New Liverpool manager Arne Slot has enjoyed a relatively quiet start to life as Reds boss due to the Euros and Copa America 2024, but with those continental tournaments now over, the Dutchman can expect to be thrust into the spotlight.
In particular, the personnel and tactical changes he makes to the squad he inherited from Jurgen Klopp will be heavily scrutinised over the coming months.
Liverpool will need to improve if they have ambitions of winning a second Premier League title, as while Klopp's final season was a positive step forward compared to 2022-23, there were still glaring deficiencies in the team.
For instance, although his campaign was disrupted by injuries, it was notable that veteran Andrew Robertson had another season of mixed performances.
The Scotland captain seemed to struggle with the demands of a more complex role at left-back than the one he had performed during Liverpool's Premier League and Champions League-winning seasons, and the once-tireless defender had multiple games in which he struggled with the intensity of proceedings.
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Elsewhere, 31-year-old Wataru Endo was brought in after the Reds failed to sign Moises Caicedo, and while he performed admirably, it would be ill-advised for Liverpool to head into another season with the Japan captain as their primary defensive midfielder.
The Reds may also need to address the forward line given the inconsistency of players like Luis Diaz, but correcting the tactical weaknesses that led to Liverpool's defensive vulnerabilities last term should be the priority.
Indeed, Klopp's side conceded 41 times, seven more than champions Manchester City and 12 more than second-placed Arsenal.
With that in mind, Sports Mole takes a closer look at what new manager Arne Slot must address ahead of the new season.
Replace Andy Robertson
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There is no debate about whether Andrew Robertson is a Liverpool legend given his trophy-laden spell at the club.
The defender is certainly among the best to have played the position for the Reds, and some would argue that he ranks among the best-ever Premier League left-backs.
However, now that the ever-faithful Jurgen Klopp has ended his Liverpool tenure, Robertson's place in the team is likely to come under the microscope for a number of reasons.
Primary amongst them would be the fact the Scotsman's all-round game has evidently declined.
Robertson's delivery and decision-making from open play in recent seasons has been increasingly concerning, and this is highlighted by the fact he registered just 0.11 assists per 90 in the Premier League in 2023-24.
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That was the lowest figure of his entire Liverpool career, with the Scotsman last registering 0.11 assists per 90 for Dundee United in 2013-14.
In fairness to Robertson, some of these offensive struggles can be attributed to the fact that the demands placed on him changed after Klopp instructed the defender to be positioned deeper at times, almost as a third centre-back.
This no doubt blunted his offensive impact, but it is difficult to suggest he has performed well in this hybrid role.
For example, Robertson's marauding nature, the aspect of his playstyle which made him such a valuable asset in the past, saw him caught out of position on several occasions during counter-attacks last season.
As well as this, his usually-astute reading of defensive situations seemed to abandon him at times last campaign, but in truth this defensive weakness had been becoming more common in recent years.
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Additionally, when asked to participate in buildup as a more central player, the left-back's average technical ability sometimes let him down.
Indeed, it was noticeable just how much more comfortable Joe Gomez was in this position, where the Englishman could be seen acting as a third centre-back, and even moving into midfield at times.
Given that Arne Slot often asked both full-backs to step into varied positions in defence and midfield for Feyenoord last term, it is reasonable to assume that Robertson could face similar difficulties next season.
Considering this, signing a new left-back to immediately compete for the starting spot should be one of Liverpool and Slot's top priorities.
Replace Wataru Endo
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Perhaps singling Wataru Endo out as a player needing to be replaced is harsh, especially as the midfielder did contribute significantly during one of the more intense parts of last season.
The level he managed to reach against even Manchester City at Anfield on March 10 was somewhat surprising, as while many were aware of his combative nature at relegation-threatened Stuttgart, his ability to receive passes from the backline and play out of pressure was a welcome boost.
Furthermore, it could be argued that the biggest positive impact Endo had was formulating a complementary partnership with Alexis Mac Allister, who excelled once he was freed from the shackles of playing as a number six.
However, if Liverpool are to continue getting the best out of players like Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, then they must look to improve in Endo's position.
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Firstly, the Japan captain is already 31 years old, and given that players often experience physical decline at similar ages, it would be advisable to at least consider strengthening.
In fact, Endo himself humbly commented on this matter, arguing that it could be better to sign another number six considering his age, and that if it ultimately made the team stronger then he would be in favour of another signing.
Additionally, though Endo did perform exceptionally well for periods last season, there were also occasions when he struggled to cover ground and to win duels.
Considering Liverpool's own experience of Fabinho's sudden decline at a comparable age in the 2022-23 season, it would be sensible for the Reds to prevent such a scenario from occurring again.
Replace Luis Diaz
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At the end of the 2023-24 campaign, Liverpool's title charge faltered and the Reds ultimately fell short of both Arsenal and Manchester City.
In the last eight games, Klopp's team drew three times and lost twice, and in both losses Liverpool failed to score despite generating numerous chances.
This has led to calls for the forward line to be revamped, with striker Darwin Nunez and winger Luis Diaz receiving great amounts of criticism as a result of their performances.
However, Nunez has at least demonstrated a good ability to generate high quality shots, and while he must improve in order to be considered a success, he is not as far away from achieving that as some may suggest.
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On the other hand, Diaz's displays should be of far greater concern.
For example, the winger often struggled to impact proceedings in the final third, and while he did showcase the strength of his dribbling, his pass selection and poor finishing consistently let the team down.
This was particularly evident against Manchester City at Anfield on March 10, a game in which he squandered numerous chances in front of goal and failed to pass to teammates who were in more opportune positions.
Diaz's intensity cannot be doubted and his commitment to the team is admirable, but his overall effect on matches was minimal last season, and it would be surprising if Slot did not seek to address this position in one way or another.
Address defensive issues
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Despite having discussed Liverpool's offensive struggles during the final games of the 2023-24 season, it would be unfair to suggest that the primary reason for the Reds' collapse was their misfiring attack when the team conceded 41 Premier League goals.
For reference, Liverpool only conceded 26, 33 and 22 goals in the 2021-22, 2019-20 and 2018-19 campaigns respectively.
Although the Reds were undoubtedly strong contenders in the title race last season, in reality their defensive setup was quite poor compared to that of their rivals.
An overly vertical approach saw Klopp's side lose possession frequently, and while this approach has led to success in the past, it still required an elite and well-drilled rest defence structure to work effectively.
However, considering the roles of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson were significantly altered last season, and that players such as Mac Allister and Endo were isolated at the base of midfield, it is of little surprise that the team experienced defensive frailty.
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This is not to suggest that Liverpool had worse defensive players than the likes of Arsenal and Manchester City, but rather to note that Klopp's side were coached poorly in that aspect last term.
Indeed, despite boasting the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate and Alisson Becker, the Reds conceded the first goal on 23 occasions in all competitions in 2023-24, a figure that amounted to 39.6% of their games.
Liverpool also only kept one clean sheet in their first eight league games and only kept two in their last 17 top-flight matches.
With stats like these, the fact they managed to genuinely compete for the title is impressive, and is testament to the quality of the squad that they were able to find ways of winning despite tactical flaws.
If Slot is to win major silverware at Liverpool then his number one priority must be correcting the tactical deficiencies that led to the Reds' defensive vulnerability in 2023-24.
Perhaps if the Dutchman were to implement a more patient approach in the final third, and if he fielded a dedicated double pivot at the base of midfield, then Liverpool might concede fewer goals.
Reason for optimism
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Even though Slot has inherited problems from his predecessor Jurgen Klopp, he still takes over a hugely talented squad with plenty of potential for growth.
As such, Reds fans should have reason for optimism ahead of the 2023-24 campaign, and if some of the aforementioned issues are addressed, then there is every chance that Slot's debut season at the club could be a successful one.
Lewis Nolan
