Arne Slot has told Federico Chiesa he still needs to improve in three areas
Federico Chiesa marked his first Liverpool start with a notable contribution. Despite this, head coach Arne Slot is still looking for the former Juventus man to improve.
The Reds’ Carabao Cup match with West Ham United could not have gone much better. Slot was able to rest several of his key players, with those that came into the side performing well in a 5-1 victory.
Arguably most importantly, the five forwards who were involved all made goal contributions of some kind. Both Diogo Jota and Cody Gakpo scored twice, with Mohamed Salah netting from off the bench in between their respective braces.
While not on the score sheet themselves, Darwin Nunez and Chiesa provided assists. By setting up the equalizer for Jota, the Italian ensured five of Slot’s six forwards either scored or assisted in their first starts this season. As the exception, Luis Diaz, is the team’s top scorer, the attack is doing superbly.
But the Liverpool head coach had words for his summer signing after the West Ham game which explained the ways in which the 26-year-old needs to get better. There is no major issue, just ways in which he will able to improve his contribution.
"Federico Chiesa has to get used to the club, he has to get used to his teammates, he has to just get used to the playing style,” Slot said (via Fabrizio Romano). "But very good to see how match fit he already is, so we can use him when we need him".
It will inevitably take time for the Italy international to fully integrate himself into the Reds side. Chiesa did not have a pre-season with the club and even though he has now made three appearances, they only add up to 78 minutes of playing time.
He was largely on the periphery of things in the West Ham game. Despite playing for just shy of an hour, Chiesa only attempted 11 passes and had just 22 touches. Equally, as his limited involvement included two shots, one which became an assist, and a further chance created, it’s not as if he didn’t leave a mark on proceedings.
As Slot noted regarding playing style, there is an adjustment to be made there too. Juventus mostly played a 3-5-2 system last season. In the one game in which Massimiliano Allegri deployed a 4-3-3 framework, Chiesa was on the left of the attack, a role he is unlikely to occupy often, if at all, with Liverpool.
But despite a few minor teething issues, he showed his class against West Ham. The competition needs to be worried about the time when Chiesa is fully up to speed.