Jurgen Klopp left large sneakers to fill at Liverpool however Arne Slot has taken to the position seamlessly, with the Reds now sitting fairly on the prime of each the Premier League and Champions League standings.
The victory in opposition to Aston Villa was the newest likelihood for Slot’s workforce to stake their declare for silverware this 12 months and so they did so in emphatic fashion.
Targets from Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah secured all three factors at Anfield, as Liverpool opened up a five-point hole on final 12 months’s champions Manchester Metropolis.
Succeeding long-term managers is rarely simple, because the likes of Manchester United and Arsenal have found lately, however Slot has taken to the position and duty like a duck to water.
However why? What precisely is the brand new boss doing so properly and why has the transition away from Klopp been really easy? Right here, Sky Sports activities takes a glance…
Stable basis on the again
Liverpool have a humiliation of riches when it comes to their attacking expertise however it’s arguably the defence which deserves all of the plaudits at the moment.
The Reds have solely conceded six objectives all through the opening 11 video games and have stored six clear sheets, which is greater than some other facet to date.
Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate by numbers within the 2024/25 Premier League season
Captain Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate have fashioned a formidable partnership within the centre of defence and have made life simple for his or her goalkeepers, whether or not that’s Alisson Becker or Caoimhin Kelleher, with the membership additionally tied for least pictures heading in the right direction confronted at 36.
Slot’s facet impress going ahead however their early success has been constructed on a stable defensive basis on the again.
Blocking out the noise
Whereas many groups would falter and panic with their three greatest gamers all on expiring offers on the finish of the season, Liverpool haven’t.
Virgil van Dijk, Arne Slot, Mo Salah and Ryan Gravenberch. (from left to proper)
In each the general public eye and on the pitch, the Reds haven’t proven any indicators of trepidation concerning the chance that they might lose Van Dijk, Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold free of charge on the finish of the marketing campaign.
Slot has continued to get the most effective out of veteran duo Van Dijk and Salah, whereas a current harm to Alexander-Arnold and his lack of kind – with only one league help to his identify – may very well be thought-about the one concern.
The absence of hysteria surrounding the membership is a credit score to Slot. “It would be strange if I have no input,” he stated when requested concerning the newest contract developments.
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ESPN’s Mark Odgen and Every day Mail’s Ian Ladyman talk about whether or not Trent Alexander-Arnold will stay at Liverpool past this season.
“Although I am a head coach now so sometimes it’s convenient to say I’m a head coach and no longer a manager, so talk about contract situations with someone else!
“I feel usually, contract conditions are about speaking with the individuals who ought to discuss it. I’m certainly one of them, however I shouldn’t discuss this in public.
“I do talk about this with [sporting director] Richard [Hughes] and that’s the place where we have to talk about it and not in front of a microphone.”
Slot changes
As spectacular as Slot is at coping with issues behind the scenes and addressing the media, his in-game administration has arguably stood out within the early levels of his tenure.
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Sky Sports activities’ Peter Smith explains how Liverpool’s second-half performances have helped them to a superb begin to the season beneath Arne Slot.
Previous to the win in opposition to Villa, Liverpool had been drawing or shedding in all of their final 4 fixtures however went on to safe seven factors and a spot within the Carabao Cup quarter-finals from these video games.
Whether or not it’s a rallying name throughout the interval or wholesale modifications for the second half, like he did to kick-start the 2-1 win in opposition to Brighton, Slot identifies points inside his workforce and addresses them with out hesitation.
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Highlights from the Premier League match between Liverpool vs Brighton & Hove Albion.
The Reds have now scored 23 objectives and conceded simply 5 within the second half throughout all competitions this season. Whereas different groups fall off as time goes on, Liverpool solely appear to get stronger.
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Paul Merson believes Liverpool will completely problem for all main honours this season, with Arne Slot’s facet at the moment prime of the Premier League.
Recruiting internally
Nobody anticipated Liverpool to problem for silverware this season – and it was not solely due to the managerial change.
Sunday twenty fourth November 1:00pm
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Incoming Georgia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili and Italy winger Federico Chiesa have been the one signings made by the membership in the summertime, which meant Wataru Endo remained the lone defensive midfielder within the squad heading into the 2024/25 marketing campaign.
Or in order that they thought.
Netherlands midfielder Ryan Gravenberch has since loved a meteoric rise into the Liverpool first workforce and is only one begin away from equalling his Premier League tally from final season.
Ryan Gravenberch has impressed whereas getting used as a defensive midfielder by Arne Slot
The 22-year-old is benefiting from working together with his compatriot, who shortly recognized Gravenberch might thrive as a No 6 given his attributes and is grateful for his emergence because it meant the membership didn’t should recruit externally.
“He is very comfortable with the ball, and I think that’s what everybody saw, but not every manager,” Slot stated concerning Gravenberch.
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Liverpool head coach Arne Slot says he has not been stunned by his facet’s constructive begin to the season and says he doesn’t have to handle the expectations of his squad.
“So, it’s a bit of a choice. You can bring a No 6 in that’s only really good without the ball – hard tackles and sliding – which every fan loves, and a lot of pundits love as well.
“Otherwise you look extra at what can he deliver for us if now we have the ball, and I feel he can assist us loads with the ball. And he has a superb deal with.”
Can it continue?
Liverpool’s start to the season has not been easy – but it is set to ramp up in the coming weeks.
Slot and his workforce will put their title-winning credentials to the check as they put together for Actual Madrid, Man Metropolis, Newcastle and Everton after returning to home motion in opposition to Southampton, dwell on Sky Sports activities, on November 24.
The Reds got here out of the clashes in opposition to United, Arsenal and Chelsea with out a blemish on their report however will should be at their absolute best if they’re to keep up the spectacular begin within the fast future.
Liverpool responded to the shock loss to Nottingham Forest in September by successful 12 out of their subsequent 13 matches throughout all competitions – however their upcoming run of fixtures would be the greatest check but for Slot.
