Was Salah propping up Liverpool's attack all along?

The Reds' efficiency in attack has completely deserted them this year, casting doubt on Slot's influence on last season's improvements.

Photo: IMAGO | Anfield Index

With Arne Slot’s second season in charge of Liverpool going badly wrong, it is fashionable to suggest that he simply rode the coattails of his predecessor Jurgen Klopp in winning the Premier League last term.

But the Dutchman didn’t just benefit from a solid foundation and the collapse of potential rivals due to injuries, he also oversaw changes to several aspects that had cost his players glory the year before.

And arguably the most important of those was in attack, where a team that had once been wasteful found a new ruthless streak that ultimately took them to the title.

In Klopp’s final season at the helm, Liverpool had been the league’s most prolific shooters, racking up a frankly ridiculous 781 efforts at a rate of 20.55 per game.

Unfortunately, their goals per shot ratio of 0.09 left a lot to be desired, and so a late finishing slump that cost them came as little surprise - not least because Arsenal and Manchester City (0.12) were far superior in that regard.

But then came Slot to seemingly make much-needed tweaks up top that paid immediate dividends.

In his first season in charge, the Reds remained the league’s best shot-getting team, albeit by clocking up fewer than year before (639 at a rate of 16.82 per 90 minutes).

But a drop-off in volume seemed to be the result of better shot selection, with Liverpool’s goals per shot ratio jumping to 0.12.

That their non-penalty expected goals per shot was also up from 0.11 to 0.12 appeared to support the theory that Slot had reined in some of the more ambitious shot-taking in favour of creating better quality chances.

And the result was that Liverpool ended the season as the league’s top scorers with 86 goals and with the best attack in terms of xG (82.2), roughly 14 ahead of City by both measures.

Sadly, this cutting edge has completely deserted the champions this time around, making them just as blunt in attack as they are hapless in defence.

Rather incredibly given their struggles, the Reds still lead the Premier League this season in terms of shots taken per 90 minutes with 15.36.

But they also boast the worst shot on target ratio in the entire division with 26.5%, down from 33.6 and 33.7% in the two campaigns prior.