The atmosphere surrounding the club could not have been more different than it was a year ago. From the sun-drenched trophy celebrations of May 2025, to the gloom and gloom of this year, when slotted Liverpool came within inches of qualifying for the Champions League.
The Athletic reports that questions surrounding the Dutchman’s decision-making began after Slott opted to move Dominik Szoboszlai to right-back following Conor Bradley’s season-ending injury. Szoboszlai started the season in great form and was one of Liverpool’s most influential players, but it was felt that moving him out of his position would limit the Hungarian’s influence.
On the other hand, there was also the impression that new players who joined in the summer were treated more leniently than players already at the club. It felt like they weren’t up to the same standard as the other players, and although they underperformed, they were able to maintain a spot in the starting lineup.
Liverpool spent heavily in the off-season, bringing in the likes of Florian Wirtz, Alexander Isak and Jeremy Frimpong, for just under £450m. The 20-time champions, who looked likely to defend their title, finished fifth in the league with 60 points, 24 points off last season’s winning record.
Meanwhile, concerns within the dressing room also extended to the tactical set-up. The paper claims that in the recent defeat to Aston Villa, players were left confused as to who to defend from set-pieces, and the home side took advantage of that.
It appears that an autopsy was conducted in the locker room, and cracks are starting to appear. Just a week ago, Slott was booed by Anfield fans after a home draw with Chelsea that saw them finish 10th.
It’s clear that the fans are against him, and once things start to go south, it’s hard to regain control. In the end, a letter was left on the wall for the former Feyenoord manager, who was given his marching orders a week after the end of the Premier League season.
