Arne Slott took his first victory. Liverpool The head coach announced that the team’s pre-season tour of the United States got off to a strong start with a 1-0 win. Real Betis At Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh.
Dominik Szoboszlai He scored the only goal of the night with the conversion. Mohamed SalahHe made the pass early in the first half in front of a crowd of 42,679.
In Liverpool’s win over their Spanish rivals, Slott used a 23-man squad, including many young players.
They fly to Philadelphia on Saturday and play their second tour match on Wednesday. Arsenal.
How did Slott put together the team?
A mild evening in Pittsburgh gave supporters their first proper glimpse of Liverpool’s slot era.
It would be a mistake to go too deep into how the Dutch manager fielded his team given the absence of many star players, but his formation choice was certainly interesting.
Attacking options were valuable Diogo Jota Although I was not selected because I only reported on Thursday, Darwin Nunez, Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz On vacation and young people Jayden Danz He remained in England due to injury.
Slott opted to be more experimental, playing effectively in a 4-2-4 with Szoboszlai. Harvey Elliott In the first half, he played as a false nine with Salah. Fabio Carvalho On the side.
Without their main attacking player, Liverpool struggled to retain possession after a disorganized opening 30 minutes but Szoboszlai’s influence grew as they belatedly took control before the break.
of Hungary The captain played the ball out to Salah on the right wing, who made a clever run into the penalty area, and the Egyptian’s pass was perfect, with Soboslai beating his former team-mate to goal with a superb first-touch finish. Adrian And into the far corner.
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Szoboszlai’s incisive play certainly bodes well for the challenges ahead, as he initially thrilled Anfield after his £60 million ($77 million) move. RB Leipzig He had a strong summer last year, but then surprisingly dropped off in the second half of the season. Injuries certainly contributed to his decline, but European Championships Apparently it was a very good thing for him.
What does this tell us about the need for No.6?
The defensive midfield role is widely recognised as a key area Liverpool need to strengthen their squad whilst they await Slott’s first signing under the helm.
This was not a night to quiet the debate.
Wataru Endo After joining from Stuttgart for £16.2m a year ago, he has arguably exceeded expectations in his first season at Liverpool, making 43 appearances.
The spirited 31-year-old has proven himself an adequate stopgap after the club missed out on a deal. ChelseaThe tied up duo Moises Caicedo and Romeo LaviaOnce the Japanese players got used to the team’s speed and physical strength, Premier LeagueHowever, his form declined again towards the end of last season.
He is not a long-term solution and struggled mightily during the 45 minutes against Real Betis, losing the ball too easily on multiple occasions and giving away careless free kicks.
Endo struggled for 45 minutes against Real Betis (Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Endo was previously a transfer candidate for Liverpool. Nabil Fekir He failed to punish a sloppy error when a quick counter attack ended in a wild finish.
Regarding the midfield slot position, Curtis Jones He gestured that they needed to leave before the break.
Stefan Bajetic Another option for Slott in the number six role, and he made it through the final 30 minutes here unscathed, but with an extended injury, it would be a mistake to expect too much from him this season.
The calls to add another dynamic defensive midfielder to the team will continue.
Which young players have impressed you the most?
The tour was a great opportunity for Liverpool’s young players to impress for the slot and one in particular stood out.
Trey Nyoni only turned 17 last month, but the England youth international fit right in. The midfielder thrived, calm on the ball and graceful when he made the right pass into space.
Nyoni, who came on in place of the injured Jones, made an immediate impact and was involved in the move that led to Szoboszlai’s goal.
Nyoni made a good first impression when given the chance from the slot (Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Liverpool gave him Leicester City His progress since his debut last summer has been remarkable.
He is the youngest Liverpool player. FA Cup When Jurgen Klopp gave him the chance to make his debut Southampton February, 16 years and 243 days old.
As Slott speaks of his excitement about what he has inherited from Klopp, Nyoni is a perfect example of the wealth of potential that needs to be utilised.
The arrival of the teenage winger was also welcomed. Ben Doak Doak shone in the second half as he tried to overcome the injury issues from last season, providing some good opportunities down the right wing with his speed and technique.
What’s next for Liverpool?
Thursday, August 1: Arsenal, Lincoln Financial Field, 12:30am BST, 8:30pm ET (Wednesday)
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(Top photo: Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
