Arne Slot has said Liverpool should not fall into the trap of romanticising last season’s title triumph as a convincing stroll, when the reality was a hard slog that required a change in style.
The Liverpool head coach insists he had to modify his team’s approach this season to implement the improvements necessary to defend the Premier League title. Liverpool won the league with four matches to spare and a 10-point cushion over Sunday’s opponents, Arsenal, but Slot has warned his players not to forget how difficult it was to break clear. The additions of Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitiké – and quite possibly Alexander Isak before the transfer deadline – were designed to make Liverpool a more dominant force.
“I tell this to the players as well – not every game last season was Tottenham away [6-3] or West Ham away [5-0],” said Slot. “ Always if you win something, everybody only looks back at some great attacks or some great wins, but the amount of times we struggled last season in a game was a lot. To romanticise last season as much as we do – and sometimes we make this mistake inside the building as well; I mean the players – is incorrect. Last season was, every single time, a struggle. Most wins were only by one goal and we had to fight really hard for it.
“We didn’t win the league as [Manchester] City did for so many years with every single game being 4-0 up at half-time. We had to fight really hard for it. We need to improve but we had to improve compared to last season and we need to improve because the competition has improved.”
Slot, who confirmed Andy Robertson is Liverpool’s vice-captain this season, believes the early-season struggles of the defenders Ibrahima Konaté and Milos Kerkez are part of the adaptation process.
On Konaté, who could soon have competition from Marc Guéhi should Liverpool agree a deal for the Crystal Palace captain, he said: “He has things he can improve but starting this season with a different full-back next to him is different as well. His consistency [in bringing the ball out of defence] is definitely something he can improve, but that will improve the more we work together, the more he’s used to the right full-back next to him and the more he’s used to the other players that are in front of him as well.”
As for Kerkez, the £40m summer signing from Bournemouth, Slot said: “In both games he has faced the biggest threat of the other team [Antoine Semenyo and Anthony Elanga]. It’s fair enough [to say he’s had a difficult start] but it’s not from him, it’s from us as a team.”
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Slot again refused to be drawn on Liverpool’s pursuit of Isak, although the likelihood of a British record deal for the striker has increased with Newcastle agreeing the £70m purchase of Nick Woltemade. “I said after Monday’s game that I could again make a substitution that affected the game,” said the coach, referencing Rio Ngumoha’s winner at Newcastle and Federico Chiesa’s late winner against Bournemouth. “There is no reason after two games to complain or think we need more but if we can strengthen the squad we will always try if it’s the right player and the right price. Let’s see if we do something.”
Leipzig have registered an interest in Harvey Elliott but Liverpool have yet to receive an offer for the attacking midfielder they would consider. The left-back Kostas Tsimikas is close to joining Roma on loan.
