After a shocking loss at home against Nottingham Forest, Liverpool faced Milan in an away Champions League match and conceded a goal in the third minute – putting them at risk of losing two matches in a row.
However, from the 15th minute onwards, Arne Slot’s team made some adjustments and went on to secure a confident 3-1 victory. The Reds effectively countered Milan’s offensive plans, leaving them no chance for a positive result.
Liverpool FC (@LFC) September 18, 2024
While Milan initially showed promising attacking ideas, they struggled to move the ball into the final third and were ineffective in their pressing. In this article, let’s analyze how specific tactical details impacted the match outcome.
Milan Exposes Liverpool’s Risky Formation at the Start of the Match
Arne Slot continues to use the 4-2-4 formation defensively despite the high risk. In the early minutes of the game, Milan easily bypassed Liverpool’s front four, leaving only six Liverpool players in their own half. Unsurprisingly, this allowed the hosts to capitalize early and score quickly.
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Liverpool FC (@LFC) September 18, 2024
The Rossoneri attempted to overload the area around Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister, with Tijjani Reijnders, Christian Pulisic, and Álvaro Morata drifting into these pockets. Meanwhile, Milan’s full-backs actively pushed up on the flanks behind Cody Gakpo and Mohamed Salah.
The Art of Adaptation: How Liverpool Neutralized Milan
Initially, it seemed that Milan might add to their early lead, but Liverpool gradually adjusted their structure and positioning. The central defenders started to play more aggressively and effectively supported their midfielders in the center of the field, effectively cutting off Milan’s attempts to dominate the middle third.
‘The whole team played well’ – every word from Arne Slot’s post-AC Milan press conference
Liverpool FC (@LFC) September 17, 2024
Liverpool demonstrated their ability to adapt pressing and positioning in the 4-2-4 formation and effectively cover the space in the middle third of the field. Milan attempted to build attacks through short passes, but it didn’t lead to success.