Arne Slot

[Doc_Piptorious]

I have seen some suggestions that we won't act rashly and that he has at least until new year, 6 PL and 2 CL games between now and then.

While we obviously want to win games and progress in the CL, but if doomsday scenario: we lose the next 6 PL games I don't thing winning the 2 CL games saves him, so from that point of view they are somewhat irrelevant to this discussion. That situation would see us 18 games in on 18 points which is relegation form (for context Hodgson got 25 points from 20 games).

While our current position in the table looks bad we are only 3 points off the top 4, and while obviously it is still mathematically possible the reality is any hope of the title is almost certainly gone (11 points behind). So we must focus our efforts on ensuring CL qualification and finishing as high up the table as possible. Not sure what the financial situation would be if we don't make the CL but that has to be in the owner/board's mind when considering things, so I guess the situation will depend how the top 4 picture evolves in the next few games. My instinct is that we need to win at least 3 of the next 6 in the league and turn performances around.

Think that might depend on whether the other three are losses or draws. Nine points from eighteen might not be enough especially given the teams we will be up against.

[peterbread]

I think the next three league games will be crucial. We really should be winning all three but on current form I’m struggling to see that happening.

West Ham away, Sunderland at home and Leeds away.

Those first two don’t look fun right now. West Ham have found some form and Sunderland are having a great season so far. If he can’t win any of those is it time? Surely he needs to win at least couple of those maybe 2 wins and a draw at worst. I really don’t know what to expect or what the people behind the scenes are thinking but I imagine some discussion are going on and maybe a few very quiet enquires.

[Exiled_red]

Think that might depend on whether the other three are losses or draws. Nine points from eighteen might not be enough especially given the teams we will be up against.

I think it also depends on the pattern of results and if there an upward trend

[peterbread]

Xabi having issues with egos at Madrid.

[Sus]

Xabi having issues with egos at Madrid.

Yep, one in particular, that was interesting

[Kenneth]

Caught a bit of conversation on Redmen TV about the sentiment of fans, and how there seems to be an ambulance about his job being in question. He has won us a title, he's brought in a business like attitude to the job (his family don't live here, he doesn't talk about the city or engage with the city much, he doesn't show his emotions etc), it's a job and when he's winning it's all good. But there isn't an emotional bond with the fans, younger fans have known nothing but klopp and are used to a sort of father figure. He has credit with the fans for the success last year, but nobody is really invested in his tenure, or his personal success or failure. The fan sentiment could turn from ambivalence to hostility pretty quickly now if things don't change asap.

[Paul12]

Caught a bit of conversation on Redmen TV about the sentiment of fans, and how there seems to be an ambulance about his job being in question. He has won us a title, he's brought in a business like attitude to the job (his family don't live here, he doesn't talk about the city or engage with the city much, he doesn't show his emotions etc), it's a job and when he's winning it's all good. But there isn't an emotional bond with the fans, younger fans have known nothing but klopp and are used to a sort of father figure. He has credit with the fans for the success last year, but nobody is really invested in his tenure, or his personal success or failure. The fan sentiment could turn from ambivalence to hostility pretty quickly now if things don't change asap.

Sorry, is that bit about an 'ambulance' a typo?

[Kenneth]

Yes

[Norbs]

Ambivalence?

[Catrin]

Not watched this yet but Josh Williams is usually sensible.

https://youtu.be/DhyEgtxzKgs?si=Cv7toNJIwFWnv9RI

[BG1973]

All slot needs to do to garner a bit of goodwill is show the fans he's not stubborn or stupid enough to keep expecting different output from identical input.

Try something. Show some balls.

Regret the things you do not the the things you didn't do.

[Charly]

All he needs to do is line up like last year.

Why is the midfield not pressing and keeping its shape?

Why isnt Grav under instructions to sit in front if the defence and stay there?

I can accept a ****ter diffence with freeflowing attacking football.

But our attacking play is awful too. We cant even get the ball to the striker.

Personally I think we need a false nine to help out the midfield and feed the ball forward.

Problem is, I cant see what Slot is trying to do. We look as clueless as we did as under Hodgeson.

When Liverpool dump their manager, its usually the right time. You can see it in the performances of the players... and this feels like that time.

****ing sad.I feel we spent poorly by not getting a CB and Dm, but Slot has changed tactics and he has to take the blame for that

[peterbread]

All he needs to do is line up like last year.

Why is the midfield not pressing and keeping its shape?

Why isnt Grav under instructions to sit in front if the defence and stay there?

I can accept a ****ter diffence with freeflowing attacking football.

But our attacking play is awful too. We cant even get the ball to the striker.

Personally I think we need a false nine to help out the midfield and feed the ball forward.

Problem is, I cant see what Slot is trying to do. We look as clueless as we did as under Hodgeson.

When Liverpool dump their manager, its usually the right time. You can see it in the performances of the players... and this feels like that time.

****ing sad.I feel we spent poorly by not getting a CB and Dm, but Slot has changed tactics and he has to take the blame for that

I don’t see why the system needed to completely change. I know you need to tweak things and keep working to make the team better but play the system that works and the better quality will help.

That’s the way I saw the new signings impacting the team. Play the same way but with better finishers upfront and more creativity in Wirtz and it would make the team more capable of opening up those low blocks. Kerkez looked like the ideal Robertson replacement so why don’t you play him as an attacking fullback. Let them play to their strengths. You don’t need to try and reinvent football to make the team better than last season.

[Buzzo]

Caught a bit of conversation on Redmen TV about the sentiment of fans, and how there seems to be an ambulance about his job being in question. He has won us a title, he's brought in a business like attitude to the job (his family don't live here, he doesn't talk about the city or engage with the city much, he doesn't show his emotions etc), it's a job and when he's winning it's all good. But there isn't an emotional bond with the fans, younger fans have known nothing but klopp and are used to a sort of father figure. He has credit with the fans for the success last year, but nobody is really invested in his tenure, or his personal success or failure. The fan sentiment could turn from ambivalence to hostility pretty quickly now if things don't change asap.

Interesting point. We definitely don’t have that emotional connection with him because… well because of all of those reasons.

[kingfunk]

The emotional side of all this only really matters when we aren’t winning. There’s a lot going on right now. I spent years looking enviously at the blue half of Manchester, wishing we could spend money the way they do. So when it became clear at the start of the window that we were finally going to throw serious cash around, I was buzzing. But as the window dragged on, I started to get uneasy. It didn’t feel like the Liverpool way anymore.

The truth is we messed up the summer recruitment. We broke apart a finely balanced, well-tuned side and replaced key players with brilliant individuals who weren’t necessarily the right fits. The right side of the team is out of balance. We haven’t replaced what Trent used to bring going forward. We haven’t replaced what Diaz offered. We spent a hundred million on an attacking midfielder we maybe didn’t even need. We brought in two number nines when one would have been enough, and we’re still short defensively.

Slot is a good manager. As they said on The Anfield Wrap, he took Klopp’s squad, improved them, and won the league. He looks like a different manager this season, but he hasn’t suddenly changed. Part of the blame lies with whoever is running recruitment. Is that Slot? Is that Hughes? A mix of both? Some of the decisions Slot is making now could easily be down to pressure or desperation to fix the current mess. We just don’t know.

What we do know is that the squad needs rebalancing again. That probably means bringing in another right back, another centre back, a left winger, and maybe a defensive midfielder for cover. That’s another hundred and fifty million, at least. Things are grim right now, but we need to be careful not to fall into the “sack the manager fixes everything” trap. Just look at United. Whatever happens, he deserves to stay until the start of next season at the very least.