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Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate says Arne Slot’s change in style has left him less “exposed” defensively with the Frenchman getting more help from Trent Alexander-Arnold to his right in the new way of playing.
“[Trent] helps a lot when we attack which leaves me with a big space to defend,” Konate told Sky Sports. “But how the manager has explained to us to defend all together has helped me and the team a lot.
“If you can see and compare to the last season or the season before as well, we were more exposed. But now when we lose the ball, everyone tries to help the team, and I think we are more together.”
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Alexander-Arnold has been less devastating in the final third but has generally seen an improvement in his defensive contributions, with the Manchester United game in which he struggled against Bruno Fernandes and Diogo Dalot an outlier. And the more controlled way of playing has reduced the number of goals that Liverpool concedes.
“Nobody was expecting the manager to do what he has done since the start of the season,” Konate continued. “He has a great idea of playing, he knows what to do, and it’s not about adaptation to the other team. I think this makes a lot of difference for us compared to under Jurgen.”
Liverpool.com says: There is no doubt that the Reds have been more stable this season because of the more patient way of playing. But in the last few matches, goals have started to go in. Alisson Becker has conceded from nine of the last 15 shots he has faced, and Liverpool has gone behind in five of its last seven Premier League matches. That pattern needs to reverse quickly.