For Arne Slot, this was a profession first. Because the Liverpool boss stood on the touchline at Brentford on Saturday night time, he was serenaded with chants of: “You are getting sacked within the morning” from the house supporters as they watched their group romp to a 3-2 victory over the Premier League champions.
It was Liverpool’s fourth successive league defeat — following losses to Crystal Palace, Chelsea and Manchester United — and, as Slot admitted in his post-match information convention, one of many worst of his tenure.
“Disappointing, once more,” the Dutchman stated when requested to evaluate his feelings after the sport. “I used to be additionally hoping and anticipating a greater efficiency, as a result of the efficiency was removed from what we’re used to.
“Even when we’re dropping, our performances have been higher than tonight.”
– An announcement Clasico win for Madrid; Liverpool lose once more; extra
– VAR evaluation: Was Sunderland’s objective vs. Chelsea offside? Did Gakpo deserve a penalty?
– Final season’s good instances for Liverpool really feel one million miles away
He was not incorrect. Whereas Liverpool’s earlier three defeats left a lot to be desired by way of efficiency ranges, they have been all gained by late targets after the Reds had created greater than sufficient probabilities to return away with a minimum of a degree.
Towards Brentford, nevertheless, there have been few redeeming qualities. Even when Mohamed Salah ended his barren run in entrance of objective with a spectacular strike to make it 3-2 within the 89th minute, it did not seem to be there was real perception, both on the pitch or within the stands, that Liverpool would pull off one other late rescue act.
What began as a blip has now descended right into a full-blown disaster and for arguably the primary time in his managerial profession, Slot finds himself beneath the microscope, with the exterior stress solely more likely to enhance if he can not shortly discover the antidote to his group’s worrying malaise.
Premier League’s evolution a stumbling block for Slot
Earlier than arriving at Liverpool, Slot had by no means misplaced three consecutive video games as a head coach, and he’d by no means suffered consecutive home defeats.
It was that means to instill a successful tradition at earlier golf equipment SC Cambuur, AZ Alkmaar and Feyenoord — mixed together with his tactical acumen and composed persona — that satisfied the Anfield hierarchy of his suitability to switch the departing Jürgen Klopp.
It in a short time proved to be a shrewd appointment; Slot misplaced simply two of the primary 34 league video games he managed earlier than Liverpool wrapped up the title with a month to spare in his debut season.
Having been armed with an unprecedented £450 million to spend in the summertime switch market, there was a widely-held expectation that Liverpool — and by extension, Slot — would solely get higher. Nonetheless, regardless of successful their opening seven video games, the Reds have not often performed with the assuredness and authority of champions this time period, with their current torrid run leaving them seven factors behind league leaders Arsenal.
In fact, the blame for such poor kind doesn’t lie solely at Slot’s door. Apart from midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai and summer season signing Hugo Ekitike, all of Liverpool’s gamers have been responsible of dipping under their regular degree this season.
Nonetheless, it’s at all times the supervisor who should face the music when the going will get powerful, and even Slot himself would absolutely admit he has struggled to get his gamers dancing to the identical tune in current weeks.
“I’ve stated many instances already, groups have a sure enjoying fashion in opposition to us,” Slot stated on Saturday when quizzed on the explanations behind Liverpool’s stoop.
“It’s a superb technique to play, and we have not discovered a solution but.”
Whereas the Dutchman’s honesty and tactical perception have been held up as a constructive when Liverpool have been perpetually successful final season, there’s an argument that drawing consideration to your group’s particular failings is a much less astute method when on a dropping run. On a number of events this time period — together with after the 2-1 defeat to Manchester United — Slot has highlighted the directness of the opposition, noting how extra groups are starting to lean on set items and lengthy balls as a method of inflicting distress on his aspect.
In response to Opta, Liverpool have confronted a league-high 571 lengthy balls this season, virtually 50 greater than the subsequent most-targeted group (Bournemouth) and 100 greater than leaders Arsenal. It’s proving a productive tactic and, for Slot, one he has up to now been unable to discover a resolution to.
From an attacking perspective, Liverpool’s lack of set piece prowess is an issue, significantly contemplating most of their opponents sit deep in order to not give up too many probabilities from open play. By comparability, Arsenal have scored 11 set piece targets within the league this season — Liverpool have solely scored two — and are adept at utilizing corners and free kicks to unpick cussed defenses.
2:19
How can Arne Slot repair Liverpool’s Premier League kind?
Gabriele Marcotti and Stewart Robson focus on how Arne Slot can flip round Liverpool’s unhealthy kind after one other defeat within the Premier League.
It more and more feels just like the Premier League’s evolution in the direction of a extra bodily and pragmatic fashion doesn’t swimsuit Liverpool’s gamers — together with £100m Germany worldwide Florian Wirtz, who’s but to attain or help within the league — nor does it align with Slot’s philosophy.
“He was at all times a fan of offensive soccer,” Henk Ten Cate, who managed Slot as a participant at NAC Breda, informed ESPN earlier this 12 months. “He was an offensive midfield participant with imaginative and prescient of the sport, and that is what you see in his managerial profession: He’s at all times busy with the main points. Arne was at all times interested by the sport.”
Slot’s desire for fluid, front-footed play was additionally highlighted by AZ technical director Max Huiberts, who informed ESPN the Dutchman had a “very particular imaginative and prescient of how a group ought to play engaging, attacking soccer.”
Whereas there’s nothing incorrect with having a most well-liked fashion of play, dwelling and dying by a tactical blueprint as a supervisor can typically result in hassle. Ange Postecoglou, for instance, was sacked by Nottingham Forest earlier this month after struggling to implement his high-octane fashion of play on the Metropolis Floor, whereas United boss Ruben Amorim has repeatedly been criticized for his reluctance to stray from his most well-liked three-at-the-back formation.
One of the best coaches can adapt and evolve within the face of change, and a few tactical innovation could also be required if Slot goes to raise Liverpool out of its present rut.
Klopp comparisons linger as new signings wrestle
Towards Brentford, solely 4 gamers have been deployed in the identical place they occupied in Liverpool’s title-clinching recreation in opposition to Tottenham Hotspur in April. It was a reminder that, in essence, Slot is now working with a brand-new group.
It was just a few brief months in the past that the Reds’ daring summer season recruitment drive was being hailed as an admirable present of ambition, destined to set Slot and his gamers on a procession towards one other title. However after such a drastic change in personnel, Liverpool now seem like a group in transition, with Slot struggling to get the most effective out of big-money signings like Wirtz, Alexander Isak, and Milos Kerkez.
Final season, consistency was key to the group’s success, evidenced by the truth that Slot was capable of identify the identical beginning XI extra instances in a single marketing campaign (seven) than his predecessor Klopp managed in his 491 video games in cost (5). This time period, it appears as if Slot is unsure of his finest group, together with his in-game modifications — considered one of his greatest strengths final season — typically compounding the sense of chaos his groups are attempting to navigate.
“When you change rather a lot in the summertime, then I believe it is not a shock that it might go a bit like this,” Slot stated after the Brentford recreation. “However I did not anticipate it to go along with 4 losses in a row, let that be clear. That it’s at all times a little bit of a bumpy street if you happen to change, that’s not so shocking.”
Integrating new faces would maybe not be so tough if Liverpool’s present stars continued to shine. At current, although, Salah and captain Virgil van Dijk — each instrumental within the Reds’ success final season — seem like shadows of their former selves, whereas the likes of Alexis Mac Allister, Ibrahima Konaté and Conor Bradley have additionally struggled for kind.
Maybe probably the most alarming side of Liverpool’s drop-off, nevertheless, is the truth that the squad as an entire are repeatedly being outfought and outmuscled on the pitch.
Talking to ESPN again in April, former Feyenoord midfielder Jens Toornstra recalled how Slot would recurrently present his gamers movies of Europe’s high groups in a bid to focus on what’s required to compete on the highest degree.
“He targeted on the onerous work it takes to play dominant soccer,” Toornstra stated. “It was all about depth, sprinting again, and mentality.”
In current weeks, that depth and mentality have been sorely missing from Liverpool’s play, a proven fact that has pissed off some followers who grew accustomed to Klopp’s unrelenting, “heavy steel” fashion of play throughout his 9 years on the membership. Whereas social media ought to by no means be considered as an correct barometer of fan sentiment, there are rising numbers of on-line supporters clamoring for Klopp to make a sensational return if Liverpool’s kind doesn’t enhance.
That the previous Reds boss didn’t completely dismiss the notion of at some point returning to Anfield throughout an interview on Stephen Bartlett’s Diary of a CEO podcast final week has seemingly added gas to that specific fireplace.
Final season, Slot’s extra understated fashion led to comparisons with Bob Paisley, who fairly brilliantly succeeded legendary supervisor Invoice Shankly within the Seventies. Now, although, it appears that evidently there are some subsections of the fanbase that require extra than simply the one league title to persuade them of Slot’s long-term aptitude for the job.
Slot should present he can bounce again
In fact, hindsight is a humorous factor. Whereas Klopp will at all times be revered as one of many best managers in Liverpool’s historical past, additionally it is price remembering that the final time Liverpool misplaced 4 league video games in a row got here in his tenure, again within the 2020-21 season.
Admittedly, that dismal run got here when Klopp had solely a decimated protection at his disposal, although Liverpool did endure a tricky spell in the midst of the 2022-23 season, successful simply seven and dropping 9 of 20 video games in all competitions. In addition they misplaced gained simply two video games in seven when battling to win each the Premier League and Europa League in Klopp’s last season in cost.
Even the most effective managers undergo powerful spells; Pep Guardiola oversaw a run of 9 defeats in 12 video games at Manchester Metropolis final time period. What separates the nice coaches from the nice ones is the flexibility to bounce again from adversity and forge a path to new success.
Amongst most of a Liverpool persuasion, there’s an acceptance that Slot has credit score within the financial institution from final season’s title win. There may be additionally an acknowledgement of the truth that the 47-year-old is at the moment having to impress a squad rocked by the tragic passing of a beloved teammate, Diogo Jota, lower than 4 months in the past.
Nonetheless, Slot will know higher than anybody that the outcomes haven’t been adequate. He may even remember that the simplest method to win over his critics is by returning his group to successful methods.
Over the approaching weeks, Liverpool face a tough run of fixtures, which incorporates Crystal Palace within the Carabao Cup, Actual Madrid within the UEFA Champions League, and Manchester Metropolis within the Premier League. It’s, undoubtedly, the hardest take a look at of Slot’s managerial profession.
Now, it’s as much as him to point out he can rise to the problem.