The Reds have an even bigger challenge ahead – matching last season’s success. Over 50 percent of the goals they have allowed are on set pieces – but that includes penalties. This ridiculous statistic only starts to be more alarming when you realize the club has allowed 12 goals on set pieces. This puts them joint bottom of the record in Europe. Liverpool’s former set-piece coach Aaron Briggs recently left the club. With this positive development, their future defensive strategy comes into question.
Though Liverpool experienced disappointments, they were undeterred. After winning just two of their previous ten league matches, they rebounded by winning all three of their last league contests. Some worries about their defensive set piece vulnerabilities still have a tendency to hang around. On December 1st Liverpool faced Leeds United at home. They were in danger of dropping all three points after Ao Tanaka’s late equalizer from a corner kick.
Set-Piece Troubles Plague Liverpool
Yet further Liverpool’s current predicament underscores a more systemic problem with their messy defensive setup. The clubs’ distance from set plays has been a point of concern for hardcore fans and advanced analysts. Liverpool have shipped more than half of their goals this season from dead-ball situations. This omission extends to what is perhaps the most important aspect of the RFI.
The recent departure of set-piece coach Aaron Briggs further complicates matters. His departure indicates that the organization is resetting its course on how to defend set plays. Concerns have been raised regarding the timing of this change, as it remains to be seen whether it will go into effect before highly contested matches this summer.
Liverpool’s recent form has been promising. On the field, the team was floundering in its first season, winning just two of its first ten games. Now they’ve found their form, with three consecutive league wins! The recollection of two dropped points against Leeds because of their propensity to get hurt by set pieces reminds you how fragile that can be.
Rivals Capitalize on Set-Play Opportunities
While Liverpool continue to sort out their defensive frailties, the other clubs in the Premier League have commented, both by attacking the set-piece situations exceedingly well. Leeds United, for example, has been utterly lethal when it comes to finding the back of the net from dead-ball situations. Their set piece potency is another thing that’s made them so dangerous attackingly this season.
Daniel Farke’s side has scored 12 goals from set plays, which ties them with Arsenal and puts them just one goal behind Manchester United’s league-leading total of 13. Surprisingly, 48 percent of Leeds’ overall goals have been scored from set-piece chances. This stat is one piece of evidence that shows a tactical advantage that Liverpool need to counter very quickly.
Brentford FC is another surprising club on the vanguard. But man, Thomas Frank’s team has turned into a nasty juggernaut on their home field. They’ve taken the last eight (of 12 total) Premier League games. Brentford’s efficiency from set pieces throws Liverpool’s issues in defense into sharp relief.
“Brentford Football Club, the fans and especially the people that I worked closely with, have a special place in my heart.” – Thomas Frank
Manchester City and Fulham on the Rise
And, as Manchester City’s record will testify, as Liverpool ponders their own approach to set-piece tactics, Manchester City is winning games on the field. The 2019 champions have now gone six matches without dropping points. After a season riddled with injuries and roster shake-ups, they’re peaking at the perfect time this season. It is a reminder of their incredible consistency and resilience that they are such a fearsome prospect for any team.
Opposite them across the table Fulham are going for a fourth league win in a row. Achieving this feat would mark only the second time in their Premier League history that they have managed four wins in a row. This ambition could further complicate matters for teams like Liverpool as they strive to solidify their position in the league.
Crystal Palace are all out of sorts, winless in their last five matches in all competitions. While their struggles do seem to contradict Brentford’s new-found success at home. This begs the question of what direction the team plans to take going forward.
Just 15 miles away, Tottenham Hotspur are down in 13th – the very definition of this season’s mid-table mediocrity. Their lackluster showings have made many question their ability to be competitive this year.
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