Why Mac Allister is perfect for Slot's Liverpool system

Ask any footballer ‘Where do you most enjoying playing?’ and they probably would have a definitive answer to give you.

Players specialise, they score goals, they make big tackles, they cross a ball with pinpoint accuracy. However, Alexis Mac Allister has long been a player who defies any sort of defined traditional role.

"Yes, maybe last season I played most of the year as a six, so my position is [now] quite different," said Mac Allister, at the press conference for Wednesday's Champions League meeting with Bologna.

Read more: Forward racing to be fit for European clash

The Argentinian explained: "We try to have a structure and know where our team-mates are going to be, but we have freedom as well.

"Sometimes it could be just Ryan [Gravenberch] as a six or sometimes it could be a double six and Dom [Szoboszlai] as a ten. It changes a lot during the game.

"What I can say is that I feel really comfortable. I am really enjoying my football and hopefully tomorrow we can show it.

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What Mac Allister Wants to Do

A piece written for Anfield Watch by Sam McGuire in August detailed how Mac Allister’s game had changed right at the very start of this 2024/25 campaign. In it, the Argentinian is designated a ‘facilitator’ rather than the dictator of play role he occupied last season. 

What is becoming increasingly clear is that Mac Allister is the perfect player for Arne Slot’s system.

Coming into the year, Liverpool’s current starting midfield three had different roles. Mac Allister sat that bit deeper to dictate, Szoboszlai played an advanced eight role to try and create chances and funnel the ball wide, and Gravenberch was competing for game time as a typical centre midfielder.

Now, Gravenberch anchors the team in a deeper position, Szoboszlai plays in a more advanced role further to the right, and Mac Allister occupies the middle-left on either side of the halfway line.

What is most impressive about his game, however, is how his defensive abilities have changed.

How Mac Allister is Perfect for Slot

“I can be quite good in duels, it’s something that I’ve been working on,” said Mac Allister, in an interview with Sky Sports last month.

“I think I’ve improved a lot in defence, my defensive side during the last couple of years so I feel comfortable and yeah if I have to do it for the team I’d be happy.”

Slot’s system of aggressive counter pressing immediately after losing the ball has ensured that Liverpool concede few chances and even fewer goals, whilst allowing their full backs and their midfielders to play high up the pitch.

By adding a league-best ability to win these duels, as he stated, it means that Liverpool have a consistent additional barrier to their defence and more instances of being able to exploit their own attacking transitions than before, which is exactly what Arne Slot wants his men to do.

He - and all of us - are lucky that Mac Allister is there to do it.