Liverpool's Set-Piece Success Masks Issues

Arne Slot's Liverpool side has shifted from continental fluidity to a pragmatic approach centered around set-pieces, which has proven effective but raises questions about their initial blueprint. The 5-2 victory against West Ham masked familiar frailties in transition and midfield balance.

With an xG of just 1.75 against West Ham's 1.84, Liverpool's win was more about efficiency than domination. After a £450m summer rebuild supposedly designed for technical dominance, the team's most reliable weapon has become corners and dead balls—a necessary but potentially limiting strategy.