General:
They have started most league games as a 352 (7), but have also tried a 3421 twice and have also used a 433 twice. In terms of substitutions they have tended to use at least 3 subs per game which suggests Matt Beard doesn't wait around to try and change games. They have had quite a few injuries this season with Sophie Roman Haug and Marie Höbinger being the main players out before the Christmas break, but both are likely to be back against Leicester as Höbinger came off the bench against Brighton. They try to play their own way against all opponents by playing out from the back and to put the forwards in behind to middling effect this season.
Some of their best play will come from triangles they form out wide such as their first goal against Aston Villa.
Marie Höbinger playing the ball up to Leanne Kiernan.
Kiernan laying the ball off to Grace Fisk on the right flank.
Fisk playing Leanne Kiernan through for Taylor Hinds' 1st goal against Aston Villa.
Kiernan pulling the ball across the box for Taylor Hinds.
Hinds' right footed finish past D'Angelo.
In possession:
When they had Rachael Laws and Sophie Roman Haug in the starting XI they were able to play route 1 at times due to R.Haug's aerial presence winning 6.2 aerial duels per 90, winning 63%. Their final passes, and generally their best play, tends to come from the right flank, especially since Grace Fisk has come back. Here's an example of how, despite the ball going out for a goal kick, they can use the right flank to try to get the ball in behind.
Lucy Parry plays the ball inside to Olivia Smith who has dropped deep to receive the ball.
Smith looks to take the ball on her left foot and then turns her body to face towards the left touchline to play the ball on her left foot.
Smith's ball in behind doesn't find Ceri Holland but the intent was to get the ball in behind CJ Bott at right-back.
Holland trying to run onto Smith's ball.
The wing-backs have been underwhelming in terms of chance creation from crosses. Fisk does tend to play very early/deep crosses (36% success rate on less than 1 per game which is something she really underutilised) and doesn't really attack opposing full-backs off the dribble. Hinds, by contrast, is less likely to cross from deep, preferring to get the ball in closer to the box. Her cross % is down heavily this season at 9% success rate. One benefit to Hinds however on the ball is the angles that she can use to play the ball off for teammates due to her being very comfortable on either foot.
They don't create enough chances from open play per game at all (they average 1.1 big chances per 90) and have averaged 11 shots per game across the first 11 games. Breaking these shot numbers down even more, they average 7.25 shots a game against the big 4 and 13.1 shots against the other 7 teams in the league. They have lacked much of a connection between the midfield and attack for a while which is part of the reason they signed Sam Kerr from Bayern and Julia Bartel from Chelsea on loan deals until the end of the season to improve their ball retention and progression in the middle 3rd.
Out of possession:
They usually set up as a 352/532 defensively so the forwards will usually match up against the opposing CB's player-to-player. Their midfielders and wing-backs will be quite high as part of press as well to try to narrow gaps vertically in the opponents first phase and can lead to turnovers near, and above, the halfway line.
Grace Fisk (the rwb in this game) goes to press Katie McCabe out wide to narrow her passing angles.
McCabe's only options now are to play the ball towards Alessia Russo near the halfway line (which she does)or play back to Daphne Van Domselaar as Clark and Enderby have tightened the angles into Catley and Mead.
A better look at the 343 shape that's been created by Fisk pressing McCabe. Bonner steps up to contest the ball into Russo.
Bonner gets to the ball first to send Mia Enderby down the right flank.
Enderby is able to then get in behind McCabe and Catley.
Their defensive line isn't as high as a Manchester City but it is still fairly high to try to create high turnovers. Gaps do appear frequently between defensive and midfield lines which teams such as Palace and Arsenal really exploited.
Mille Gejl spots the run of Annabel Blanchard in behind Gemma Evans.
Blanchard is able to get a shot off after running into the space in behind the defence.
They've not been very good at defending/clearing set-pieces and open play crosses in the latter stages of the year. Here's an example of how they conceded from open play against Aston Villa.
Lucy Staniforth's cross to the back post is poorly contested in a dangerous area near the box.
Gabi Nunes' far post header from Staniforth's cross beats Laws in the Liverpool goal.
They also look vulnerable against balls in behind as defence isn't filled with quick defenders and Hinds in particular gets caught out in narrow positions during the times when she pushes inside in build-up. The defensive line can also be exploited when the whole team ends up being pushed over to one side allowing for opposition wingers to be in acres of space. Chelsea were really able to take advantage of this as shown below.
Maika Hamano pulls away from the defensive line to receive the ball from Reiten on the left flank. Mayra Ramirez is pinning Gemma Bonner on the right side of the box. Johanna Rytting Kaneryd is wide open on Liverpool's left side.
Taylor Hinds is narrow on Sjoeke Nüsken meaning that when Ramirez challenges for the ball, Rytting Kaneryd can exploit the empty space on the left side of the box and shoot at goal relatively unchallenged.
After some pinball in the box, Ramirez is left with a tap in.
Set plays:
Höbinger is the designated set-piece taker when she's fit and will take out-swinging as well as in-swinging dead balls. They generally defend corners zonally and have 2-3 players in the 6 yard box as well as 3-4 on the penalty spot to deal with the taller/aerial threats further out.
As mentioned before they really struggle clearing the first ball despite their height. The goal they conceded against Arsenal showed how they were unable to clear the ball.
Katie McCabe's low corner into the box.
Caitlin Foord challenging for the ball at the near post creates chaos as Liverpool struggle to clear the ball.
Bonner clears straight out to Russo on the 6 yard line.
Russo hits the ball past Bonner for 1-0.
Individual players:
Olivia Smith and Marie Höbinger have been their best players this season. Smith can do pretty much everything you'd want from a forward in terms of getting in behind, dropping deep to space to connect play into the final 3rd, and her sheer strength allows her to hold players off when she's running with the ball. Her strength and and speed means that she's managed over 2.3 successful take-ons per game with a success rate of 66.7%. She's also in the 99th percentile for tackles and interceptions, compared to attackers, with a combined 3.06 per 90.
Höbinger is crucial for Liverpool when progressing the ball into the final 3rd and setting up chances. Her 0.29 xA (expected assists) and 2.17 key passes per 90 is in part due to her being on set-pieces, but her open play creativity is also decent as she completes 5.18 long passes and 5.6 progressive passes per 90.
Summary:
Leicester ceded 61% of possession to Liverpool in the reverse fixture, but were able to cause problems on the counter which I think is where they'll get success again this time round. Missy Goodwin and Jutta Rantala started as the wide players in that fixture alongside Noemi Mouchon as the 9 and Yuka Momiki as the 10. Mouchon is still out for the season and, while it's possible that Rantala will be back, Leicester should look to start Hannah Cain as the 9, Missy Goodwin on the left and Nelly Las on the right to make the most of their pace in behind out wide and centrally. This would also allow Saori Takarada to pair up with Ruby Mace in the pivot and give some much needed ball retention in their own half.
