Liverpool is yet to kick a competitive ball under the guidance of Arne Slot but we already have a good idea of how the new head coach wants to play. Against Ipswich Town on Saturday, it should become even clearer.
Moving to a slightly more possession-based approach, Slot outlined this week that he sees the main difference between his soccer and Jurgen Klopp's being the level of control. There is less chaos and fewer risks being taken; the aim of his tactical approach is to reduce the element of chance as much as possible.
One other key difference, though, appears to be how Slot sets up his midfield department. With everyone fit and available to take part at Portman Road this weekend, we should get some idea of what the plan is there.
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"I think the positions [in the] formations that he plays, there's a few that are very my style of play, especially the number 10 role," Harvey Elliott has told Liverpool's official website ahead of the new campaign kicking off.
"I play it at England [U21s], so I know it very, very well. I feel like it's my most comfortable position, especially where I can receive it, and how to receive it. It's kind of the bread and butter for me and I know it to a tee."
"I hope so, yeah," Elliott replied when asked specifically about whether he preferred to play in the number 10 role. Under Klopp, the Reds didn't really play with that kind of player, and while Slot is insistent that his formation is a 4-3-3 rather than a 4-2-3-1, it does look like there will be a more advanced midfielder and two more withdrawn ones.
When it comes to the players who should benefit the most from that, Elliott stands above the rest. Dominik Szoboszlai can play the advanced role as well, but it is Elliott who is least suited to dropping deeper and most effective when unleashed higher up.
"It's something I'm working towards," Elliott said. "I need to prove it — it's not really going to be given to me, especially with the quality that we have in and around the team. It's going to be very hard. I'll be happy to play wherever but if I had to choose a specific position, it would be there."
Liverpool.com says: In Elliott, Slot has the best possible player to mold into the way that he wants the person in that role to play. Last year, the 21-year-old was in excellent form and ended the season as one of Liverpool's best performers. Now, he should be ready to kick on and find more goals, assists and end product in the final third.