Arne Slott appears to have more questions than answers at this point in the season as Liverpool have lost four games on the spin for the first time in over a decade.
For Arne Slot, the international break did not act as a reset. Instead, three defeats on the bounce turned into four as Manchester United overwhelmed Liverpool, making their first Premier League defeat at Anfield the best part of the year.
The Merseysiders are at the top of the table with five wins and five losses, but are currently in fourth place, with rivals Arsenal and Manchester City above them. Now, Slott faces the biggest challenge of his tenure so far.
You have to go back to 2014 to find the last time Liverpool lost four games on the bounce. That was under manager Brendan Rodgers, whose team collapsed just months from winning the title. Although he will recover some, he will still miss out on a top-four finish.
Liverpool are likely to still be in the title equation due to their quality and other factors, but Slott will need to find a number of answers to some pressing questions. Even when they were winning consistently at the start of the season, there were question marks over their level of performance.
They continued to score goals late on. Sometimes the hallmark of a great team, this one was seen more like a papered over crack. Late goals and wins have stopped and the Dutchman needs to overcome the same challenges as his predecessor Jurgen Klopp.
read more: Arne Slott’s actions in the Liverpool dressing room after Manchester United’s defeat became clearread more: Jamie Carragher leaves ‘best signing’ on the bench in £125m Liverpool signing
Next up will be back-to-back away games in the Champions League and Premier League. Both Frankfurt and Brentford pose challenges for the Reds, and neither are ideal, so we look at what Slot needs to address immediately.
calm down to attack
The most talked about topic on Merseyside is what Liverpool’s best attack looks like. It’s not like you need to pick your best three or four slots and stick with them.
Josep Guardiola has often changed his front line in recent years, especially before Erling Haaland, but the level has remained the same. However, the Liverpool manager doesn’t seem to be getting the hang of many of his attacking players.
Hugo Ekitike looked like the shrewdest player in the summer, but the reward for a few intense opening weeks is being dropped to the bench. Kodi Gakpo is perhaps the least fashionable of Liverpool’s frontmen, but he is definitely one of the most talented. Slots need to find a system that works and allows players to come and go without causing major problems or loss of quality.
Making £241m look like money well spent
Speaking of problems, one of the problems Liverpool created for themselves was spending a British record amount on two players. After making this type of investment, you cannot successfully take action, or at least try to do everything possible. The investment in Alexander Isak means Slott must ensure transfers play a key role. And the Swede has proven that he can also perform at the top of his game in the Premier League.
Florian Wirtz doesn’t have the work to back up his exorbitant pay. But ultimately, a £116 million player cannot be a luxury for a team that plays sometimes and sometimes doesn’t. Perhaps Liverpool’s squad isn’t suited to playing with 10 men, but in that case could Werts find a new home on the wing? Or is it a deeper role? Mikel Arteta signed Kai Havertz as a playmaker, but through trial and error realized he was very effective as a false number nine. This will provide food for thought for slot machines that require ingenuity.
Stop playing games that feel like “basketball”
The flag was raised by Jamie Carragher, who has been beating this drum from the beginning. After a team that looked very controlled and composed last season, Liverpool seem to have lost control of the game. Yes, they are interesting, but only if you are neutral. In the opening game against Bournemouth they lost a 2-0 lead and the red flag was immediately raised.
Carragher said: “I’m not watching the first team. Liverpool aren’t playing football at the moment, they’re playing basketball. It’s just end-to-end and I don’t think the first team will play like that.”
They look open, but they don’t look like they have much control until they change their approach to the game. It’s fair to suggest that their lack of clarity up front doesn’t help them much in defending from the final third.
make a decision regarding salah
Slot can’t afford to worry about Liverpool looking like they got this signing decision wrong. It’s far worse to hang on to the Egyptian just because he signed a new two-year contract when he hasn’t produced for the team. He has scored two goals in eight league games, one of which was a penalty.
It’s no secret that he has been relieved of certain defensive responsibilities. But that only works if he’s producing on offense, and he’s not doing that. Although the slot lured him late on Sunday, Salah is a talisman for the Reds but cannot enjoy untouchable status. That remains to be seen, but the loud noise regarding the 33-year-old could inform the rest of the team.
organize the defense
Easier said than done. The decision to release Jarrell Quansah already looks questionable, especially considering Ibrahima Konate’s form. As long as his performance level remains the same, there will be no end to talk of him leaving this summer. At right-back, Dominik Szoboszlai was certainly impressive.
But playing him there feels like when James Miler was a right-back. Sure he’s doing his job and he’s consistent, but ultimately it’s not his position and he’s only been put there because of concerns over other options. Szoboszlai is a midfielder and pushing him into the defense is a short-term solution to a long-term problem. Virgil van Dijk remains the mainstay of the defense, but he cannot do it alone and it is clear that the chaos around him is not helping the team’s ambitions.
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