Carragher: Liverpool's Tactical Approach Was Woefully Inadequate

Jamie Carragher has strongly criticized Arne Slot's tactical decisions, stating that the manager got it 'massively wrong' and that Virgil van Dijk will likely be urging him to avoid using a back five again after Liverpool's dismal 2-0 loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League quarter-final first leg. According to Carragher, the scoreline could have been even more devastating, potentially 'five or six' goals, given the numerous chances PSG had. Desire Doue and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia scored for the French side, condemning Liverpool to their 16th defeat of the season. Carragher expressed his alarm at the vast superiority displayed by PSG, a year after Liverpool had taken them to penalties in the last-16 stage. 'It was like watching a team from a lower division,' he remarked, highlighting the 'worrying' gulf in class between the two teams. The former Liverpool defender felt that Slot's decision to switch to a back five, in an attempt to contain PSG's threat, backfired due to the use of man-to-man marking, which left Van Dijk exposed. Carragher believes Van Dijk will be pleading with Slot to never use this system again, given how uncomfortable he looked in the back three. However, Slot acknowledged that Liverpool were fortunate to only lose 2-0 and is relieved that the tie is still alive ahead of the second leg at Anfield.