Liverpool manager Arne Slot has offered a surprising take on last season's success, suggesting that an early Champions League exit to Paris Saint-Germain might have been a hidden blessing in their Premier League title charge. However, with his team struggling defensively and offensively this term, Slot has issued a stark warning that improvements are urgently needed to compete for silverware.
Slot's Contrarian View on Last Season's Triumph
In a candid assessment, Slot pointed to Liverpool's last-16 defeat to PSG in March as a potential factor in their league victory. At the time of that exit, Liverpool held a commanding 15-point lead in the Premier League with nine games left, allowing them to focus solely on domestic duties with full weeks of preparation.
"This is not going to be a popular opinion," Slot admitted, "but maybe the reason we won the league last season is that we had to play Paris Saint-Germain in the last 16, because they beat us and we had every time a full week to prepare for our next game. Maybe that helped us."
Current Campaign Exposes Squad Limitations
The manager's comments come amid renewed scrutiny after Liverpool's 13-game unbeaten run ended with a 3-0 loss at Bournemouth, leaving the reigning champions sixth in the table. Slot highlighted the toll of injuries and a congested fixture list, noting that Liverpool have lost four away league games this season following midweek Champions League matches.
Defensive resources are particularly stretched for Wednesday's Champions League clash against Qarabag, with Ibrahima Konaté absent due to a family bereavement and Joe Gomez sidelined through injury. Slot expressed confidence that Andy Robertson will stay at the club for the rest of the season, but acknowledged the challenges of managing a squad through multiple competitions.
A Call to Arms in Both Boxes
Slot was blunt in his appraisal of Liverpool's current form, describing a "very bad cocktail" of defensive lapses and attacking wastefulness. He emphasised that the team's performance between the boxes is strong, but execution at either end is letting them down.
"For me it's so simple," Slot stated. "In between the boxes we are a very good team. If we have chances then be clinical and finish it off, that is something we have to improve. And in the other box other teams arrive there three or four times a game, but too many times it leads to a chance and sometimes a goal."
He outlined a clear path forward: "If we improve in both boxes, I think we are able to win something this season. If we only improve in one box, it is going to be really difficult to win something this season. And if we can't improve in both boxes, there is going to be a lot of noise throughout the whole season."
Looking Ahead Amidst the Noise
With Liverpool poised to secure a Champions League last-16 spot with a win over Qarabag, Slot remains focused on turning their season around. He conceded that at a club of Liverpool's stature, "it's impossible to shut down the noise if you are not competing for the league," underscoring the pressure to deliver results.
The manager's reflections serve as both a retrospective insight and a rallying cry, as Liverpool aim to tighten up at the back and find their cutting edge up front to challenge for honours once more.
