It won't be just Arne Slot and the Liverpool players under the microscope in Anfield decider
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Ian Doyle looks ahead to Liverpool's vital Champions League round of 16 decider with Galatasaray at Anfield after they lost last night's first leg 1-0 in IstanbulIt’s the one criticism that, from the very first weekend, has followed Liverpool around all season. And now Arne Slot will discover if he and his players can heed any of the lessons that continue to be meted out during a tortuous campaign.Issues with game management have, among many varied factors, contributed greatly to the Reds scrabbling around with the also-rans in pursuit of a top-four Premier League finish rather than fighting it out with Arsenal and Manchester City in defence of the title they won in such dominant fashion last year.Those shortcomings were evident once more last week given the manner in which Liverpool became embroiled in a basketball-style finale at rock-bottom Wolves that ultimately ended in a costly league defeat.But the challenge facing the Reds next week comes in a different form having been beaten 1-0 in their Champions League round of 16 first leg against Galatasaray in Istanbul on Tuesday.How best to approach the game is likely to be at the forefront of the thinking of Slot and his coaching staff as they prepare for a game that could have ramifications for the Reds boss beyond this season.Admittedly, there is some extra leeway these days following the abolishment of the away goals rule that has made knockout ties more open if at the expense of some of the unique tension offered by the business end of European competition.While having guided previous club Feyenoord to a European final, the sample size for Slot in two-legged combat as Liverpool boss remains small, with just last term’s League Cup semi-final against Tottenham Hotspur and Champions League round of 16 tie against Paris Saint-Germain as evidence.
On both occasions, the Reds lost one of the games 1-0.In truth, Slot could claim his initial gameplan at Rams Park was justified given the Reds' high pressing spooked Galatasaray into coughing up two great chances for Florian Wirtz. Ultimately, they were caught between the two for too much of the game.Slot’s substitutes – bringing on two full-backs and replacing the tiring Wirtz for Cody Gakpo – suggested he was happy to err on the side of caution.Certainly, Galatasaray’s all-action attacking approach means they can take the game away from opponents if unchecked, as was seen in the 5-2 home win over Juventus in the play-offs.But their nervy defending on Tuesday highlighted why a 10-man Juve were able to wipe out that deficit inside 90 minutes before their numerical disadvantage finally told in extra time.And Liverpool’s record in Europe having lost the first leg away 1-0 edges towards the positive.
In the 15 previous times it has happened, the Reds have overturned the deficit at Anfield on nine occasions.In the Champions League era, though, they have won only one of three, although admittedly it was a notable achievement when eliminating Chelsea in the semi-finals in 2007.Of course, the Reds were on the receiving end of a comeback at this stage of the competition last season when, having won 1-0 against PSG in Paris, they lost the return leg at home by the same scoreline before losing on penalties.It’s intriguing that four of Liverpool’s last five European eliminations have effectively been assured at Anfield. In 2019/20, having overturned a 1-0 first-leg reverse at Atletico Madrid to lead 2-0 in the return, they ultimately lost 3-2 on the night during a wild extra time period.In 2022/23, a shocking 5-2 first-leg drubbing at home to Real Madrid in the round of 16 left too steep a mountain to climb, and it was the same story when thumped 3-0 by eventual winners Atalanta in the Europa League quarter-finals a year later.Has Anfield, then, lost a little of its fear factor to European teams since the pandemic?