Arne Slot is set to become the next Liverpool manager and he will no doubt be making several changes upon his arrival at Anfield.
After eight successful years under Jurgen Klopp, winning the Premier League and Champions League, Liverpool are entering a new era under Slot. The Dutchman’s reputation has skyrocketed in the past 18 months after he led Feyenoord to only their second Eredivisie title in 20 years last season, losing just two games in the process.
Slot will have plenty of issues to address in his new role and we have handpicked four key issues that he will need to tackle next season.
Liverpool prone to conceding first
Liverpool have conceded the first goal on 14 separate occasions in the Premier League this season, which is a statistic to worry any manager. Maybe it’s just a side effect of a team that plays so aggressively and with such a high line, but it’s something the Dutchman will look to stamp out.
Granted, no team in the league has won more points from losing positions than Liverpool this season but it’s hardly sustainable, and Slot will not be able to rely on second-half performances and late comebacks every week.
Embed from Getty ImagesThis is certainly not new for Liverpool. Even last season, during the first half of what was a dismal campaign, Klopp’s side conceded first ten times from 12 Premier League games. Liverpool’s current tactical approach to games clearly has a major flaw, and Slot will somehow need to address it.
The centre-back dilemma
At Feyenoord, Slot’s centre-backs are expected to be comfortable in possession and capable of playing short passes into the midfield. One player who might need to acclimate to Slot’s philosophy is Ibrahima Konate, who has been criticised this season regarding his quality in possession and his ability to make line-breaking passes.
With the emergence of Jarell Quansah, Liverpool now have a centre-half who has shown assuredness in possession at the back and it would be no surprise if Slot nudged him up the pecking order ahead of Konate next season. However, Quansah is still only 21 and has minimal experience playing at the highest level.
Embed from Getty ImagesWith Joel Matip set to leave on a free, questions marks surrounding Konate, and the youthfulness of Quansah, Slot may be tempted to bring in an accomplished right-sided centre back to partner Virgil Van Dijk next season.
The role of Trent Alexander-Arnold
Alexander-Arnold’s primary position and where he best fits into this team has caused Klopp a headache since the Scouser emerged from Liverpool’s academy back in 2016.
For all his defensive deficiencies, the Englishman makes up for it with his exceptional passing abilities. Last season, Klopp’s decision to move him into midfield was a tactical tweak that was long overdue and given Slot’s tactical setup, it could help Trent flourish even more.
Slot’s version of the 4-2-3-1 could strengthen Alexander-Arnold’s case to move away from full-back entirely. With the 25-year-old now accustomed to forming a double pivot alongside either Alexis Mac Allister or Wataru Endo, Slot might make the transition permanent and let Conor Bradley continue his development at right-back. Slot, like Pep Guardiola, is all about beating his opposition’s press, and having one of the best passers in world football playing centrally would certainly aid that.
Embed from Getty ImagesGetting the best out of Alexander-Arnold has always been problematic for Klopp, and Slot will have the same problem.
Who will play in the number 10 position?
Under Klopp, Liverpool have never really deployed a conventional No10. Not since Phillipe Coutinho have Liverpool had a player who operates in that role, and his departure to Barcelona helped Klopp return to a compact midfield three in a 4-3-3 formation.
However, with Slot’s 4-2-3-1, there is an emphasis on playing with a number 10. That player is expected to press from the front, arrive late into the box and combine with the wide players. Guus Till was Slot’s NO.10 in his first season at Feyenoord and enjoyed one of his best scoring seasons, netting 21 goals in all competitions. In his second season, it was Sebastian Szymanski, and he has been equally as effective, registering 17 goal contributions in the league this season. Both players have since earned lucrative moves elsewhere, highlighting Slot’s ability to develop players.
This role seems tailor-made for Dominik Szoboszlai, who after enduring a blistering start to life at Liverpool, has regressed since returning from injury at the end of February. At RB Leipzig, the Hungarian played in every attacking position for the Bundesliga side, contributing to 23 goals in all competitions, but Klopp has opted to play him as a box-to-box NO.8. As a result, Szoboszlai’s numbers have dramatically decreased, registering just 11 goal contributions this season.
Embed from Getty ImagesSlot may also be thinking about using Curtis Jones, Harvey Elliot, Ryan Gravenberch or even Mac Allister in that role, but given his track record, Szoboszlai seems like the perfect fit.
