Liverpool's Set-Piece Focus Raises Questions

The emphatic scoreline masked underlying metrics as Liverpool's xG of 1.75 barely exceeded West Ham's 1.84. Three first-half goals from corners transformed what could have been a tense contest into a comfortable victory on paper, but highlighted Slot's tactical shift from continental fluidity to pragmatic set-piece efficiency.

After a £450m summer rebuild aimed at enhancing creativity, Liverpool's most reliable weapon has become dead-ball situations. While effective, this approach represents an admission that the initial blueprint was flawed. The team still struggles with defensive vulnerabilities in transition and midfield balance issues, suggesting they remain below the club's elite standard despite recent results.