Arne Slot’s perfect start to his Liverpool tenure was shattered by Nottingham Forest on Saturday afternoon.
Substitute Callum Hudson-Odoi‘s second-half strike punished Liverpool’s lacklustre performance at Anfield.
The Reds endured a lot of the ball against Nuno Espirito-Santo’s men but failed to produce any real quality around the Nottingham Forest box.
READ MORE: ‘Hardly created’ Arne Slot’s reaction to first Liverpool defeat
Mohamed Salah had a game to forget despite seeing a lot of the ball but the same can’t be said about fellow forward Diogo Jota whose involvement in games has raised concerns due to a worrying stat from Liverpool’s last two outings.
As per WhoScored, the Portuguese international only made six passes in Liverpool’s first defeat while only completing seven when the Reds dismantled Manchester United two weeks ago.
It’s a stat that raises concerns that Liverpool’s frontman is failing to get into games, and given the quality we all know he has, this is something that Slot must address.
Liverpool fans have been so used to seeing their previous number nine, Roberto Firmino, heavily involved in the build-up play and facilitating the winger’s to thrive in front of goal.
Though Jota isn’t a Firmino-style player, the forward himself will be hoping to better his involvement stats to provide Liverpool with another consistent option in build-up play.
Does Slot’s system limit Jota’s involvement
Despite shades of Klopp’s Liverpool still present in Slot’s side, the system is different, which could explain Jota’s lack of involvement.
Slot utilises an advanced midfielder – so far that has been Szoboszlai – ahead of a double pivot. Klopp used a flat midfield which gave his number nine plenty of space and a license to drop in and almost form a diamond midfield in the attacking phase.
With Szoboszlai operating a more advanced role under the Dutchman, this could explain why Jota is completing a shockingly low number of passes.
Football – FA Premier League – Ipswich Town FC v Liverpool FC IPSWICH, ENGLAND – Saturday, August 17, 2024: Liverpool s Diogo Jota celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the FA Premier League match between Ipswich Town FC and Liverpool FC at Portman Road. Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda IPSWICH Portman Road SUFFOLK ENGLAND PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxUK Copyright: xDavidxRawcliffex P2024-08-17-Ipswich_Liverpool-81
There’s no denying Jota’s killer instinct however…
It is understandable that concerns have been raised regarding Jota’s lack of involvement in recent weeks however the counterargument is as justifiable.
Jota is a killer in front of goal, a different trait from what we saw with Firmino. His clinical nature to find the back of the net with both feet and with his head is a reason why he is seen as a mainstay in Liverpool’s strongest eleven regardless of his participation in the build-up phase.
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