Liverpool Faces Set-Piece Challenges, Says Captain Van Dijk
Liverpool's struggles with set-pieces are a significant concern, and the second phase of these situations has proven particularly detrimental, according to captain Virgil van Dijk.
Under the management of Arne Slot, Liverpool has conceded 12 goals from set-pieces this season, tying them with Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest for the most in the Premier League.
In their recent league match at Anfield, which Liverpool won 2-1, Santiago Bueno scored for Wolves from a corner, while Richarlison found the net for Tottenham Hotspur last week after Liverpool failed to clear a corner effectively.
“We have had plenty of games where we defended set-pieces well, but the reality is that we’ve conceded too many goals from them and haven’t scored enough ourselves,” Van Dijk stated.
“This is an area we need to improve. I would estimate that at least 75% of the time, or even more, the issue lies not with the first contact but rather with the second phase, which is often the decisive factor.”
He further questioned whether the issue might be mental, saying, “I hope it’s not a mental block. If that’s the case, it’s a problem. Personally, I don’t have that in my mind.”
Excluding penalties, Liverpool has managed to score only three goals from set-pieces in the league, resulting in a goal difference of minus nine, their worst in Premier League history.
“We have defended set-pieces well in many instances, but we’ve conceded too many goals from them, and it hurts. We must improve in this area. Training is essential for us to get better,” Van Dijk added.
“It hasn’t been good enough, and we all recognize that. We’ve discussed it and need to turn things around, which is why we focus on this in nearly every training session.”
Liverpool manager Slot remarked, “Unfortunately, we seem to be the only team that rarely scores from set-pieces while consistently conceding from them.”
“However, as I mentioned a few weeks ago, we must ensure that when we face adversity—whether it’s from set-pieces or other situations—we still find a way to win.”
“In our last two matches, we conceded from set-pieces but still managed to secure victories, which hasn’t happened often this season. That’s progress, but it’s clear we have many areas to improve upon, and this is definitely one of them.”
“I believe we have been unlucky in several situations regarding our set-pieces. After 18 games, we need to enhance our performance,” he concluded.
Liverpool's recent victory marks their third consecutive win, propelling them to fourth place in the league standings.