Why Luis Díaz is Thriving in Arne Slot’s Tactical System at Liverpool
Few players in world football can match Luis Díaz’s blend of speed, agility, and flair, but it’s not just his raw talent that has caught the eye this season. Since Arne Slot took over at Liverpool, Díaz has emerged as a more refined, efficient attacking threat. In a revamped system focused on fluidity and precision, Díaz’s ability to exploit space and make decisive runs has transformed Liverpool’s frontline into a more potent and unpredictable force. But what exactly has changed for Díaz under Slot’s stewardship?
Luis Díaz’s Journey: From Humble Beginnings to European Stardom
Luis Diaz was born in Barrancas, La Guajira; his first big break came in 2015 when he was included in Colombia’s 22-man squad for the 2015 Copa Americana de Pueblos Indígenas due to his Wayuu ethnicity. Luis Díaz impressed Atlético Junior enough to sign him before loaning him out to their farm team, Barranquilla, where he was given a dietary plan in order to gain 10 kg.
Despite his diminutive size at the time, he established himself and captured FC Porto’s interest. After patiently biding his time, Díaz took his game to a new level in the first half of 2021/22, winning the Primera Liga Forward of the Month award for October, November and December, as well as the Player of the Month award for October and November.
Luiz Diaz is not new to the football world, following his trajectory from Categoria Primera B side Barranquilla to an elite level with the Liverpool team since he arrived from FC Porto for a reported fee of €45 million with a €15 million on January 30th 2022. Diaz came to Liverpool with a total number of 39 goals in 124 appearances, spending 3 seasons with the club since coming from Junior FC in 2019.
Adapting to Life at Liverpool: Highs and Lows Under Klopp
In his first season with Liverpool, Diaz finished the season with 4 goals and 3 assists, finishing the season with 74% shot accuracy; this was considered underwhelming for a player that had so much expectation, leaving Porto with 16 goals and 4 assists out of 28 games with a star rating of 7.9. Integration was a possible answer, as he was coming into the intensity of the game under the former manager, who tends to support irrespective of their form and fitness level. Despite these stats, Luiz Diaz will go ahead to win the FA Cup and EFL Cup, and likewise a runner-up in the Champions League with Liverpool.
In the 2022/2023 season it was a similar situation with Luis Diaz ending the season with 5 goals and 2 assists; it has been his lowest stats in his career yet according to FotMob rating he finished the season with a rating of 7.1 rating indicating we could see more of an improved side.
Luis Diaz had an improved performance of 13 career goals and 4 assists, having a 17 G/A for the season in all competitions; he scored 8 goals in the Premier League, 1 in the FA Cup, 3 goals in the Europa League and a goal in the EFL yet it was the same tale of much was expected until the resignation of Jurgen Klopp in the 2023/24 season, where Liverpool finished 3rd with a goal difference of +45, accumulating 82 points despite a struggling start to the 2023/2024 season.
Arne Slot’s Tactical Revolution and Díaz’s Role in the Attack
It was not the way we want Klopp to leave despite an incredible career with Liverpool, but it marked the end of an era and the beginning of a new one by a new manager who goes by the name Arne Slot and was reputable at Feyenoord for tactical astuteness and possession-based football and was bringing a different idea to the high press approach and heavy metal football of Jurgen Klopp that was characterised by Gegenpressing, Rapid Attacks, and Direct Attacks that were fast, brutal and exciting.
Arne Slot brought a tactical approach that is possession-focused, characterised by high-intensity pressing, implemented by fluid formation and encourages psychological resilience, positional build-up, and passing to the correct foot. In the Arne Slot dispensation, Luis Diaz has proved to be crucial in attack following the combination with Cody Gakpo and Mohammed Salah.
Luis Diaz has racked up a 10 G/A, a combination of 8 goals and 2 assists in 11 games and has been one of the most in-form players of the team in 2024/2025, but what has he added to the attacking dynamics? He had 73% of chances created, 83% of shot attempts, 56 touches and 70% aerial duels.
Statistical Gains and Tactical Adaptation Under Slot
According to the Athletic, the expected goal generated from the goals at the timing of 1.25 seconds scored in the first 11 games of the season has been at the rate of 2.5 at the timing of 0.52 seconds and an expected goal per shot is estimated at 0.19. 13 shots generated according to the Athletic show the potency of Diaz but what makes the winger crucial in the Arne Slot plan?
In the Premier League, Luis Diaz hits the back of the net once every 72.2 minutes, a huge improvement on the 330.8 minutes he averaged in 2023/24 when netting a total of eight times. He is hitting the target with almost three-quarters of his attempts, and his conversion rate for turning shots into goals has leapt from 12.3 percent to an impressive 45.5 percent.
Luiz Diaz was not a player lacking in ability, being a talented player who can skip past defenders with a burst; rather, it was to compensate his brilliant performance with goals and assists, which was the objective the manager pushed for him and other attacking players. Slot system and tactical setup of fluid attack of the 4-2-4 formation and a patient build-up have allowed Diaz to get the ball in a dangerous manner rather than receiving it from a deep and diagonal pass that was seen with Jurgen Klopp high metal football. Under the Arne Slot tactical setup, he could make devastating on the blind spot of the defenders.
Why Luis Díaz Thrives in Slot’s System
Luis Diaz is a quick winger who can use both feet, play high up the pitch and likes to run in behind. Diaz is one of the players who likes to run laterally across the pitch to remain onside, ensuring that he is in a central position to receive a pass; his in and out movements allow him to receive on his right foot. With a turn of pace and burst of speed, he has the capability to burst into space and get into goal-scoring position, which is why the Arne Slot positional play has favoured him and improved his game awareness.
Diaz dribbling and change of pace have been his greatest assets; he is quick and can also decelerate at pace; it helps him open up passing lanes or create shooting opportunities because his direct opponent will usually struggle to remain tight to him. This ability to create these openings is a big part of what makes him so dangerous; he regularly finds a way to progress up the pitch where others wouldn’t be able to. Porto’s 4-2-3-1 enabled regular dribbles around the outside before putting a cross or cutback into the middle. Following Porto’s formation, Porto’s centre-forward and number 10 were the targets for Diaz’s balls into the middle, while the full-backs pushed forward to provide attacking options further from goal.
The Porto number 10 often made runs towards the far post for Diaz to target when he cut inside to cross on his right foot. This movement also allowed the right-sided midfielder to move inside to compete for second balls in a central position. At Liverpool, the width on the left is usually provided so Díaz takes up positions to receive in the inside channels. He uses the runs that Robertson makes to create room for a cross or shot.
Under Arne Slot, Diaz’s run selection has been noticeably more intelligent, conserving energy for explosive sprints. The Liverpool winger can often be seen within five yards of the touchline, and on occasion he drives towards goal from those positions. His creativity has helped the attacking trio of Gakpo, Salah and of course himself.
If Luis Diaz continues at this rate, there’s every chance that he will not only meet the lofty expectations placed on him but surpass them. Whether it’s through slicing through defences or threading that perfect pass, Díaz is proving he can be more than just a flair player—he’s becoming a reliable match-winner.
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