Liverpool’s 2-1 defeat against Newcastle United at Wembley in the EFL Cup final highlights one weakness that the membership will are looking to address in the summer season transfer window.
Liverpool cling been at distress of being bodily outmatched by their opponents at times this season, and additions to address that would be welcomed, Reds transfer expert David Lynch has claimed.
Newcastle United emerged as 2-1 victors against the Merseysiders at Wembley in the EFL Cup final on Sunday, and even supposing Federico Chiesa halved the winners’ lead in second-half stoppage time, the Toon held on for a deserved win.
Arne Slot admitted in the aftermath of the match that his aspect struggled to address the Magpies’ intense efficiency, and Lynch echoed the Dutchman’s sentiment.
Speaking to Sports activities Mole, the Reds expert argued that Liverpool cling at times been caught out by bodily imposing opponents, and the membership will nearly certainly glance to address those disorders, saying: “I think relief to the Atalanta game remaining season where a team going man for man, turning it into bodily duels in every single assign the pitch – Liverpool magnificent couldn’t address that.
“If there’s one weakness it is that if groups accelerate man-to-man against them and are a better team bodily, then Liverpool can battle to manage now and again. No longer every team can cease that which is why Liverpool cling picked up so many points. Newcastle are fully huge, Atalanta had been very an identical. PSG had an identical success in certain areas, so it is a extremely narrate say against very narrate groups.
“Liverpool will want to solve that, so whoever they sign this summer – it’s going to end up having to be quite a bit of business done – [their] physical profile is going to be very high up the list in terms of the qualities that they want from these players to ensure that this doesn’t happen again and that one weakness is covered off because it was spelled out quite emphatically at Wembley.”
Liverpool cling moreover dropped points in the Premier League to facets corresponding to Arsenal, Everton and Fulham, with all three posing well-known challenges with out the ball.
How Newcastle got the greater of Liverpool
Though Newcastle had been willing to protect in a deeper block at times, they had been moreover aggressive at any time when Liverpool tried to play the ball to in opposition to Mohamed Salah‘s aspect and pressed high to finish the Reds finding ways of getting the ball to their talisman.
Slot’s team recurrently resorted to playing over the Magpies’ press to striker Diogo Jota, but he turned into once outmatched by defenders corresponding to Dan Burn.
Lynch believes that the Merseysiders played into Eddie Howe‘s game idea by failing to modify Newcastle’s aggression, telling Sports activities Mole: “Arne Slot stated after the game that Newcastle got the game they wanted, and it turned into once played on their terms. That contrasted so grand to the game at Anfield recently where that turned into once played on Liverpool’s terms.
“What we saw at Wembley turned into once the total opposite of that. Liverpool had the ball but regarded entirely toothless with it, Newcastle had been looking unhealthy every time they went ahead and moreover turned into it into a high-energy, intense game where it turned into once all about bodily duels in every single assign the pitch. There’s one thing you would possibly well maybe well per chance also yelp about Newcastle, as correct as they’re anyway, they’re fully vivid in bodily duels.
“When the game turned into that all over the pitch, Liverpool were second best from minute one to minute 90, and if that’s the case, 2-1 makes it sound like it was close, but in terms of performance level it never felt like Liverpool were in it. Newcastle won all those physical battles and dominated the game on that basis and absolutely deserved to win.”
Newcastle gained 68% of their aerial duels and 54% of their floor duels, whereas Liverpool simplest gained 46% of their floor duels and 32% of their aerial duels.
© Imago
Used to be the midfield at fault?
Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister had been every taken off during the game, and even supposing they weren’t the finest ones that encountered say, it turned into once vital that the Reds had been routinely outfought in midfield.
In truth, Magpies midfielder Bruno Guimaraes gained nine duels against Liverpool, whereas Mac Allister and Gravenberch gained magnificent four combined.
However, Lynch expressed his peek that the your total team can at times lack physicality when he told Sports activities Mole: “It be a original lack of physicality for the period of the total team, now not magnificent the midfield. Obviously Newcastle did very smartly in there and gained various duels. Bruno winning extra than Liverpool’s complete midfield is now not a gigantic peek.
“However [if] you peek at the physique of labor this season from the midfield, it has been very correct, entirely dominant in the Premier League and they’re going to pass on and win that. I manufacture now not think it ought to be a case of ripping it up and starting again or anything esteem that, but in all areas of the team in the event you would possibly well maybe well per chance also add a tiny additional layer of physicality, it would possibly well maybe well be critical.
“You can concede to a side who do not have as much quality as you, so it’s going to be something that’s looked at this summer and should be looked at, but we shouldn’t make it a bigger problem than it is, but it is one small weakness I think we’ve seen this season.”
Liverpool did strive to bring True Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi to the membership in the summer season transfer window, and it wouldn’t be surprising if the Reds introduced in one other approach to rotate with their most smartly-liked community.
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