5 months ago
Liverpool's problems from set-pieces "hurts" and nan 2nd shape is simply a "killer" for them, says skipper Virgil van Dijk.
Arne Slot's broadside person conceded 12 goals from set-pieces this play - nan joint-most successful nan Premier League alongside Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest.
In Saturday's convention lucifer astatine Anfield, which Liverpool won 2-1, Santiago Bueno scored for Wolves from a area and past week, Richarlison netted for Tottenham Hotspur aft nan Reds grounded to clear a corner.
"There person been plentifulness of games erstwhile we person defended them very well. But nan truth is we've conceded excessively galore set-piece goals and we don't people enough," said Van Dijk.
"It's thing we person to improve. I would opportunity astatine slightest 75% of nan clip aliases moreover more, it's not moreover astir nan first contact. It's nan 2nd shape that is nan killer.
"Is it a intelligence thing? I dream not. If that's successful your caput past it's an issue. Personally, it's not successful my head."
Excluding penalties, Liverpool person only scored 3 goals from set-pieces successful nan league. Their quality of minus 9 is their worst successful a Premier League season.
"We person defended truthful galore set-pieces very well. But we've conceded excessively galore goals for illustration that and it hurts. We person to amended that. Training is nan only measurement to get amended astatine it," Van Dijk added.
"It's not been bully enough. We each realise that. We person spoken astir it. We request to move it around. That's why we activity connected it almost each training session."
Liverpool head Slot said: "Unfortunately we're possibly nan only squad that hardly ever scores from a set-piece and, moreover worse, we perpetually concede.
"But then, I deliberation I said two, 3 aliases 4 weeks ago, we person to make judge that erstwhile things spell against america – it could beryllium a set-piece, it could beryllium different things – we still request to find a measurement to win.
"In nan past 2 games we conceded from a set-piece but we were capable to triumph and that hasn't happened galore times this season. That's advancement for me, but it's evident location are much things for america to amended and this is decidedly 1 of them.
"I deliberation we person been unlucky successful aggregate situations successful our set-pieces. It is 18 games now and we request to improve."
Liverpool's 3rd convention triumph successful a statement took them up to 4th successful nan table.
