Slot's tactical approach sent out 'the wrong signal'

[Getty Images]

Former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson says Arne Slot sent out the "wrong signal" by playing a back five in Wednesday's Champions League quarter-final first leg in Paris.

The only other time Liverpool had previously fielded a back five this season was in their Carabao Cup fourth-round defeat by Crystal Palace in October.

In their 2-0 win on Wednesday, PSG had 74% of the ball and 18 shots to the Reds' three.

"That was the English champions against the French Champions and ours weren't anywhere near theirs," Robinson told BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast.

"Liverpool came to the Parc des Princes not in a good run of form, with their confidence very very low, as a team that are creaking.

"That's the reason Slot played a back five but as soon as you play a back five it sends the wrong signals out. That's not playing to Liverpool's strengths, it's defending their weaknesses and defending against what attacking problems that the opposition are going to give you.

"In [Achraf] Hakimi, [Nuno] Mendes, [Kvicha] Kvaratskhelia, [Desire] Doue, Arne Slot knew the problems his team would have in wide areas and they were so submissive just by playing that formation.

"Throughout the whole game you look at the possession stats. From a Liverpool point of view, if they had done a smash and grab and got away with a 0-0 or a 1-0 victory or 1-0 defeat it'd be 'OK, they've come here and done a job'.

"But, there was nothing good about that performance from Liverpool. By the way they have set-up and then played tonight, they have sent out the wrong signal."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds