains, the key to making Luis Enrique’s side uncomfortable in possession is to be brave and press high. In theory, that’s what Slot wants his side to do, but in practice this season, due to personnel, fitness and at times structure, the Liverpool high press has lacked the intensity, aggression and intelligence of previous years. The defending European champions have forward players capable of producing moments of magic, but when teams have set up in a compact low block against them, they have found breaking it down challenging. Earlier this season, after the 1-0 victory over Real Madrid in the Champions League league phase, Slot detailed how he set his team up. “I told the players that I wanted them to either press really high or go to a low block, because Vinicius (Junior) and (Kylian) Mbappe are incredible players but their deep runs, timing of deep runs, their pace is next level,” Slot said in his post-match press conference. “So, don’t give away any space in behind and that’s what our last line did very well.” While the game against Manchester City was already over at this stage, Liverpool therefore cannot afford their midfield to look like this. Liverpool have to pose a threat themselves. In the opening 35 minutes against Manchester City, they found the balance of carrying attacking purpose while limiting City’s chances, but it did not last. Last season, one of the bigger issues Slot’s side had was the lack of an out-ball. PSG’s press was suffocating, and when they went long, Liverpool’s forwards repeatedly came off second best. The French side are not the only team to have caused Liverpool problems when trying to build up against a high man-to-man press, but having a Wirtz-type profile in your team can help considerably. In the opening 35 minutes against Manchester City, Liverpool had success playing through the lines from deep and Wirtz’s ability to drift into space and be available was key to that. He linked with Hugo Ekitike to create an early chance by finding a pocket of space. The attackers selected will need to be more clinical than they have been for much of this season, and make better decisions when they do have an opportunity to counter-attack. Ultimately, this is as much a test of the character of this Liverpool team than it is about tactics. They must earn the right to play, and that involves taking responsibility and responding positively to adversity. If they cannot do that, then the outcome feels obvious. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Andrew Jones is a Staff Writer for The Athletic covering Burnley FC and Liverpool FC. Having graduated from the University of Central Lancashire with a First Class Honours Degree in Sports Journalism, Andrew has had written work published for the Liverpool Echo, Chelsea FC and Preston North End. Follow Andy on Twitter @adjones_journo