Slot has shown a tendency of unnecessarily inviting pressure on himself and he needs to end that or careen further towards the exit
Do a double-take as Arne Slot appears in the picture on your screen, with an apron and a wry smile on his face, quintessential viral YouTube content on how I win Premier League titles by day and bake cookies by night. It comes easily to me.
If Erling Haaland’s done it why not Arne? Except of course, the Liverpool manager might be best served sticking to his day job at the moment, which is in danger of caving in after an impressive debut season.
There is a sense that much of what has befallen Liverpool so far this season was avoidable. On Wednesday Slot stood on the touchline at Anfield in an all-black outfit, the rain pelting down on him as he watched the Eagles feast on the young side he served up for them.
Slot needed to rest his senior players as he hopes to recover from a four-game losing run when Villa visit Anfield on Saturday. That much is understandable. But Slot also needed to plug a hole, stem a gush of defeats. Losing successive games at home can only hurt morale further.
So, baffling was the decision to field a side with 10 changes, and then leave no backup plans on the bench against an experienced Crystal Palace side who have beaten you twice already this season. Two 18-year-olds, three 19-year-olds, two 20-year-olds and two 21-year-olds as your options on the bench are hardly more than filler, and at the beginning it was clear to many on social media that it was a forfeit. Which in itself is not an entirely ludicrous move, but certain to backfire painfully if the reward is not immediately reaped on Saturday.
Slot has shown this tendency of unnecessarily inviting pressure on himself. The decision to hand Palace their third victory over his side in 80 days is one. But note also, for instance, the strange comment that Alexander Isak is ready and may be judged now.
Really, Arne? Are you ready now to have the Furies unleashed on your £125m striker? Are you certain?
Slot still has a lot of goodwill in the bank, you would imagine, after winning the title in his debut season. Of course, already the funeral bells are tolling on social media, fans warning of the advent of his sacking. That may be chalked up to the obsessive tabloid machine, troll culture, the meme world – all leftovers of the football but at the same time, not part of the football; the reality that is talked about purely for its sensational interest, but never lived. But just how much goodwill does Slot have, and when does it run out?
On the topic of puzzling decisions, not many would argue against the point that a lot of Liverpool’s problems have come from having changed too much. But quite a bit of it was avoidable. Ditching Andy Robertson completely seems a poor decision. The Scot could very well have been rotated frequently with Milos Kerkez, or even retained in the starting XI while the Hungarian warmed up to playing at the level of champions. Unceremoniously dumping an international captain, two-time Premier League winner, and a Champions League winner is a big call with no dividends in sight.
There was also the matter of rushing Isak into the starting XI when the price was unsettling Hugo Ekitike, who was quickly becoming a fan favourite after his flying start. Would it perhaps have been better to have the Swede coming off the bench until he was much sharper?
The same question could be asked of the midfield three, so vital to the title-winning campaign last term but undone this season to accommodate Florian Wirtz. Maybe don’t move Dominik Szoboszlai around so much. Maybe let Wirtz ease into things. Bed him in. Not many would have questioned a slow integration if Liverpool looked stable and were winning games.
Slot’s behaviour in press conferences have not helped. One of the signals to pressure building and a manager’s doom clock ticking close to midnight in the Premier League is how he responds to questions in the media. In Slot’s case he has adopted a strange admixture, excuses on the one hand and giveaways on the other.
Observe that your players are finding it difficult to deal with long balls. That’s right. Now also, tell everyone your players are finding it difficult to deal with long balls. Then blame the opposing coaches for making changes to their squads, blame the referee, blame the fixture schedule, feed more material to the hungry tabloid media.
The Dutchman has been a bit unlucky. The injury to Alisson Becker did his side no favours. The club themselves are also guilty of poor transfer decisions. Whoever told them spending big was a golden idea after watching Real Madrid’s classic galácticos fiasco? Manchester United are closer to home if distance is an issue. After achieving so much success as a lean, conservative side, the summer’s punt on ridiculously overpriced players and a needless double striker signing was a strange one.
Nevertheless, it is Slot who must deal with it. Pressure will build towards a crescendo unless the manager effects a turnaround. He cannot do that if he keeps making poor decisions.
