Arne Slot will likely be seeking to carry the perfect out of Dominik Szoboszlai this season and he has two options that might do the trick.
For a number of temporary moments in pre-season we noticed the perfect of what Szoboszlai can supply.
The Hungarian scored the opening aim of the Arne Slot period in Liverpool’s first pre-season recreation towards Actual Betis by doing one thing we hardly ever noticed from him final season – making a run contained in the opposition’s penalty space.
Underneath Jurgen Klopp, Szoboszlai confirmed glimpses of what he can do going ahead however was usually diminished to closing the areas round Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mo Salah, quite than delivering the energetic offensive menace he’s very a lot able to offering.
In opposition to Betis, Liverpool noticed that menace at its greatest with Szoboszlai bursting into the field and ending off an opportunity completely orchestrated by Salah.
Talking after the sport, Szoboszlai admitted he wished to make these runs extra usually throughout the upcoming season.
“Final yr it didn’t occur so usually so I simply at all times let him know I’m at all times able to [make] these runs. Hopefully you’re going to see me [do that] within the season a few instances,” Szoboszlai instructed LFC TV.
It felt like Szoboszlai starting anew and enjoying with extra freedom, however merely a number of days later he was again enjoying in a extra reserved function towards Arsenal.
Slot instructed Szoboszlai to play within the makeshift No. 6 function and whereas the Hungarian impressed and is glad to play wherever on the pitch for Liverpool, This Is Anfield understands his choice is to play additional ahead.
How Slot needs his midfielders to play
Szoboszlai will likely be happy to understand it’s additionally the place Slot prefers him to play, primarily based on the Dutchman’s choice course of in the previous few weeks.
After enjoying as a holding midfielder towards Arsenal, Szoboszlai was again within the extra superior function towards Sevilla, as soon as once more recording a aim contribution to arrange Luis Diaz‘s second aim of the Reds’ penultimate pre-season recreation.
In opposition to Ipswich in Liverpool’s opening Premier League fixture, Szoboszlai performed the extra superior function and carried out to a excessive customary.
He performed a key function in offering a go that deflected into Salah’s path for Liverpool’s second aim of the sport.
General, he created three probabilities within the match which was the joint highest based on FotMob. He additionally misplaced simply 4 passes of the 43 he tried and seemed threatening, significantly within the second-half.
Talking after the sport, Szoboszlai was in good spirits and defined Slot’s large tactical change intimately.
“Effectively we performed in a different way a bit of bit,” he instructed LFC TV when requested what Slot needs from his midfield.
“As a result of [before] we performed with one No. 6 and two No. 8s, with one of many No. 8s dropping as a No. 6.
“Now we play with one No. 8, one No. 6 and one No. 10, and I had the function of the No. 10, however nonetheless typically I can drop, typically I can keep.
“It’s simply completely different. I feel I’ve extra offensive work with the ball, however with out the ball nonetheless I’ve to do my stuff anyway, similar as final season.”
What this implies is that Szoboszlai is ready to play with extra freedom on the pitch.
Underneath Klopp, he was restricted and infrequently needed to look out for his teammates however Slot has launched that burden and has liberated him to function in areas the place he can maximise his greatest qualities – amongst them being his skill to create probabilities and make an influence within the remaining third.
In Szoboszlai’s final season at RB Leipzig, he made 111 shot-creating-actions from open play in all competitions for the membership as per FBref.
This was probably the most anybody created from open play at Leipzig by a protracted distance, with Christopher Nkunku coming second within the statistic with 77.
Compared at Liverpool, Szoboszlai ranked simply fourth within the metric final season (94), with a lot of that having to do with simply how reserved he was at instances in his No. 8 function.
One other fascinating caveat from the Ipswich recreation is that as per Wyscout,
Szoboszlai recorded two or extra by way of passes in a single recreation simply 4 instances final season.
At Leipzig in his remaining season, Szoboszlai managed the identical output in 14 matches.
These are nonetheless early days but it surely appears like Slot is beginning to perceive the Hungarian’s strengths and in flip Liverpool are lastly getting the perfect model of Szoboszlai – the model followers have been hoping to see persistently since his arrival final summer time.
