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It’s been a pretty flawless start for Liverpool in the Premier League so far. Despite three tough games against Leeds United, Chelsea and Arsenal, the Reds secured maximum points and already look like favorites to retain their Premier League crown.
As you would expect from one of the most entertaining teams on the planet, there have been a number of interesting subplots that have played out over the course of their three league games thus far.
However, one of the most intriguing is the increased number of dribbles that Jurgen Klopp’s team has been attempting. Last year, as a team, the champions averaged 25.32 dribbling attempts per 90 minutes. However, so far this season, that average has risen to 36 dribbling attempts per 90 minutes.
Obviously we are looking at a very small sample size of just three games so it is difficult to draw any concrete conclusions at the moment. However, the above is quite a significant change indicating that perhaps we will see a more fluid version of Liverpool in attack this season.
The reason for this may be due to the fact that many teams, even those perceived as ‘superior teams’, are choosing to sit in a deep compact form when facing Liverpool. Below are the middle positions of Chelsea and Arsenal in their recent Premier League meetings against the Reds.
While Liverpool have a number of players with a first-class distribution who can divide most teams with their passes, these low-block setups can be difficult to avoid relying on passes alone, as space and lines of pass tend to be restricted.
As a result, players who can dribble are important as they can attack defenders, knocking them out of shape and thus creating space for themselves or their teammates around them. This is why Liverpool have focused on recruiting not only good passers, but also skilled dribblers like Thiago and Naby Keita in recent windows.
That said, one of Liverpool’s most aggressive dribblers so far has been Mohamed Salah. The Egyptian superstar averaged 4.01 dribbling attempts in the Premier League last season. However, that average has more than doubled so far this season to 9.13 times 90.
The importance of it is highlighted in the following taken from Liverpool’s 3-1 victory against Arsenal.
Despite Liverpool having bypassed the Arsenal press, the visitors still have five defenders in and around the penalty area. Salah tries to intervene but has no chance to shoot or pass a teammate.
The Egyptian international dribbles past Arsenal defenders who are trying to close him off. This movement opens an opening for him to thread an excellent pass to Diogo Jota, who was unlucky enough not to turn his effort into a goal.
None of the above is revolutionary, and Liverpool have been using the dribbling skills of their best players for some time. However, they may need to rely more on the skills of their best dribblers this season to overcome the sides that limit their passing abilities within the middle of the oppositions.
So, don’t be surprised that it becomes an even more crucial aspect of your attacking game this season.
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