He was promised hell, but here he is (for the moment) in paradise. Before facing a Manchester City plagued by doubt, and after dominating Real Madrid, Arne Slot is a happy coach. It must be said that his first months at Liverpool went like a dream. After seventeen meetings on the bench Redsthe Dutch technician has only experienced defeat once. Here is Liverpool leader of the Premier League, already eight points ahead of City and alone at the top of the Champions League. Liverpool supporters could hardly hope for better.
However, the task of replacing Jürgen Klopp, idolized in Liverpool as the Beatles were, promised to be heavy. “Slot arrived in a squad that worked well with a coach who was unanimously accepted at the club, in the city and in the locker room. When you get behind that, it’s not easy”recalls Florent Sinama-Pongolle, consultant for Canal +broadcaster of the Premier League and the Champions League in France.
Liverpool has regained stability: “The team is better organized”
The former player of Reds (2003-2007) is pleasantly surprised by the speed at which the “Slot method” has taken: “At no time did we think he would start like this with a maddening number of victories. There was this little hiccup against Nottingham (0-1 defeat). But otherwise, they found stability. Their defensive base is better than last year, it is stronger than in recent seasons. Jürgen Klopp had a more offensive game. They kept this clinical side up front but with real defensive stability. »
The four-man defense made up of Alexander-Arnold, Konaté, Van Dijk and Robertson, however, has not changed. But today seems impenetrable again: the Reds have conceded only 8 goals in 12 days of the Premier League and only one in 5 days of the Champions League. “ The team is better organized, continues Florent Sinama-Pongolle. Arne Slot’s decisions are paying off like his choice to sacrifice a little of Robertson’s climbs to always have a minimum of three players behind the ball. Alexander-Arnold often comes into midfield but this is offset by the efforts of Gravenberch. »
Liverpool therefore seem to have found a balance between attack and defense, which the Reds lost a little last season (41 goals conceded, 7 more than City and 12 more than Arsenal). The team “least colliding in all directions” reports the consultant of Canal + but kept an offensive strike force « clinique ».
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Arne Slot has also made subtle changes but which are already bearing fruit, particularly around recovery and sleep. “Players often used to go to hotels the day before the match. The staff and I think it’s better if they can sleep at home. The best place to sleep is your own bed, it gives you the best rest possible”he explained in an interview with club media. For the rest, the former Feyenoord Rotterdam coach admits he is still learning: “I’m getting to know each player better and better. It’s basically about telling your ideas to the players, getting to know them, how they feel in certain positions, how they feel when playing with each other and what tactics we want to adopt . »
Mo Salah, legs of fire and seduction mission
A learning process made easier by a Mohamed Salah on fire, who has been floating since the start of the season. «Salah’s perseverance shocked me, commented Gary Neville on Sky Sports. He is consistent with his goals and we can count on him. He carries the attack on his shoulders with his strength and quality. I think his confidence and experience helped Arne Slot settle in quickly at Liverpool. » An observation shared by the Dutch technician. “Mohamed Salah’s contribution is not only in finishing. He is also always available for us. I think that’s one of the qualities of the best players: they are always available and show themselves in the big matches.”he reported after the draw at Arsenal (2-2) where Salah equalized at the end of the match.
Florent Sinama-Pongolle also sees something else: “He is at the end of his contract so there is a slightly vicious side where he has to show himself. He has a requirement where he must perform as much as possible. The player is aware that he is at the end of his contract so he must be attractive. » Currently, the management of Reds still does not seem to have made a decision about the Egyptian’s future.
However, Mo Salah continues to be decisive, as evidenced by his 12 goals and 10 assists in all competitions. “He’s not the best Mo Salah we’ve seen at Liverpool, believes the former Le Havre and AS Saint-Étienne player. But on the other hand, it is efficient and effective. Today, we don’t look at whether he was excellent for 90 minutes. We see if it was decisive or not. And for now, it is decisive. »
When facing City for the first time in his career, Arne Slot has for the moment succeeded in taking over from Klopp. And with style since no manager has taken more points (31) than the Dutchman during his first twelve matches in the PL.
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“Where he was intelligent was that he remained himself, points out Florent Sinama-Pongolle. The biggest mistake he could have made is to try to do the same thing as Klopp. And he understood that for the public to adopt it, it will only happen through results. » So far, it has been almost flawless, like the victory against Real Madrid on Wednesday in the Champions League (2-0). This Sunday, facing the Citizensthe Liverpool Slot version can hit hard in the Premier League. Just to confirm that the dream has indeed come true.
