Taxi for Slot

[CCTV]

It seems that many people are putting a lot of the blame on individual players be it existing players such as VVD and Salah whose performance levels have fallen off a cliff, or new players such as Wirtz, Isak and Kerkez, all of whom have yet to put in any meaningful performances. However given that effectively the performance levels of the entire squad have been poor, I think the problem is more than individual players either simply being over the hill, not being bothered, or not being up to speed or even suitable for us or the league.

We have been piss poor since the backend of last season. That was before we signed the likes of Wirtz, Isak and Kerkez. Also up to that point Salah had be brilliant, whilst the likes of VVD, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, Gravenberch etc were all playing well. Nobody can convince me that all of our players have all suddenly massively declined in quality at the same time, and that most, if not all of the players we bought are not good enough or suitable enough to play in the PL for us.

There is only one unifying factor or in this case one person that links all our players, and that is Slot. You only have to look at the way he sets us up, the players he uses or doesn't use, the things he says, and what he does when things are going pear shaped to realise that the blame for our predicament is liable to be down to one man, Slot.

Slot just doesn't look or sound like somebody who has the tactical nous, gravitas or motivational skills needed to get the best out of our players or to get them going when they need a proverbial kick up the arse. Klopp was someone who could inject energy and desire into players, even those who were running on empty, or those who weren't exactly world beaters. Slot currently looks and sounds like the exact opposite in that he may well be sucking the life out of the players, something that is making our players look like they're over the hill, not trying, or simply aren't good enough.

I for one wouldn't be surprised if the players performance levels jumped dramatically if they had someone potentially less draining leading them. It will be interesting to see if I'm right should Slot get the boot.

Well this will largely be speculative as we dont know what's gone on behind the scenes since last season. But I'll defend Slot and make the case it is the players who need to step up, and several senior players in particular. In contrast to these players I will give a quick shout out to Sobozla, Grav & Bradley for example as lads who visibly have stood out in terms of simple effort on the pitch.

The exit to PSG was naturally disappointing. In that 1st leg we were dealt with by PSG exceptionally well. Outfoxed and they were setup to nullify our key strengths, a master class from Enrique. We were at battlestations and being smashed up. Nunez stole a win for us setting up Elliott to finish.
The 2nd leg we went with the same 11 and played better, not hard tbh, and conceded an early goal. We lost on penalties.

Conceding early goals a hallmark of the squad in recent seasons, including Klopps last 2 seasons at least.

When our last season under Klopp went to shit, playing 433, in a thread titled "What is the explanation for our dramatic loss of form" i gave this reply on conceding early to Steveo's claims of fatigue being the cause. The 1st part on our 2 games v manu towards the end of that season.

CCTV said: 28th April 2024 10:22 AM

We lost a winning position 3 times in 2 games and conceded 6 goals in 2 games.

We gifted them 2 goals in 13 minutes after half time in the league game.

Do you believe the half time break really left our lads shattered for the first 13 minutes of the second half. This is where fatigue manifests and that explains the goals conceded

Or that fatigue has led to us conceding first so regularly this season. Even in October as it was the year before in October.

14 October 2022
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has pointed to a tendency to conceded the first goal in games as a "concern".

Analysis by Nielsen Gracenote shows the Reds have conceded first in six of their eight matches this season. That means in every match in which Liverpool have conceded a goal at all, the opposition have scored first."

https://www.bbc.com/sport/articles/czv4n0rv77vo

-----------

October 11 2023

Only Sheffield United and Luton Town have conceded the first goal in a Premier League game more often than Liverpool this season, and it’s not a new phenomenon for Jürgen Klopp’s side either.

https://theanalyst.com/eu/2023/10/why-do-liverpool-keep-conceding-the-first-goal/

This trend has continued through the season.

https://forums.lfconline.co.uk/showthread.php?310349-What-is-the-explanation-for-our-dramatic-loss-of-form%85/page7

Now Slots successes in Holland and winning Number 20 seem to be very underrated at the minute by many.
And coupled with calls for Klopps return, I think it's worth noting that our team has had mini-collapses and blips before.
That it's only really in October 2024 that defense wasn't an issue. After Slot arrived. It's an issue again and as shown was an issue in the 2 seasons prior to October 2024.

There's some comment about the loss of Heitinga? iirc. However the successful October defensively, over this and our last 3 seasons, was Slots use of 4231 and players performing in it.

Think that should really be enough to defend Slot & Klopp and put the focus on several players and the culture of players. Although the managers carry the can...
If Klopp returns soon, I'd take that as a sign the players have got Slot sacked. Which is never a good look.

[jozza800]

I've got to agree with RM here CCTV.

You might see a bit of a drop off from maybe one or two, or maybe one or two of the new lads not being quite up to speed but it's the entire squad other than Szobo, Ali, Chiesa and Ekitike.

Mac, Mo and Konate's drop off has been frightening. Virg, along with Grav and Gakpo have gradually dropped off as well. Wirtz, Kerkez, Frimpong and Isak haven't even got started.

To me, the way we started the season and the way it's gone since absolutely looks all about the system. Even with the first 5 wins of the season it didn't look right, but with the ability we have in the squad, and we DO have ability in the squad, we managed to get the wins but it was never going to last if we kept playing the same way. And it hasn't lasted and if anything, we're getting worse.

It has got to the point where we look absolutely shot to pieces. The system was/is broken but now so too are the players.

We end up with 8 cones all stood about not moving on the edge of the oppo's 18yd box then are surprised when we get 'done' on the counter with just Konate and Virg trying to stop the counter. And it's been happening all season.

[miller0863]

Not one element of our back 5 or 6 including Ali has worked this season, not one.
Now we’ve stopped scoring it’s a perfect storm.

Both full back positions have been chopping and changing due to injuries and an attempt to try and get things working, to no avail.
Virgil hasn’t been great but Konate … absolutely shocking.
Ali can’t stay fit.

MacAllister hasn’t looked fit since the run in last season.

Jeeez I could go right through the squad.

It’s a combination of the players letting the manager down and the manager seemingly incapable of galvanising the squad into some sort of reaction.

What a shit show

[teesred]

Looking at the stats from Saturday it beggars belief we lost the game. 75% possession, 598 passes, 20 shots. The list goes in but the fact is we conceded three goals to a team that had 25% possession.
It reminds me of the really bad spell under Rodgers where we were dominating games but losing to the one chance in the game we'd concede. Similar spell under Klopp too.
It's really difficult to see how it changes, that's why I think everybody is just so despondent right now.

[Steveo]

Worth noting that the spell under Klopp was at a time when we had ZERO senior centre backs - after another idiotic summer where we let a senior go and didn't even bother to replace... that time we had to put Hendo and Fabinho in there. That dreadful run took us from top of the table at Christmas to nowhere in weeks. Something I feared might happen last season with any kind of an injury to Virgil..

[jozza800]

Looking at the stats from Saturday it beggars belief we lost the game. 75% possession, 598 passes, 20 shots. The list goes in but the fact is we conceded three goals to a team that had 25% possession.
It reminds me of the really bad spell under Rodgers where we were dominating games but losing to the one chance in the game we'd concede. Similar spell under Klopp too.
It's really difficult to see how it changes, that's why I think everybody is just so despondent right now.

20 shots! How many were clear chances? I'm struggling to think of any of them other than the block on Mac's early in the first half.

The support for the player on the ball is just about non-existant. Everyone chases forward then stops moving. It's like putting 8 training cones across the oppos' 18 yard line. Zero movement, zero one-twos, zero through balls.

When was the last time you saw one of our forwards get in behind? The ball goes out to either Mo and Gakpo and they have to beat 2 or 3 defenders, or pass it back inside. It's so easy to defend against.

Then we're easy to counter, with the amount of players we push forward, we're knackered as soon as we lose it. That is 100% tactical.

I posted this on the other thread but it's relevent here. The amount of times we get ourselves line up like the below is mental. We're hamstringing ourselves.

Konate - VVD

------------------------------------------------------------------
| Szobo - Salah - Wirtz - Isak - Grav - Mac - Gakpo - Kerkez |

[RedMagic]

Slot said that we don't have a problem at CB, yet on Saturday he put Gomez on the bench despite him admitting that Gomez wasn't fit.

If you want an even more questionable decision from Slot, for Saturday's game Slot put Ekitike on the bench. We've won 75% of the games that Ekitike has started, yet we've won 0% of the games he hasn't started.

[eggy81]

Looking at the stats from Saturday it beggars belief we lost the game. 75% possession, 598 passes, 20 shots. The list goes in but the fact is we conceded three goals to a team that had 25% possession.
It reminds me of the really bad spell under Rodgers where we were dominating games but losing to the one chance in the game we'd concede. Similar spell under Klopp too.
It's really difficult to see how it changes, that's why I think everybody is just so despondent right now.

Yet never even looked dangerously at all in general play. That’s the scariest part. That we can have the ball all day and not even look like getting behind the defence out wide. Let alone though the middle.

[Steveo]

Gakpo only started cause Wittz wasn’t fit - but the lad isn’t going to worry anyone. Rarely if ever has and very doubtful he will too often in future. Isak - apparently had no pre season, and as yet has looked every inch the tidy but placid lanky Swede I was told he was by a mate of mine who now lives in Sweden.

So - it was mostly on Salah… and he started very well to be fair, but at his age I think he needs some more legs and threat supporting him in the attack or at least taking defenders away from him.

As mentioned over and over again of late only one fella has looked a threat and he didn’t get on the pitch until 10 minutes after we went 2 goals to zero down.

[teesred]

20 shots! How many were clear chances? I'm struggling to think of any of them other than the block on Mac's early in the first half.

The support for the player on the ball is just about non-existant. Everyone chases forward then stops moving. It's like putting 8 training cones across the oppos' 18 yard line. Zero movement, zero one-twos, zero through balls.

When was the last time you saw one of our forwards get in behind? The ball goes out to either Mo and Gakpo and they have to beat 2 or 3 defenders, or pass it back inside. It's so easy to defend against.

Then we're easy to counter, with the amount of players we push forward, we're knackered as soon as we lose it. That is 100% tactical.

I posted this on the other thread but it's relevent here. The amount of times we get ourselves line up like the below is mental. We're hamstringing ourselves.

Yes that situation you've highlighted there is absolutely one that can be avoided yet we are still ploughing on with it even though it's seen us lose half our games and should have seen us lose more.
It will cost Slot his job if he doesn't knock it on the head and just go back to basics in making us solid again and going from there.
We're in a jam now that is similar to when Ged arrived, he had to go back to the basics of defending and making us difficult to beat before thinking about anything else.
Slot looks to have abandoned everything that made us a solid efficient unit last season in an attempt to make his mark. It's failing miserably right now.