Slot

[teesred]

Kerkez has a "Ziege" look to it at the moment.
I remember him having a blinder season for Boro then we bought him and it was a case of "has anyone actually checked if this guy can defend?".
To be fair he was the standout left back last season, he hadn't just turned shit so I'm hopeful he'll come good.
Wirtz is simply not getting to grips with the pace. Three occasions yesterday he tried to shoot but it was so slow he may aswell have sent them a letter last week letting them know when and where he was going to be.
He wants far too long, I'm really surprised at how slow he is.

[Red October]

I just posted this on a different forum.

There's a lot of moving parts in a team and right now many of them aren't clicking which were last season. Mo is slower and not offering much threat. We've lost Trent who provided a threat from RB (albeit a liability going the other way), Wirtz in theory is a quick-footed attacking mid/10, but in reality is lightweight and games are passing him by a lot. We need pace desperately. I feel a bit sorry for Slot as he's not even getting to play all the new players which is maybe why things are looking more disheveled that they might. If Frimpong was on the wing instead of Mo he would offer a threat with Bradley behind and then both can get up and down quickly. Play Mo as a 10 in and around the box off Ekitike. If Isak was fit maybe he'd begin to offer a threat going forward.

At the peak of Klopp's team we had Mane, Bobby and Mo who all provided threats and interchanged quickly so defenders were very occupied by them. We then had a fairly workmanlike midfield of Wini, Hendo and Fabinho. We had pace from FB and crosses from Trent. There were multiple threats for opposition to deal with. Everything was played at pace when we were at our best.

Not sure how Slot wants to set up in his ideal scenario but right now we don't have enough threats around the pitch so we become predictable and opposition let us play it out from the ponderous Konate who looks as comfortable as a sandpaper blanket. Szobo is a threat. Mo from time to time. Ekitike in some games….that's about it

[Kev0909]

Posted in another thread but probably better here, I am not sure how slot can't see the issues or addressing them

Problem is, bradley just get's ganged up on by any decent team, not sure why real was so poor tbh

but city's tactics was spot on salah doesn't drop back and help as he's been told he can stay forward, it's ok if we're against a average team like Forest, because Grav can come across and help from midfield or whoever, but against a team with good midfielders.. grav comes across Foden etc would have a field day.

Can't believe i'm saying this but it's time for a new RW next season and salah to drop to the bench.

Frimpong will never work at RB because of salah sadly, he's too attacking, we need a RW who drops back, then it would work, we need another rebuild already a LW,RW 2 Cb's and Baleba or whoever in midfield...

only 5 players needed for the first team!

What a shocking window.

Also the case for Wirtz, how can we play with a AMC when we don't have salah dropping back and already leaving gaps on the pitch, no wonder it's not working, it's not rocket science.

The balance is completly fucked up

Also considering how bad people said Trent was at defending... salah didn't drop back then either, didn't do to bad considering... or maybe teams didn't realise to 2v1 him then either...

[teesred]

https://www.skysports.com/share/13467964

There's the answer to why we're losing games. It's not much to do with formations it's to do with work rate. Those stats are damning.
Add that to our profligacy in front of goal and leaky defence and it adds up to a team that's struggling big time.
We are third lowest in the league over 90 mins. Absolutely unacceptable and as far as I'm concerned that lies squarely with the coaching side.

I've said it for a few weeks now, this a lazy team full of complacency who thought this season was going to be a cakewalk. After what Steveo mentioned about the defeats since PSG I think it can be traced right back to that. The deck chairs out with games to go also. Standards have slipped.

[RedMagic]

Slot going off on holiday during the season on a number of occasions has set a very bad example, never mind other issues such as him sunning himself when he should be concentrating on trying to fix the numerous problems we have, some of which will definitely be down to him.

He repeatedly comes out with some highly questionable things during his interviews and press conferences. That alone raises serious questions as to his capability to rectify any issues that he and his team are having.

[teesred]

Slot going off on holiday during the season on a number of occasions has set a very bad example, never mind other issues such as him sunning himself when he should be concentrating on trying to fix the numerous problems we have, some of which will definitely be down to him.

He repeatedly comes out with some highly questionable things during his interviews and press conferences. That alone raises serious questions as to his capability to rectify any issues that he and his team are having.

Agree. I've got the same worries/doubts.
In any workplace once a precedent has been set it's a very difficult thing to change without completely changing out personnel.
I remember saying on here last season it didn't sit right with me when we took our foot off the gas after the title was done. To some it was understandable and that's fine but to me it was the kind of thing a club that's high on their first trophy would do or a club that's simply not used to winning.
I can't imagine any previous LFC manager who'd had success allowing that.

[Insidious]

It's looking a bit of a mess so far. Hard to tell if that's all on Slot or on the transfer committee or both. It looks like we've signed players and don't know how to use them....Wirtz especially. To be fair that might be partially because Kerkez hasn't been working out as planned, Isak's been injured and Frimpong's been injured a lot. So maybe Slot hasn't really got to use his ideal first 11. And the ones he has used haven't been doing it.

I'm massively over-simplifying this, but given how often he talked about facing low blocks last season and how complimentary he was of PSG's ability to break sides down and have multiple creators of chances, it appears Slot has requested targets that can break down a low blocks.

Kerkez, Frimpong, Wirtz, Ekitike, Isak all excel in providing something to get around or through tightly packed defences. All are excellent individual players.

Having all of them in the same squad though raises some of the old "square peg, round hole" issues and it's a damn shame as this squad's potential, with an addition or two to correct the imbalance, is very high.

I'd also be reluctant to rush into a Managerial change as the new Manager will still face the same problems with the currently available crop of players, so I am hoping Slot can find a solution quickly and doesn't resort to the Brendan Rodgers style of trying a new formation until the first sign of trouble, then trying something else.

[CCTV]

https://www.skysports.com/share/13467964

1) There's the answer to why we're losing games. It's not much to do with formations it's to do with work rate. Those stats are damning.
Add that to our profligacy in front of goal and leaky defence and it adds up to a team that's struggling big time.
We are third lowest in the league over 90 mins. Absolutely unacceptable and as far as I'm concerned that lies squarely with the coaching side.

2) I've said it for a few weeks now, this a lazy team full of complacency who thought this season was going to be a cakewalk. After what Steveo mentioned about the defeats since PSG I think it can be traced right back to that. The deck chairs out with games to go also. Standards have slipped.

1) that's very lenient on several players......

2) After 34 games we were on par with cituae after 34 games in their recent title winning seasons.
The lads were celebrating Number 20 over our last few pl games, 2 draws & 2 losses in our last 4. Think you're making a big deal out of nowt. Very different times.

Here's the league/top4 last year after 11 games.
22 points is top4 pace after 11 games.

.......Won .. points ... GD
LFC .. 9 ...... 28 ..... +15
Cit .... 7 ...... 23 ...... +9
Cfc .. 5 ....... 19 ...... +8
Ars .. 5 ....... 19 ...... +6

This season: top3 & LFC

......Won .. points ... GD
Ars .. 8 ....... 26 ..... +15
Cit ... 7 ....... 22 ..... +15
Cfc .. 6 ....... 20 ..... +10
8th .. 6 ....... 18 ...... +1

[teesred]

1) that's very lenient on several players......

2) After 34 games we were on par with cituae after 34 games in their recent title winning seasons.
The lads were celebrating Number 20 over our last few pl games, 2 draws & 2 losses in our last 4. Think you're making a big deal out of nowt. Very different times.

Here's the league/top4 last year after 11 games.
22 points is top4 pace after 11 games.

.......Won .. points ... GD
LFC .. 9 ...... 28 ..... +15
Cit .... 7 ...... 23 ...... +9
Cfc .. 5 ....... 19 ...... +8
Ars .. 5 ....... 19 ...... +6

This season: top3 & LFC

......Won .. points ... GD
Ars .. 8 ....... 26 ..... +15
Cit ... 7 ....... 22 ..... +15
Cfc .. 6 ....... 22 ..... +10
8th .. 6 ....... 18 ...... +1

I'm not being lenient on the players. I've said so a few times that I don't think they're working hard enough but those stats regarding how much ground we're covering must surely be something that the coaching has to deal with? It's obvious in games we're being simply outworked by some teams.
You'd hope it would have been spotted before now anyway but it doesn't look like much is being done about it.
In regards to last season maybe I am making too much of it, I hope that's the case. I do think there's been a drop off though. We've struggled to beat teams convincingly since the PSG defeat I think.

[Steveo]

I don’t think you are at all.

Whatever transpires from here - the reality is that Arne Slot's Liverpool, in its title-winning campaign, was fundamentally an act of extraordinary homage to its departed architect, Jürgen Klopp.

That triumph transcended mere football, it was a deeply personal, high-stakes farewell gift from a band of brothers to the man who transformed them from 'doubters into believers'. They wanted to repay his faith. Faith in them and faith i. the incoming manager - the man he stood on the turf at Anfield and sang about… ‘Arne Slot…Nah Nah na na na..’

Klopp's dramatic, heart-wrenching announcement - that he had to leave a season early because he was "running out of energy" -didn't just create a managerial vacancy…it forged a powerful, unifying purpose. Every tackle, every last-minute winner, every collective roar was a defiant, fuel-injected response to his premature departure. The players, ALL of whom he recruited and molded, were not just playing for the trophy, but for the man who had laid his heart, soul, and health on the line for the club.

In that context, Arne Slot inherited an already peak-performing machine built on the unparalleled foundation of 'Gegenpressing' and Klopp's powerful, inimitable culture. The title was the glorious, inevitable conclusion of Klopp's final, emotional symphony, played out by HIS loyal orchestra, determined to give him the rewards not yet achieved upon his final exit.

The drop off - which began as the home straight to the title was in plain sight… has all the hallmarks of a herd mentality - with the exhausting milestone all but achieved - the level dropped off completely.

This summer’s c change from the hierarchy is testimony to this being more than simply my own observation. This is what explains the panic. The net result so far has compounded the issue.

The further we get from Klopp and his squad - the further we get from being winners.

Let’s hope something divine intervenes on our behalf.

[Kev0909]

Was wondering why football has become more boring, because it's this league, going more direct and physical again, doesn't really suit teams trying to play good football

even City and pep have gone more direct

Doesn't really suit slots tactics

[Steveo]

Yep - so every Premier league team just flipped all their players - told them to forget what they have learned and developed all though Academy and career - and now play a totally different game to last season..

I mean that's the utter ballbag hogwash being pushed by some in the media .. it's a talking piece for them.. you'd would need to be a complete fool to actually buy it.

There is a reason why intelligent men like Wenger and Jurgen manage to change the sport. It's choc full of halfwits

[Steveo]

Bernardo Silva been on the roids - underneath that shirt is another physique entirely - all tucked under.. He's grown 6 inches too..

[Kev0909]

Why is haaland having a storming season I wonder??

You can easily look it up, stats and fact's don't lie

It's either direct, or passing left and right and backwards, or both.

We've had the most possesion on average so far, and most shots per game, working as intended eh

https://www.whoscored.com/regions/252/tournaments/2/seasons/10743/england-premier-league

[Steveo]

City were not giving it 100% last season. I mentioned this from August las year.. Looked obvious to me.

Are you suggesting last season was a normal one for Haaland - I suggest anyone who does is in a minority of 1.

I get that most people struggle to believe that these things are not all out in the open.. but they are not. 1 of 2 things happened - or - both did


1. information got to City that there were best off NOT winning anything...We don't need the heat... relayed that they were at risk of having titles stripped and needed to alow things to calm down in the media IF they want to reduce any potential impact of 115...severe punishment

2. The constant media noise around the charges simply drained them emotionally and took focus off their game.. something I believe happened late on the season before last with us., All the talk about Klopp leaving dominated our young injury ravaged side that was doing so well.



City last 9 years since Liecester City won the title..

1. 2017-18 - 100 pts
2. 2018-19 - 98 pts
3. 2021-22 - 93 pts
4. 2023-24 - 91 pts
5. 2022-23 - 89 pts
6. 2020-21 - 86 pts
7. 2019-20 - 81 pts
8. 2016-17 - 78 pts
9. 2024-25 - 71 pts


2023-24 - 91 pts.

Winter/Spring 2024 Everton and Forrest get deducted points for their minescule breaches.. Media noise ramps up to deafening levels - TV pundits openly talking about double standards.. and..

2024-25 - 71 pts