Liverpool beat AC Milan while switching play – but don't get used to it

Liverpool’s first Champions League win under Arne Slot had all the makings of a trademark Jurgen Klopp victory: a comeback, two set-piece goals and a third on the counter-attack, and lots of early switches of play.

In the first 50 minutes against AC Milan last night at San Siro, Liverpool played seven switches (defined by Opta as passes that travel more than 40 yards across the width of the pitch) — their most across that time period in a European match since April 2021, in the Champions League quarter-final first-leg away to Real Madrid (eight).

After 50 minutes yesterday, Liverpool didn’t hit any more of them. They were 2-1 up by then, so did not need as many risks in possession, but the tactic seemed residual from the Klopp era rather than suiting Slot’s style.

Throughout Klopp’s final five seasons, from 2019-20 to 2023-24, Liverpool always ranked in the top four for switches in the Premier League (as can be seen in the table below).

Of the six instances of a team hitting at least 80 switches in a Champions League season since 2018-19, Liverpool account for two (that first year, when they won the final, and the next one — 2019-20).

A big part of Liverpool’s success with the tactic was their exciting wide play. They had attacking full-backs who overlapped, dribbling wingers and wide passing triangles with the No 8.

Switches normally work because they isolate wingers against full-backs and can be used to exploit space, creating opportunities for overloads and cutbacks — but under Slot, Liverpool use their full-backs differently. Right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold has a mixed role and is often in midfield operating as an extra No 6, while the left-back (normally Andy Robertson, although he was replaced by Kostas Tsimikas against Milan) stays deeper to be a third centre-back.

It means the shape often resembles a 3-2-5, which can be dangerous against a back four when overloading the last line.

With Milan pressing from an aggressive 4-2-4, pushing up the wingers to pin Liverpool’s deeper full-backs, Slot’s side took too long in the first half to realise the most optimal routes were through that block, not around or over it.

Milan’s front-four press required their centre-forward and attacking midfielder to take turns covering Liverpool’s defensive midfielder, while the other one pressed the back line.

That marking scheme involved players switching roles rather than one player staying tight, so Liverpool could find their midfielders with central balls if they passed quickly and made smart runs.

Here, in the first attack of the game, we see that press, while centre-forward Diogo Jota drops in to overload midfield and attacking midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai pulls wide. That is stretching Milan’s midfield two, who are trying to deal with three players, given Ryan Gravenberch’s run from his deep-lying role.

Liverpool manipulated Milan’s midfield well but rarely tried to break the lines centrally early on, presumably cautious of their opponents’ counter-attacking threat.

Here, under no pressure, Virgil van Dijk switches play to Cody Gakpo, who is in space because Jota’s positioning has pinned Davide Calabria.

However, Gakpo miscontrols and the move breaks down.

There was a similar pass eight minutes later, more of a ball in-behind than a switch, again by Van Dijk. Szoboszlai and Alexander-Arnold made runs in behind, and the ball reached the Hungary international, though again the move ended in a turnover.

Milan could now break and find Rafael Leao, with six Liverpool players ahead of the ball. Ibrahima Konate defended him well and won the duel, but that is the type of situation Slot wants to prevent.

“We lost the ball from choices that were not the best to make — then they could counter-attack,” the Liverpool head coach said.

In open play, there were similar frustrations for Liverpool’s attack as in the home defeat against Nottingham Forest at the weekend. They hit six switches during that one, with Forest awake to these and turning them into counter-attack situations during the second half.

Slot had stressed that Milan would be a “completely different game (to Forest), with the type of players they have and the playing style”.

For the first half last night, Liverpool’s approach did not look much different but it should have done — Milan have the weakest defence across Europe’s top five leagues this season for the average expected goals allowed per opposition shot (0.17), showing when they give up chances, their opponents are statistically likely to score.

Liverpool’s first two goals were headers from set pieces, with full-backs assisting their centre-back colleagues.

The build-up to their equaliser did involve a switch.

Alexander-Arnold is in a narrow midfield position, which has pinned Milan’s block centrally, and Konate finds Szboszlai out wide.

Then Alexander-Arnold gets on the ball. He could work a crossing position to Szoboszlai through Jota, but opts for the switch with Calabria pinned again.

Gakpo’s first touch is loose, which gives Calabria time to recover, but he fouls the Netherlands international. From Alexander-Arnold’s free kick, Konate heads in to level the scores.

Liverpool’s final switch came early in the second half, another right-to-left ball, from Konate to Gakpo.

Here is an example of the off-ball movement Liverpool did not execute enough against Forest or Milan — penetrative runs between opposition defenders.

Below, Milan’s back four have been stretched horizontally, with plenty of space between right-back Calabria and right centre-back Fikayo Tomori.

The only downside is that Jota and Tsimikas make similar runs, but Gakpo uses neither of them. Instead, he dribbles inside and tries to play a one-two with Szboszlai, which does not come off.

Liverpool counter-pressed well in this instance and created a close-range chance for Jota that Mike Maignan saved.

It emphasised a point Slot made before the game — that most of Liverpool’s goals under him have come from transitions and regains. There is work to be done on breaking down opponents in settled possession.

Under Klopp, “Liverpool used every moment they could to play the ball in behind”, Slot told Sky Sports earlier in the season. “That meant that the game was sometimes a bit open. Sometimes I tell the players to get a better judgement in risk and reward. I see that still some players are trying to play the difficult ball that doesn’t get the reward for the risk they take.”

Slot is going to continue making small attacking tweaks rather than completely overhauling Klopp’s style. His Feyenoord team made the second-fewest switches in the Eredivisie last season, but that does not mean he will ask Liverpool’s players to ditch the tactic entirely.

That said, a reliance on switches has limited their attacking in recent games. Last night’s win ended up rather comfortable, outshooting Milan 23-8 and creating five Opta-defined ‘big chances’ without conceding any, but there is work to be done in their build-up.

Liam Tharme is one of The Athletic’s Football Tactics Writers, primarily covering Premier League and European football. Prior to joining, he studied for degrees in Football Coaching & Management at UCFB Wembley (Undergraduate), and Sports Performance Analysis at the University of Chichester (Postgraduate). Hailing from Cambridge, Liam spent last season as an academy Performance Analyst at a Premier League club, and will look to deliver detailed technical, tactical, and data-informed analysis. Follow Liam on Twitter @LiamTharmeCoach