Based in Belvedere, Montevideo, a western neighborhood in Uruguay’s capital city, Liverpool FC was founded in 1915 and has a rich history and an enduring legacy in Uruguayan football.
Inspired by the success of the English giants of the same name, they sought to create a team that would embody the same values and principles of the English giants.
The club initially adopted the iconic red and white strip but recently found an identity of its own by changing to a more formulaic blue and black stripes.
The 1950s and 1960s marked the golden era for Liverpool F.C., with the club enjoying success across several domestic competitions. In the 1970s and 1980s, they spread their wings to compete on a continental level, claiming the 1980 Copa Libertadores title with a 1-0 win over Brazilian champions Internacional. The victory set up a glamor tie with their English name-sake’s biggest rival of the era, qualifying for the Intercontinental Cup, where they would eventually overcome Brian Clough’s Nottingham Forest 1-0 at the National Stadium in Tokyo.
Diminishing returns led to financial difficulties throughout the 1990s and 2000s, yet renewed investment and a focus on strategic development in the modern era has the club challenging for domestic honors once more.
Following the departure of Marcelo Mendez in 2021 to Liga MX side Atletico San Luis, veteran goalkeeper Jorge Bava would take control of the side aged just 40.
After a disappointing 12th-place finish in the 2021 Clausura, Bava would transform the side’s fortunes in 2022 by claiming the Primera Division Apertura, Uruguay’s opening competition of the year. He’d then take the team to the mid-year Torneo Intermedio final before finishing a respectable fourth in the end-of-year Clausura.
Headed into 2023, Bava had formed a side that blended youth and experience, boasting three players who would return mid-year with a U20 World Cup Winners medal.
Set up in a traditional 4-3-3, Bava balances the attacking and defensive roles well throughout the field.
As we analyze the back line, we see that the fullbacks’ positioning in possession underpins an asymmetrical shape. Build-up typically develops through the left back, the vastly experienced Paraguayan Miguel Samudioa, who performs a more conservative role at left back by quickly moving the ball toward the central players.
At center back, Federico Pereira frequently partners Gonzalo Perez, a combination that offers defensive solidity and comfort during the build-up. Both have impressive athleticism and are proactive in how they approach defending. They also complement the team style with an ability to progress play forward through breaking lines or quickly switching the point of attack.
Gaston Martirena is an exciting right back, a player who has received lots of attention after some impressive recent performances. Given more attacking license than most, he can be found in a much higher starting position on the right flank. He frequently attacks the back post as moves develop from the left; however, he can also create chances by carrying the ball past opponents and delivering crosses into the box.
Positioned in front of the back line is Lucas Lemos, a traditional deep-lying playmaker. Serving as the pivot point in possession and as the catalyst for maintaining tempo, he is regularly involved in almost every phase of play.
At left central midfield, Bava favors a dynamic midfielder who can run beyond the play, pushing the opposition back when they are pressing. 23-year-old Gonzalo Napoli has stepped up and made this role his own this year, showcasing an impressive blend of technical ability and athleticism.
The role of the right central midfielder is the most challenging position in Bava’s setup; such is the weight of creative heavy lifting and defensive coverage in transition. Fortunately for Liverpool, they have Fabricio Diaz on their books. Diaz is a wonderfully talented footballer who, at 20 years old, is entering his fourth season as a first-team player and recently captained Uruguay U20 to a World Cup win. His technical ability allows him to play in tight pockets, frequently turning out of pressure to thread dangerous through passes behind opposition backlines.
The left winger in Bava’s team operates from the touchline, providing optimum width in possession and opening up the opposition’s defensive shape for his left center midfield teammate to attack through. Alan Medina, now touching 25, is a Liverpool youth academy product who performs consistently in this role. Able to play off both feet, he has the luxury of attacking the end line and cutting inside to attack.
Much like the right fullback, the right winger is afforded creative license in Bava’s setup. Luciano Rodriguez has performed well in this role, operating more like an inside forward, primarily because he is a natural striker in a hybrid position. Signed from second-tier side Progreso in January of 2023, he’s had an incredible year for club and country. This goals compilation illustrates the level of finishes he’s capable of; he is an extremely dangerous attacker who carries the ball aggressively and has a powerful striking technique.
The central striker for Liverpool is a target man in the traditional sense, contesting aerial duels on the last line while maintaining a central position throughout the match. Ruben Bentancourt has led the line more than most this season, a tall, aggressive striker who has had a nomadic life as a footballer. His career has taken him to the Netherlands, Italy, and Mexico, before turning out for a litany of South American sides.
So let’s take a closer look at how this setup performs on game day. These images are from Liverpool’s 3-0 victory over Nacional in the Torneo Intermedio on June 23rd, 2023.
Build Up Play
Here we see Liverpool pinned Nacional in their half, primarily achieved by the forward movements of the attackers. Taking up positions between the lines allows Lemos, who has split the center backs, to play penetrative passes behind the forward press. On the right wing, we can see Rodriguez checking toward the ball, opening the space for Martirena to make an overlapping run forward.
Entry to Final Third
These images show how the play developed for the opening goal. After a passage of play down the left wing, Rodriguez checks toward Lemos, again opening up the flank for Martirena to pick up the ball and cross into the area.
While the ball eventually reached the right-back, a goalkeeping error saw the cross spilled to the feet of Bentancourt, who finished from close range. While the goal came from a mistake, Liverpool’s aggressive approach increases their chances of scoring by the sheer volume of attackers inside the box.
Defensive Shape
Liverpool’s midfield trio works extremely hard to cover ground defensively. Here we see Diaz pressing the opposition winger on the sideline, thus allowing Rodriguez to stay in an advanced position to collect the ball for a counterattack. Covering these distances also allows the back four to remain compact, thus making penetration more difficult for the opponent.
This press from Diaz resulted in a turnover, which saw Martirena play forward to Bentancourt, who combined with Rodriguez in the opponent’s final third. The athleticism of Gonzalo Napoli is illustrated in the move, sprinting ahead to receive the through pass from Bentancourt and slotting home to double Liverpool’s lead.
Liverpool are a club of modest means; therefore, it is inevitable much of this squad will likely find themselves in pastures new in the coming seasons. In the meantime, this is a team we should enjoy watching, especially as they continue to challenge the Nacional/Penarol duopoly of Uruguayan football.
If you’d like to access our database of detailed scout reports for each player listed in this article, you can contact us today to see how our video scouts can assist with your player recruitment needs.
