Arne Slot has spoken about how Liverpool may “have to suffer” against PSG, but he won’t know how Liverpool will approach the game until it kicks off.
For all the research, analysis and preparation, coaches are still ultimately guessing how the opposition will play.
Slot has already become known for his meticulous attention to detail and tactical tweaks to suit each team Liverpool come up against.
Ahead of Liverpool’s Champions League last-16 first leg against PSG, the head coach spoke about the challenges the Reds may face at the Parc des Princes.
Slot said: “It’s not easy to dominate ball possession against Paris Saint-Germain because they take a lot of risk when they press, so they go man-v-man all over the pitch and that makes it hard for many teams to have a lot of ball possession against them.
“So, we have to adapt really well to what is in front of us. So, I have seen also a few games – mainly in the beginning of the season, for example against Arsenal, where they were not as aggressive as they were in the last 10 or 15 games that they have played when it comes to pressing.
“So, in every part of our game we have to be on top and the best possible version of ourselves.
“That can mean that we have to do really well on the counter-attack and if they give us a bit more time we have to be really good with the ball, and when they have the ball, they are – I think Luis Enrique said it himself – one of the best teams, or the best team, in Europe and he is definitely right.
“They are definitely one of the best teams when they have the ball, with so much attacking threat all over the pitch and so many rotations, so many players taking in different positions. So, yeah, an interesting game.”
PSG are “quite intense” in their press
The French champions are known mainly for their attacking threat, boasting the likes of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Bradley Barcola, Ousmane Dembele and young Desire Doue in their ranks.
Something they all possess, too, is energy to track back. Slot added: “They are, not only when they lose the ball but in every part of the game, quite intense in terms of pressing.
“I think if there is one thing people will tell you about us it is that we are quite intense as well; maybe not going man-v-man all over the pitch like Paris Saint-Germain do, but we like to press aggressively and if we lose the ball do the same also.
“So, it’s so difficult to judge before the game because, OK we’ve played Lille, they have played Lille, they were already 4-0 up at half-time and we were 1-0 up at half-time so that tells you how strong they are, but you cannot compare teams like that.”
For the most part, Liverpool have dominated possession in games this season, but some of their best performances have come when the other team have had more of the ball.
One such instance was at the Etihad, when Man City had 66 percent possession but created zero big chances, according to FotMob.
The Dutchman explained: “We have to wait and see if they (PSG) will be on top of us and if they are, we have to suffer and we have to be like we were against (Manchester) City.
“Or hopefully we can hold the ball very well and we can play the similar style we have played in all the other games except for the City one, and that is us dominating ball possession.
“We will see tomorrow what the game will bring us.”
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