Arne Slot Doubles Down On Bitter Man Utd Dig

Liverpool head Arne Slot took different little than subtle swipe astatine Manchester United’s long-ball attack by highlighting Eintracht Frankfurt’s willingness to support nan shot connected nan ground.

The Dutch leader was notably unimpressed pinch United’s aerial battle astatine Anfield past Sunday. Ruben Amorim’s broadside seldom played nan shot astir their backline, robbing Liverpool of immoderate opportunity to property and triumph possession adjacent to Senne Lammens’s goal.

The maneuver was advantageous some offensively and defensively. United’s opening extremity came aft Bruno Fernandes gobbled up a loose shot pursuing a agelong punt forward. “It’s ever difficult playing against a squad that plays a debased artifact and agelong balls,” Slot sniped aft nan 2–1 defeat. “It’s moreover much difficult erstwhile you concede a extremity successful nan opening minutes pinch a man lying connected nan ground.

“When you play United, pinch each their talented players, and they’re playing a debased artifact astatine our location and playing agelong balls, nan past point you want is to spell down because it gives them moreover much confidence,” Slot later added, nan bitterness dripping disconnected his words.

Eintracht Frankfurt were little reliant upon agelong balls but were thumped 5–1.

Frankfurt Pass Slot’s Eye Test—But astatine Their Own Cost

Stats via FBref.

“The biggest objection for maine was, coming compared to nan different games we’ve played, was nan playing style of our opponent,” Slot explained, nan grin backmost connected his look aft nan extremity of a four-game losing streak.

“We sewage immoderate power retired of nan moments we could property them, which successful nan past 4 aliases 5 games we’ve played we were not capable to property nan force because nan shot wasn’t connected nan ground.”

Yet, what United’s attack lacked successful artistic quality, it made up for successful effeciency.

Senne Lammens was superb against Liverpool. / Carl Recine/Getty Images

Lammens embodied United’s nonstop attack against Liverpool. Of nan 47 passes he attempted connected Sunday, 45 travelled astatine slightest 30 yards. The Belgian goalkeeper explained precisely why Ruben Amorim devised this strategy. “You person to beryllium realistic,” Lammens reflected.

“They [Liverpool] are going to spell man vs. man [off nan ball], truthful coming to Anfield it is rather difficult to build up.

“So, we made nan determination that we should get much of a agelong shot and effort to triumph nan 2nd ball, moreover though we didn’t really person a target striker. We did it rather well, truthful that’s really we could still push them away.”

Whether this attack will activity against teams beneath Liverpool’s lofty standard, those who are little consenting to return connected nan inaugural astatine Old Trafford, remains to beryllium seen.

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