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As an aside, I start with submitting my congratulations to Napoli for this momentous season of winning the Serie A title– way back 1990 was when they won it last. Congratulazioni Napoli!

Sequel to my last one I continue.

LIVERPOOL

Last season: second place (92 points, +68 goal differential) and eliminated by Real Madrid in the Champions League final
This season: About fifth place[there are games-in-hand around them]( should finish with around 65 points with about +28 goal differential) and eliminated by Real Madrid in the Champions League round of 16.

Their most obvious problem has to do with their defensive resistance. Now in 63 matches last season, Liverpool allowed the opposition 471 total shots, 65 worth at least 0.3 xG. But in just 45 matches this season it has allowed 468 and 61, respectively. That says a lot.

This is the famous gengen-pressing team of England Jurgen Klopp has created, yet this style can be termed a risk-reward kind of thing. Their energetic high pressing approach, can sometimes expose them counter attacks by the opponents. Infact the times Liverpool have struggled in the past under Klopp, has almost always been when clever opponents find a way to circumvent their high pressing style.

Once again this season, as tends to be the case, Liverpool is allowing the highest xG per shot average in the Premier League this season, but the concern is that they have not limited the shot quantity against them.

SOME DEFENCE STATS

2021-22 (in all competitions):
0.76 goals allowed per game, 1.02 xG allowed, 0.075 shots allowed per possession, 0.137 xG allowed per shot.

2022-23 (in all competitions):
1.29 goals allowed per game, 1.42 xG allowed, 0.110 shots allowed per possession, 0.137 xG allowed per shot.

That's a whooping 70% increase in goals allowed and a 39% increase in xG, all with the same shot quality.

It therefore goes without saying that Liverpool's entire defensive apparatus has become weak and take note it's about the "entire" not the defenders themselves. While they spent €147 million in transfer fees this season, roughly €122m out of this went into acquiring Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo. Both are attackers.

However, their real weakness was in midfield! They had an aging midfield, an injury prone midfield, plus a midfield that needed some refreshing from the exertions( physically and psychologically) of the high energy recipe of the Klopp era. The midfield has been the weaklink and even their recent improved performances has coincided with injured midfielders returning to fitness.I won't fail to spot that Mane's exit hurt them. Not even his goals alone, but his hardwork in defending.

So I would say Klopp was caught off-guard this season and he is beginning to rebound quite nicely, backed by a patient and understanding heirarchy. Well, the price to pay is, no Champions League football next season.

Already there are moves to correct the errors of this season, with beautiful midfielders being eyed. With the right signings, we should be seeing the greatness of the Liverpool squad again next season.

https://twitter.com/FabrizioRomano/status/1654173500511252482?s=20
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Regards to the boss of series like this @wolfgangsport for your nice comments last time. Then my ever faithful reader @talesfrmthecrypt and ofcourse my rep mate @nazom.

Cheers