A look at how Liverpool have kicked on over the past 10 games compared to the previous 22.
Liverpool have raced to the top of the Premier League table, slaying all before them in recent weeks – and face a critical six games in their bid to become champions.
‘The team Brendan built’, may be looking like the finished article, but it is really over the past two months which the team have clicked into gear.
What can be learned from looking at how the team has evolved over the past 10 games compared to the previous 22?
We decided to take a look, and there are a couple of clear indicators, surrounding goals scored, and the type of strikes the team have scored.
Liverpool record gameweeks 1-22
| Team | Goal Fastbreak | Goals / played | Played |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liverpool | 3 | 2.41 | 22 |
Liverpool record gameweeks 23-32
| Team | Goal Fastbreak | Goals / played | Played |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liverpool | 5 | 3.50 | 10 |
Over the opening 22 games of the season, Liverpool scored just three goals from fast breaks, the joint highest in this period in the league, alongside Manchester City and Arsenal.
Yet in the following 10 games, Liverpool have netted five goals on the counter-attack, while the nearest any other side has in this period is three. Liverpool (eight) are the most potent in this are in the league.
Over the past 10 matches, Liverpool are averaging over a goal per game more than they were over the first 22 matches of the Premier League campaign.
To take a further look at ways the Reds may have achieved this, here are the possession stats for the two periods.
Liverpool record gameweeks 1-22
| Team | Passing Accuracy % | Possession Percentage / played | Played |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liverpool | 84.35 | 54.68 | 22 |
Liverpool record gameweeks 23-32
| Team | Passing Accuracy % | Possession Percentage / played | Played |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liverpool | 83.48 | 53.00 | 10 |
The time in possession and pass accuracy, has been near identical over the two periods, which shows that Liverpool have simply been more efficient in their use of the ball over the past 10 games, to score on average a goal per game more.
Here is are a few key areas the side can be expected to have done so, but do the stats correlate?
Liverpool record gameweeks 1-22
| Team | Att Obox Target / played | Total Scoring Att / played | Poss Won Att 3rd / played | Accurate Cross / played | Accurate Through Ball / played | Played |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liverpool | 1.50 | 16.73 | 3.50 | 3.86 | 1.82 | 22 |
Liverpool record gameweeks 23-32
| Team | Att Obox Target / played | Total Scoring Att / played | Poss Won Att 3rd / played | Accurate Cross / played | Accurate Through Ball / played | Played |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liverpool | 1.70 | 17.70 | 4.20 | 2.70 | 1.50 | 10 |
The figures reveal not only are Liverpool shooting more, but those shots are coming from outside the box, perhaps with the side high on confidence, players are becoming keener to try their luck.
Even more key, is the way the side are winning possession back in the final third, far more so over the past 10 games, as a tactic to press high up the pitch pays off.
This greater aggression and directness, has seen a less intricate pattern of play, with fewer completed via through balls and crosses.
This, combined with their speed of the fast breaks has seen Liverpool force their opponents into six errors leading to goals over the past 10 games, compared to four over the previous 22, a huge jump.
Liverpool record gameweeks 1-22
| Team | Opp Error Lead To Goal / played | Played |
|---|---|---|
| Liverpool | 0.18 | 22 |
Liverpool record gameweeks 23-32
| Team | Opp Error Lead To Goal / played | Played |
|---|---|---|
| Liverpool | 0.60 | 10 |
During home games, the much vaunted Anfield crowd has played their part, as Liverpool pile on the pressure to opposing defences, their direct style and pressing game, causing the opposition to make vital mistakes.
It’s these key areas where games are won and lost and differences are made, and perhaps even, where titles will be won.
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