Arne Slot’s time at Liverpool so far has gone nearly perfectly. With only eight goals conceded in the Premier League, they are top of the table in both the Champions League and the EPL. The tactical shift in the squad has clearly worked with the new manager coming in and living up to the pressure and expectations of fans with great results almost every week.
Many fans worried about who would take over the managerial job after the announcement of revered manager Jurgen Klopp’s departure from Liverpool. After the successful Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso was ruled out of the race fans voiced their opinions.
“Honestly, feels like whoever it is now is just second choice and doesn’t fill anyone with excitement, one fan said.”
Looking into the history of the Dutch manager, he has had a history of trophy wins as a manager at Feyenoord in the Eredivisie, winning the title in 22/23, and the KNVB Cup in the 23/24 season. He also broke the Feyenoord points record grabbing 84 points in the 23/24 season finishing 2nd. Though it isn’t a top five league, the Eredivisie is still competitive, being ranked the sixth-hardest league in Europe by UEFA.
So far, Slot has won 16 out of his 18 games as Liverpool manager, only losing points in the Premier League with a one goal loss to Nottingham Forest, and a thrilling 2-2 draw to 3rd place Arsenal. Half of the teams played so far took up spots in the league’s top 10, and the club sits at the top of the table, eight points clear of a shaky second place Manchester City, who have lost their last five matches in all competitions.
Looking at the Champions League now, Liverpool also sit at the top of the table with four wins out of four, though only one team they’ve faced is in the top half of the UCL table. The team is flying with a combined 34 goals and only 9 goals against in both the UCL and EPL. The club does have two difficult fixtures ahead of them, as they play Real Madrid next in the UCL, and Man City in the EPL. The teams H2H with Madrid under Klopp’s reign had five losses, one draw, and not a single win in the Champions League. Slot could change this though, as if you compare both teams’ form at the moment, Real Madrid are mid-table in the UCL, and have lost two matches out of their last five, whereas Liverpool have none in their last five matches.
Slot’s arrival to Liverpool has also brought a change in the team’s style of play. Under Klopp, Liverpool famously used gegenpressing tactics, where they would overwhelm the opposition with many players quickly pressing the ball. Under Slot, the team has been seen using a calmer, more calculated approach to goal scoring. Mostly focused on dominating possession, and using slight movements to win the ball back, it seems to be working as the team continue to fly through the season, hoping for trophy glory and continued success.
