PSG defeat underlines Liverpool's need to tweak attack

Liverpool fell short in forward areas as they crashed out of the Champions League at the last-16 stage.

Photo: IMAGO | Anfield Index

If Arne Slot is looking for one major positive from Liverpool’s Champions League exit at the hands of PSG last night, then it is surely that it underlined the steps his team needs to take to return to the pinnacle of European football.

Dominated in midfield in the away leg, short of defensive cover at home - there were plenty of eminently fixable issues made apparent by this knife-edge tie.

But it was the centre-forward position that proved most problematic for the Reds across the two legs.

This has been a major talking point all season long, and it is testament to Arne Slot’s ingenuity as well as the fact that Liverpool are far from outright poor in this area that it hasn’t hurt their Premier League title charge.

But their desire is to be the best of the best and, if Slot’s team are going to do that, they will surely have to strengthen up top.

As can be seen from this chart of the expected threat generated by players from both sides over the two legs, Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez rank remarkably low, in fact tending to move the ball into less dangerous areas with their passing.

In the case of Jota, this owed much to a sheer lack of speed and strength in comparison to a powerful PSG back four, which forced him backwards time and time again.