Liverpool would be top of Premier League with Arsenal coach swap | OneFootball

Arne Slot is defended by Liverpool fans; if he had an Arsenal coach in his dug-out, would the Reds be heading for another title?

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Defending Arne Slot; he’s the right kind of manager

Ian H’s penultimate line, whilst defending Slot, was actually the most important one for me. He cited one of Rafa’s (several) barbs at the oversight of the club he was managing. At Valencia he “asked for a table and they bought me a lamp”. He made repeated comments about Hicks and Gillet whilst at Liverpool. He was accurate in the feedback, but, it wasn’t really helpful was it. It added more pressure on to him; he appeared to obfuscate blame. The press made a mockery of him. Same too his time at Chelsea. Same too his time at Newcastle. Same too his time at Napoli. He won trophies with all of them, but his reputation suffered.

But it’s interesting (and impressive) to me that Slot hasn’t done this yet.

He could, quite rightly, do a Mourinho and blame the owners or the Director of Football for not signing a centre back, or not sorting Konate’s contract (if that’s the reason he’s distracted); For who they identified as the full backs to replace Trent and Robbo; For deciding to replace the (36+30+26) league appearances of Diaz, Darwin and Jota with two players including one they knew would not be fit for the first few months of the season, and where Salah couldn’t again play 38 games due to Afcon… But he hasn’t at any point done that. He’s gone out of his way to compliment and defend both the owners and DoF.

He could, quite rightly, have thrown blame at a set piece coach who has failed. But he didn’t did he. He’s rightly said that they’d likely have more points this season due to better set pieces, which is entirely fair. As was his calm and accurate commentary that not only were the team struggling at set pieces, but the opposition were demonstrably changing their approach to target his side in that manner which was exacerbating the problem (of course this was twisted by the warped minds of SHOUTsport and Will Ford of this parish to be ‘oh is he saying they shouldn’t be allowed to do that’ which was odd then and grows increasingly infantile in the passing of time. No what he meant was the words that he said). And what did Slot say when the set piece coach was fired? A lengthy note of praise and thanks for him. What a b**tard.

Slot could, quite rightly, have been unfair to his senior players who have played like an utter drain, in Konate, Mac Allister, and Salah. Or VVD on occasion. Except he hasn’t. He’s publicly defended them.

And as much as we all know that getting 33 points from 19 games is being “perfect”, and going toe-to-toe with the league leaders, and clearly title winning form rather than a significant shortfall in the required standard, there’s been no Arteta-esque rabid pile-on to refs, conspiracies about postcodes, and a demand to change the laws of the game to ensure second yellows aren’t awarded for yellow card offences because of vibes and GAMESTATE!

Look at his responses to the last man handball at Bournemouth; the United goal whilst Mac Allister had a head injury. The non Ekitike penalty. The awarding of goals against Liverpool when they were ruled out for Liverpool literally in the previous match. He’s not taken the press bait. Not reacted to it. Repeatedly just summarised that the team need to be better. And his not doing that has meant there’s been no fan media nonsense about consistent bias.

It’s meant that rival fans haven’t been required to mail-in about the countless bloody obvious times where LFC have benefitted from refereeing decisions. The debate is entirely about the performance of a team and a coaching shortfall from the manager. Because it should be. Complaining about refs when you get 33 points from 19 games is bloody ridiculous.

I find it very understandable that some LFC fans have lost patience. I’m worried too. I’m not sure he can turn this around. I still don’t know if he can coach a defensive shape. But the argument about him being ‘egotistical’ that was in yesterday’s mailbox, is just utterly baffling. He comes across as a decent bloke and I haven’t seen anything that he’s said publicly, at any point, that wasn’t just a tone-neutral answer to a question. His responses have been either factual analysis and articulating the problems the team has, to being outright complimentary.

If you gave fans a choice of what manager they’d want, they’d say a winner and if they win then all sins are forgiven. But if they can’t have a winner, then what I’d look for from a manager is what Slot is delivering. A team on track for top four, that scores goals, and who carries himself with a bit of grace. If you swapped the set piece coaches of Arsenal and Liverpool their league positions would also be inverted. They are the margins.

Slot has demonstrably got things wrong, for example how he introduced Kerkez. The shifting of Wirtz’s position every 5 minutes. His disruptive response to the right back injuries. But lets see what the next 19 games bring. Tom G

Arne Slot IN

Appreciate the logic of those suggesting Slot should go, but think it’s the wrong call.

We’ve been relatively poor this season but it’s a transition year, Jota’s tragic passing has had an impact, and stability in management is preferable for a significantly changed squad.

If we fail to get top 5 this year, and there’s no sign of improvement next, then fair enough, but kneejerking now isn’t going to help us. Aidan, Lfc (not the smartest footballing mind so could be completely wrong)

Why Gakpo? Well…

Minty is one of my favourite mailbox contributors, but their Monday mail was more rage than thought.

The key revealing point for this is their question: why Gakpo?

The answers are fairly simple: because everyone else is injured, not up to standard or at AFCON (I’ll let you decide whether Salah is part of point two.)

The other options on the left are Wirtz – who has been playing instead of Gakpo on the left for most of the festive period anyway – and Chiesa, who Slot fundamentally does not trust. And, in Slot’s defence, whenever Chiesa has been given a start, they’ve been… fine. Nothing more. Yes, I say this as a member of the cult-hero-Chiesa crowd, who thinks he should play more. But his best prolonged play still only puts him at the level of Gakpo, not better. Oh, and he’s needed on the right, where Gakpo doesn’t play.

The other option is baby Rio, who would probably have a lot more minutes in a team that was doing well. But sending them out there to start is probably not good for their long term health or development. I do think he should get more minutes, but no. You’re not dropping Gakpo for him.

What else? There were experiments with left-wing Ekitike, when Isak was fit. It wasn’t good. In fact our recent upturn in form aligned with Slot going to a 4-4-2 diamond with the two togetherish up top. Then Isak got hurt (no red, said the both ref and VAR) and we’re back to having one forward (or no forwards on Sunday).

Could we play Jones at inside left? He used to play there as a 17-year-old. No we fucking can’t, what’s wrong with you? Szoboszlai? Nope, he’s needed at right wing, right back, No 10, central midfield and everywhere else. No, Gakpo is playing because there’s no-one else.

But also, let’s loop back to your other: hoping that Hughes’ data backs up your feelings on Gakpo. It doesn’t. He’s our second top scorer with 5 (and 2nd for goals per 90 of players with minutes). It’s not great, but that’s what it is. He’s our second top xG (3rd xG/90). Mildly overperforming with 4.8. He’s our top assister: 3 (2nd/90, top xAG/90). Not great but no-one’s great in this team at the moment.

The one thing standing out is that Chiesa is doing very well in his short spells (less good in his long ones). Better than Gakpo. But that’s inflated by having only played 240 minutes this year. He should be playing more. But when he has, he’s been underwhelming (and dragged those good numbers down). Plus there’s a perpetual fear that if you let him run, he’ll break.

We spent a small fortune to refresh the team this season, without actually adding more depth to the first team (because Jota died). Our actual problems are in defence, which means we have to tilt the entire team more defensive to make sure we don’t give up a goal every time we lose the ball – and can’t carry Salah’s lack of defensive effort. Remember Rafa’s short blanket? If we could solve that, it would probably help an awful lot.

Anyway, Minty: it’s a transition year, treat it as such. Look for green shoots, watch us get top 4/5, enjoy the cups and don’t send in furious, underthought emails late on a Sunday afternoon after we draw away to a worldie. Your normal, well-considered content is much preferred. Andrew M

But I am afraid I don’t think the issue is strictly the gloriously handsome Hughes. There is one simple reason that I think Slot is the problem; youth.

You’re right that Diaz was more important than any of us realised but Rio, after that insane winner against Newcastle, was basically left sitting on the bench every week so he’s not even been given the chance to hold the spot down despite the fact he has always done well when given minutes. According to the in the know types Nyoni is ready for first team football but literally hasn’t seen the pitch and Quansah was shipped off and is now a star in the Bundesliga. Harvey Elliott literally got 8 minutes of football last season whilst Danns disappeared despite having a great break out season under Klopp. We all waved it away because we won the league and then spent £2.7bn on shiny new toys.

Rafa, Rodgers and Klopp all made seriously huge changes to develop our youth team set up and it’s one of the best in Europe today thanks to all of them. They all had the guile to risk losing games to give the stars of tomorrow a chance. Trent won the champions league aged 20. Would Slot give him the chance to own that spot if Trent was an unknown in the youth team today? Especially one with a penchant for switching off defensively.

This season I feel is magnifying all of Slot’s worst traits but the football is ultimately the litmus test and that’s where Hughes and Edwards have little to answer for. He might not have the right personnel but where is the control or the effort to right the wrongs that we can all see week in week out?

Gakpo missed 4 games through injury. We won all 4. He’s come back and we have drawn two winnable games. Maybe it’s a total coincidence but there’s something in that. Minty, LFC

On Liverpool and more…

Afternoon and Happy New Year to you all at F365 and to all readers of the mailbox (if this gets in)

I agree with Ian H about the frustrations of Liverpool right now. Sensible and about spot on.

Draw to a last min worldie by a guy that doesnt play is just overly frustrating and nothing to do with the board though (a little bit to do with the lack of closing down)

I think Manu will be 4th by the weekend in the CL spots and making INEOS look even more ridiculous (We wont get any poits from Arsenal on Thurs and Liam Rosenior will not help Chelsea at Fulham

So Manu will cruise by Burnley and go 4th (for a week or so at least)

Does this mean the hair cut lad can know cut his hair? 5 wins or until they sack the manager making the bet null and void? Or will be be some new Indian Swami and grow his hair forever?

Manutd will not be anything until the seller of his soul to the devil is taken by said devil and the curse is released, I truly believe this to be something that happened, Al – LFC hoping SrAlex lives forever and that we can get a point on Thursday with a last min Joe Gomez thunderbastard for some karma – or did we have that with Doms free kick the 1st time round maybe……