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Preserve calm. This was the tranquil advice delivered by the Dutch defender and the young midfielder earlier this week as Liverpool processed consecutive defeats for the second occasion under their head coach.

The coach remained unfazed and positive on Friday, interspersing several voluntary comments that the side he was backing from rare censure are at the summit of the the league. Anew. But behind the calming messages and positive ranking, there are unquestionable concerns with the club's performance that, as stated by Slot himself, go beyond than the initial ten matches of the season.

We felt extremely pleased securing the championship,” stated the Liverpool boss. “Yet we didn't close our vision for the second part of the campaign to the frequency with which we required a free-kick or corner [to win].”

Last season's title winners have not been having trouble to generate opportunities from live action or to convert dominant possession into convincing victories in recent months, their manager asserted. The team have actually been struggling to do each starting in the second half of the prior term, once opponents changed their game plans to stifle the Reds, and are yet to find solutions.

Statistical Evidence

Data back up his claims. In the first nineteen fixtures of his maiden term, the team notched 47 goals with forty (the vast majority) originating from general play. In the concluding 19 league games, the club achieved 39 goals, of which 69.2% (69.2%) were from live action. The reduction has been corrected this season, over a small sample size, with ten of their 12 Premier League goals originating from open play (eighty-three point three percent).

• First 19 games: eighty-five point one percent of goals from open play
• Closing phase: sixty-nine point two percent of goals from open play
• Current season: eighty-three point three percent of goals from open play

However Liverpool's performances this season, notably the losses at Palace and in Turkey in the period of four days, cannot be blamed on a drop in dead-ball effectiveness only. Moreover, their seven-game winning streak ahead of traveling to their London rivals was frequently accompanied by the caveat that Liverpool won late and/or despite an patchy performance.

Team Problems

Wirtz is yet to adapt to the intensity of the Premier League and is a big-money acquisition that the manager is continuing to accommodate to optimal performance. Liverpool's recent arrivals in defense, one new full-back and the other full-back, were staunchly defended by their manager prior to the Galatasaray defeat but are not yet at the standards of the the previous incumbents.

Alexander Isak is short of full sharpness having spent the break not playing at Newcastle, and the centre-back's performances has dipped significantly. The list goes on. Only Hugo Ekitiké, the captain, the goalkeeper, who will be absent for the weekend fixture to Chelsea with a hamstring injury, the playmaker and the engine-room player have played at a good level so far this season.

Key Unavailable player

The Reds urgently require the Argentine midfielder to recover optimal condition and his impact over their rhythm, composure and forward impetus. The Argentina international was left out of the last two matches of the prior term to begin his rehabilitation from a nagging groin injury and come back in shape for the build-up. Ideally, that was the aim. The midfielder's return to fitness was lengthier than expected, the preparation period was often disrupted as a result, and a key component in the manager's setup has not completed a full match for his team following the narrow victory at the Foxes on 20 April.

“People claim he’s playing catchup,” Slot commented. “In Holland we say he walks behind the music.” Liverpool will be a more formidable side once the Argentine is conducting the engine room next to the other midfielder again.

Next Steps

Slot has highlighted the benefits of versatility in his revamped team, with the new signings the German, Ekitiké, Isak and Frimpong able to play in a different spots, but a club in flux could do with increased regularity in team picks to speed the integration.

“I don’t think we alter our methods but I notice rivals employing a lot of things unlike before against us,” he stated. “My predecessor passed on a lot of advantages but one benefit I inherited was concluding in the top three the previous season and outside the top four the year before that.”

The Merseysiders boast enough top-tier stars to fix their unconvincing form, as the midfielder commented lately, but the coach acknowledges the solution is trickier than hoping for the playmaker and the striker to find their form. Stamford Bridge would be a good place to commence, though.

There are multiple factors,” Slot remarked. “What must we do to get the ball to our fliers? Do we find them regularly and in threatening areas {like we did|as we managed|similar