Slot’s Tactical Misstep Costs Liverpool in Carabao Cup Final | OneFootball

Slot’s Liverpool Falter as Newcastle Seize Wembley Glory

By the time Arne Slot led his devastated Liverpool players up the steps to collect their runners-up medals, their half of Wembley was already deserted. The pain of their Carabao Cup final defeat to Newcastle United was etched on their faces, but nobody could blame them for wanting to make a quick exit.

This was no near miss, no hard-luck story. This was a complete failure on the biggest domestic stage. Liverpool weren’t just beaten; they were dominated in every facet of the game. The 2-1 scoreline flattered them. For all the excitement of Slot’s early tenure, this was a performance that exposed his side’s frailties in the most brutal manner.

A Week to Forget for Slot’s Liverpool

Liverpool had arrived at Wembley brimming with confidence. A season of promise, top of the Premier League table, and still competing on multiple fronts—yet in the space of a few days, their campaign had been dealt two crushing blows.

Photo: IMAGO

First came the heartache of exiting the Champions League against Paris Saint-Germain on penalties. That was unfortunate. This was inexcusable. A lacklustre, error-strewn display devoid of intensity, energy, or ingenuity. Slot had suffered back-to-back defeats for the first time since taking charge.

Perspective is needed. Liverpool still lead the title race, sitting twelve points clear of Arsenal with nine games remaining. If they see it through, this season will still be a triumph. But the manner of this capitulation at Wembley cannot be ignored.

“The phrase ‘only the league title’ is laughable given the size of the prize and the fact that Liverpool had waited 30 years to win it before Jurgen Klopp oversaw their previous triumph in 2020.”

Yet Sunday’s debacle raises serious questions. How did Liverpool fluff their lines so spectacularly on the big stage?

Physical and Mental Fatigue Took Its Toll

There’s no doubt that Liverpool’s energy levels were depleted. The two-legged war with PSG had drained them, both physically and emotionally. The psychological impact of crashing out of Europe in such dramatic fashion clearly lingered.

Photo: IMAGO

Nine of Liverpool’s ten outfield players at Wembley had also started both games against the French champions. Privately, Slot will surely regret his lack of rotation against Southampton before that second leg at Anfield. Only three changes were made in that fixture. He should have placed greater trust in fringe players like Wataru Endo and Harvey Elliott.

Slot attempted to recharge his squad by giving them Thursday off before the final. It didn’t work. Liverpool were flat, second-best in every duel, unable to match Newcastle’s physicality.

“This game had nothing to do with running, this game had only to do with playing duels,” Slot insisted. “You cannot judge if we were tired yes or no because we could not press them. There was nothing to press because they played over our press.”

“This game went exactly the way they wanted it to: a fight with a lot of duels and a lot of duels in the air. And if we play 10 times a game of football through the air against them, they win it probably nine times because they are a stronger team through the air than us.”

Liverpool got bullied. They won just 43% of their duels overall and a mere 32% of aerial challenges. Ryan Gravenberch, who has played almost double the minutes he managed last season, struggled. So did Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, both overwhelmed in midfield.

Creativity and Control Were Missing

Forget Newcastle’s direct approach. The real issue was Liverpool’s failure to impose themselves. Possession was plentiful—66%—but utterly ineffective. Where was the incisiveness, the composure, the bravery in possession?

They had just two touches inside Newcastle’s box in the first half. Not until the hour mark did they force Nick Pope into a save. The lack of creativity was stark. Szoboszlai and Luis Díaz were the only starters to create a single chance, according to Opta.

Instead, Liverpool conceded cheap set-pieces, inviting pressure. When they went long, they did so aimlessly. In the frantic closing stages, Virgil van Dijk was deployed as an emergency striker, a clear sign of desperation.

Newcastle had 17 shots to Liverpool’s seven. Their expected goals (xG) stood at 1.84 compared to 0.89. This wasn’t just a defeat—it was a dismantling.

How Liverpool missed the influence of Trent Alexander-Arnold. His range of passing would have given them a much-needed creative outlet. Jarell Quansah filled in admirably, but Newcastle were content to let him have the ball, knowing he wasn’t going to hurt them.

Slot Outmanoeuvred by Howe

One of the hallmarks of Slot’s tenure so far has been his ability to tweak tactics mid-game, to adjust and influence proceedings. But at Wembley, he got it wrong.

Liverpool started poorly and never improved. The warning signs were there when Dan Burn won a couple of early headers from set-pieces. Why was Mac Allister tasked with marking him when Burn inevitably powered in Newcastle’s opener? It was a clear mismatch.

“I can explain,” Slot said. “We play zonal so we have five players zonally close to our goal, so if the ball falls there it is always one of the five stronger players that are going to attack that ball.”

“And we have three players that man-mark and Macca is one of them. Normally a player like Dan Burn runs to the zone. I have never seen in my life a player from that far away heading a ball with so much force into the far corner.”

By the time Slot reacted in the second half, it was too late. Jacob Murphy’s knockdown set up Alexander Isak for Newcastle’s second, and Liverpool’s changes—Jones and Elliott—came with the damage already done.

Eddie Howe had executed his game plan to perfection. Slot had no answers.

Over-Reliance on Salah Exposed

Mohamed Salah has been Liverpool’s talisman all season. His 32 goals and 22 assists in 43 games are staggering numbers. But at Wembley, he was expertly shackled, managing just 23 touches.

It was only the third time in 392 appearances that Salah failed to either register a shot or create a chance. Without his influence, Liverpool had no plan B.

Diogo Jota is out of sorts. He was fortunate to start at Wembley and offered little. His miss in the first half summed up his barren run—ten games without a goal. Luis Díaz’s early-season form has faded too, with just one goal in his last 18 appearances.

If Liverpool were going to resort to hopeful long balls, why not start Darwin Núñez? The Uruguayan came off the bench but was ineffective, extending his own dry spell to one goal in 13 matches.

The only bright spot? Federico Chiesa. The Italian’s late consolation goal, slotted home from Elliott’s pass, was one of the few moments of quality. He did more in 20 minutes than Jota and Díaz managed combined. Slot must reconsider his attacking hierarchy after the international break.

A Painful Lesson, but Title Race Still in Sight

“It was a tough week but it was also a week where we extended our lead in the Premier League to 12 points so it wasn’t all negative,” Slot reflected.

“You know if you go far in tournaments that the opposition you face gets stronger and stronger. Even Liverpool can lose football games, that’s what can happen.”

Slot’s attempts to stay positive were understandable. But this was more than just a bad day. This was a failure to turn up when it mattered most.

Silverware slipped through their fingers at Wembley. That cannot happen again in the Premier League run-in.