Liverpool Must Change And Not Romanticise Title Win, Insists Arne Slot

Arne Slot has said Liverpool should not autumn into nan trap of romanticising past season’s title triumph arsenic a convincing stroll, erstwhile nan reality was a difficult slog that required a alteration successful style.

The Liverpool caput coach insists he had to modify his team’s attack this play to instrumentality nan improvements basal to take sides nan Premier League title. Liverpool won nan convention pinch 4 matches to spare and a 10-point cushion complete Sunday’s opponents, Arsenal, but Slot has warned his players not to hide really difficult it was to break clear. The additions of Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitiké – and rather perchance Alexander Isak earlier nan transportation deadline – were designed to make Liverpool a much ascendant force.

“I show this to nan players arsenic good – not each crippled past play was Tottenham distant [6-3] aliases West Ham distant [5-0],” said Slot. “ Always if you triumph something, everybody only looks backmost astatine immoderate awesome attacks aliases immoderate awesome wins, but nan magnitude of times we struggled past play successful a crippled was a lot. To romanticise past play arsenic overmuch arsenic we do – and sometimes we make this correction wrong nan building arsenic well; I mean nan players – is incorrect. Last play was, each azygous time, a struggle. Most wins were only by 1 extremity and we had to conflict really difficult for it.

“We didn’t triumph nan convention arsenic [Manchester] City did for truthful galore years pinch each azygous crippled being 4-0 up astatine half-time. We had to conflict really difficult for it. We request to amended but we had to amended compared to past play and we request to amended because nan title has improved.”

Slot, who confirmed Andy Robertson is Liverpool’s vice-captain this season, believes nan early-season struggles of nan defenders Ibrahima Konaté and Milos Kerkez are portion of nan adjustment process.

Arne Slot connected Ibrahima Konaté: ‘His consistency [in bringing nan shot retired of defence] is decidedly thing he tin improve.’ Photograph: Lee Smith/Action Images/Reuters

On Konaté, who could soon person title from Marc Guéhi should Liverpool work together a woody for nan Crystal Palace captain, he said: “He has things he tin amended but starting this play pinch a different full-back adjacent to him is different arsenic well. His consistency [in bringing nan shot retired of defence] is decidedly thing he tin improve, but that will amended nan much we activity together, nan much he’s utilized to nan correct full-back adjacent to him and nan much he’s utilized to nan different players that are successful beforehand of him arsenic well.”

As for Kerkez, nan £40m summertime signing from Bournemouth, Slot said: “In some games he has faced nan biggest threat of nan different squad [Antoine Semenyo and Anthony Elanga]. It’s adjacent capable [to opportunity he’s had a difficult start] but it’s not from him, it’s from america arsenic a team.”

Slot again refused to beryllium drawn connected Liverpool’s pursuit of Isak, though nan likelihood of a British grounds woody for nan striker has accrued pinch Newcastle agreeing nan £70m acquisition of Nick Woltemade. “I said aft Monday’s crippled that I could again make a substitution that affected nan game,” said nan coach, referencing Rio Ngumoha’s victor astatine Newcastle and Federico Chiesa’s precocious victor against Bournemouth. “There is nary logic aft 2 games to kick aliases deliberation we request much but if we tin fortify nan squad we will ever effort if it’s nan correct subordinate and nan correct price. Let’s spot if we do something.”

Leipzig person registered an liking successful Harvey Elliott but Liverpool person yet to person an connection for nan attacking midfielder they would consider. The left-back Kostas Tsimikas is adjacent to joining Roma connected loan.