Without any new defensive or midfield signings to usher in the Arne Slot era, it already looks like a tough prospect for the Dutchman tasked with filling Jurgen Klopp's considerable shoes.
Despite the lack of transfers, Slot's reign got off to a winning start though with an impressive 2-0 win against Ipswich Town, which sparked hope among Kopites. Nonetheless, the summer transfer window was casting a dark cloud over things.
As the Premier League pressure cooker nears boiling point, one big question remains: Is Slot being set up for failure in his first year in England through Liverpool's lack of activity during this transfer season?
New Life Under Arne Slot
The sporting director Richard Hughes hinted at late signings, and Federico Chiesa arrived in the closing days of the window for a bargain £10m fee, but no one thought Liverpool would begin the season with no player signed, particularly when the new boss clearly wanted to add another midfielder at the very least. Although Arne tells fans not to worry, it's understandable that supporters are concerned as to whether the Reds have enough.
The season opener showed how Klopp and Slot used different tactical systems and how a specific caliber of player is needed in the said formations. During this transfer window, the club faced the difficult scenario of not having many options to improve the quality and depth of their squad. This perspective explains why the rejection of Real's offer in negotiations was such a strong blow for the fans.
Despite much transfer craziness, Liverpool sat on the sidelines doing very little. Some players left, a goalkeeper was signed for the future and eventually Chiesa arrived to provide depth to an already strong forward line. Many fans were concerned that without signings they will fall further behind the top two but Slot - as with Klopp before him - believes that coaching and improving the players he has is more important than spending big on new players.
Search for a No. 6 Continues
Nevertheless, Slot had identified the number 6 position as a summer priority only for Zubimendi's snub to thwart his transfer plans. The 25-year-old committed his future to his boyhood club and remains in San Sebastian, although rumours persist that the deal could be revisited in January.
Alexis MacAllister can perform the role but is more dangerous when deployed in advanced positions. Slot experimented with both Ryan Gravenberch and Szoboszlai at no.6 in pre-season and Gravenberch has started the season very impressively in the role. Wataru Endo is a natural fit for the position but struggled during pre-season and seems ill-suited towards a possession-based tactical setup.
Newcastle's Bruno Guimaraes appears a perfect fit for the new system but that seems unrealistic now as the big spending seems to be behind us. The Reds made big statements with the likes of Allison Becker and Virgil van Dijk, but those deals were funded by the sale of Phillipe Coutinho. Newcastle seem to be out of the murky waters in their financial hurdles now, but more to the point Liverpool doesn't possess the big spending power to sanction such a move.
A more cost-effective and probably realistic option for filling the No. 6 void would have been Adrien Rabiot on free transfer, as he would have brought depth, experience, and quality at the top level. However, the fact remains that although he was adaptable at the Euros, Rabiot is not a six.
Manuel Ugarte from PSG was available and ended up at Manchester United as Liverpool showed no interest. The aggressive nature of Ugarte could have brought some needed bite in midfield while freeing up Mac Allister in advanced attacking positions, but he's still not a like-to-like replacement for a Martin Zubimendi and is clearly not the profile of midfielder that Slot wants.
An interesting one to keep an eye on could be Crystal Palace youngster Adam Wharton, whose meteoric rise from the championship to the Premier League has been nothing short of exemplary. He possesses all the traits needed for that specialist six role, backed by the composure of someone young. For those interested in a more comprehensive examination of Wharton's impressive attributes in ball retention, press resistance, and breaking lines, a thoughtfully composed guest post would be worth the investment to buy an essay exploring his skill set in greater detail.
Defensive Structure
Slot went into the season with Jarrell Quansah as Virgil Van Dijk's partner in defense in place of Ibrahim Konate. However, the first half against Ipswich Town proved that could pose problems against counter-attacking sides in the league. The man-to-man press by Ipswich Town prevented Liverpool from getting into the game's rhythm and forced them to play more directly while banking on the attacking threat of Salah, Jota, and Diaz to exploit the space behind the opposition's backline.
The introduction of Konate in the second half vastly improved the second-half performance. Goals from Jota and Salah secured the three points to earn Slot his first victory in the league. This made him the first Liverpool manager to win his opening match since Graeme Souness in 1991.
Attacking Options
It's quite impressive how Liverpool picked up the three points without involving the likes of Darwin Nunez, Curtis Jones, and Harvey Elliot. The bench looks stacked in attack despite the lack of transfer activity, and will be boosted further when Chiesa is up to speed.
It's a highly competitive squad where Nunez has to fight tooth and nail to get back to the starting lineup. Diego Jota looks ready and firing on all cylinders, while don't forget the impressive Euros displays from Cody Gakpo.
When Injuries Start
Liverpool's biggest Achilles heel under Klopp was a failure to keep players fit and that is one of the biggest challenges facing Slot. A lengthy injury list could spell doom when it comes to Liverpool's title chances and even CL qualification. Injuries wrecked a quadruple attempt last season and with only one new signing, injuries could prove decisive again so Slot needs to solve that issue.
Despite his prolific nature in front of goal, Diego Jota's recurring injuries have prevented him from establishing himself as a nailed-on starter for the Reds. The 27-year-old missed 30 games last season due to three separate injury setbacks. It proved detrimental to both his form and the club.
Last season, Liverpool lost 1,252 days from injured players – considerably more than champions Manchester City – 654 days and Arsenal – 882 days. Some of those were key starting players, including Allison Becker, Mo Salah, Alexis Mac Allister, Dominic Szoboszlai, Connor Bradley, and Trent-Alexander Arnold, who were all absent for extended periods last season.
What to expect?
Slot has hit the ground running with three successive wins and no goals conceded so far, which has temporarily at least quietened the dissenting voices who were understandably frustrated at the lack of spending over the summer. Slot has quietly got on with it though and the squad bonded well together through pre-season. That was carried over into the season and Liverpool currently have a virtually fully fit squad with only Curtis Jones unavailable with a minor injury.
The start has been great but the real test for Slot will come when the fixture list intensifies and squad rotation becomes crucial. Keeping players fit, getting them the right amount of rest while still fielding teams strong enough to win games is a difficult balancing act. Klopp was excellent in that regard but it remains to be seen how Slot handles it. If he does that successfully then there is every reason to expect a strong season from the Reds.
- Read more...
- 0 comments
- 208 views
