Liverpool’s Long-Ball Dilemma: Will Arne Slot’s Bold Tactics Break the Curse?

Nine games into the 2025/26 Premier League season, and if you asked me about Liverpool’s chances of defending their title, I’d say the writing’s pretty much on the wall. They kicked things off like a dream, five wins straight out the gate, but then—bam!—four consecutive losses at the hands of Crystal Palace, Chelsea, Manchester United, and Brentford have left Arne Slot’s squad wobbling on shaky ground. Oddly enough, even when the Reds snagged victories early on, they rarely looked at ease, often scraping through with late goals that barely sealed the deal. You get that feeling—the pendulum was always gonna swing back, and right now, it’s swinging hard. Something’s gotta change, and fast, if Liverpool want to steady the ship before they sink deeper into this mess. LEARN MORE

With just nine rounds played in 2025/26, Liverpool’s title defence in the Premier League appears to be over. After winning the opening five, the Reds have suffered defeat in the last four matches in the English top flight, with Crystal Palace, Chelsea, Manchester United, and Brentford all getting the better of Arne Slot’s team.

Even in the games they won, Liverpool didn’t look very convincing, often needing late goals to secure the points. It was always going to tilt the other way sooner or later, and things obviously need to change if Arne Slot’s men are going to get back on track any time soon.

The Oldest Trick in the Book Is Hurting Liverpool

Liverpool’s high defensive line and pressing game have long been their calling card. But under Arne Slot, opponents are exploiting that system with ruthless efficiency—using direct, long-ball tactics to bypass the press and create chaos.

The Numbers Behind the Crisis

• Liverpool have faced 571 long passes in nine Premier League matches, the most in the league.
• 20.5% of all passes against Liverpool are long balls, again the highest proportion.
• Manchester United, Crystal Palace, and Bournemouth have all launched 70+ long balls in single games against Liverpool.

These aren’t anomalies—they’re a tactical trend.

Why Long Balls Work Against Liverpool

Slot’s 4-2-3-1 system prioritizes proactive pressing and attacking width. But when full-backs push high and midfielders fail to win second balls, Liverpool’s center-backs are left exposed. A single lofted pass turns the game into a sprint toward goal—and Liverpool are losing that race.

The Ripple Effect on Performance

• Liverpool have conceded first in six straight matches, often inside 15 minutes.
• Set-piece vulnerability adds to the pain: seven goals conceded from dead-ball situations this season.
• Psychological impact: defenders hesitate, midfield drops deeper, attacking rhythm suffers.

Personnel and Planning Issues

Injuries to key players like Alisson Becker have amplified the problem. New signings added technical flair but not the physicality needed for aerial duels and second-ball battles. Even Virgil van Dijk’s dominance can’t mask systemic flaws.

Can Slot Adapt Without Losing Identity?

Possible solutions include:

• Dropping the defensive line slightly.
• Deploying a disciplined holding midfielder like Wataru Endō.
• Staggering full-back runs to maintain balance.

But each tweak risks diluting Liverpool’s attacking DNA—a dilemma Slot must solve quickly.

The Bigger Picture

The Premier League is trending toward direct play, with long passes and throws at a 15-year high. Liverpool’s struggles aren’t isolated—they’re a warning sign for teams clinging to high-risk systems without adaptation.

In all fairness, Slot took the team Jurgen Klopp had built before his arrival and won the title with it – a considerable feat in itself. Now he’s started building a team of his own, spending a lot of money in the transfer market during the summer, and more arrivals are expected in the near future. That all takes time to blend in properly and form a cohesive unit.

Positive results will follow; but the question is, will the tide turn in time to save the season? When it comes to the title race, probably not.

The Carabao Cup is already gone – Liverpool lost 0-3 to Crystal Palace in the fourth round, albeit with a heavily rotated team that mostly comprised of teenagers, along with a few senior figures. But Slot now must prepare for an extremely difficult stretch.

Unlike Liverpool, Aston Villa, who come to Anfield next, have won all of their last four league matches, including triumphs away to Tottenham Hotspur and at home against Manchester City last week. A few days later, Real Madrid come for a Champions League clash, followed by the Reds’ trip to the Etihad to face Manchester City.

The task of breaking a negative trend through such challenges is a daunting prospect indeed.

Final Word

Arne Slot’s honeymoon is over. Four straight defeats underline the urgency of change. If Liverpool can’t neutralize the long-ball threat, their title defence could collapse before Christmas. Evolution isn’t optional—it’s survival.

The clock is ticking.