Why Tottenham’s visit brings back memories of what might have been for Isak, Liverpool and Slot | OneFootball

Arne Slot has memories of his last two meetings with Tottenham and each, perhaps, is an illustration of what might have been. In one sense, the high point of his reign came when Spurs last visited Anfield. Liverpool had long looked on course for the title. On that April afternoon, they sealed it in emphatic fashion, a 5-1 cruise to glory.

Then there was the December win in London, the glimpse of what might have been. In a way, it was the £225m goal, created by Liverpool’s £450m spending spree. Florian Wirtz provided the pass, Alexander Isak the finish, the £100m and the £125m man combining beautifully.

Joy soon gave way to concern. Isak’s leg was broken almost in the process of scoring, Micky van de Ven crunching into the striker after he unleashed the shot. It was the Swede’s second league goal for Liverpool and, after a slow start, he had two in five games. He has not played since, and will not do before the international break.

In one respect, it is hard to say Liverpool are missing Isak: they have barely seen him at his best. But they are missing the Isak they thought they had signed, the player who was clinical for Newcastle. Slot has said they have only seen him at his best for 20 minutes, at Tottenham. Then he was sidelined.

“And if you miss out on Alex, the biggest signing we made, that has had a massive impact,” said Slot. “Look at how many goals we've scored this season. That's ridiculously low for the team, but also for our attackers. I think in the last 10 years of Liverpool, if you look at the forwards, it's so much more. And of course it has an impact that one of the forwards that we brought in to score goals was injured.”

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Isak scored but broke his leg in the process under a crunching challenge from Van de Ven (AFP via Getty Images)

His specialist attackers have only 27 league goals, fewer than Mohamed Salah mustered on his own last season. A team that was prolific has now become profligate. Liverpool’s chance conversion rate in the Premier League, of just 7.6 percent, is the sixth worst in the division. Last season, it was 9.8 percent, the third best. Isak’s chance-conversion rate was 19 percent last season, 21 percent the year before.

Slot often feels they fashion more opportunities than their opponents. The numbers indicate that too few shots go in. Isak’s past suggests he would have altered that.

“I think I've said 150 times how many chances we had in the game compared to the other team,” Slot said. “Do you think it would have had an impact if we had one of the best goalscorers in this league in the last three, four or five years available throughout the whole season? I think it's safe to say that this would have had a massive impact on our performances, because you also saw almost every game you see how much impact a goal can have. Goals in a low-scoring sport, and that is football because we're not playing basketball with a game that's ending up 100 against 98, are vital.”

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The goal capped a brief window when Liverpool’s expensive new front line clicked together (PA Wire)

When Isak joined, seemingly promising goals, Liverpool had made a 100 percent start to the season. They were league leaders. Slot has called this a year of transition; it did not seem one when Liverpool were flush with £450m of ambitious spending.

“It was something we were aware of, in the back of our mind that that could happen with signing so many new players, but not something we or I was expecting,” Slot said. “You always know if you let go of so many players and you bring in so many new players, it could mean transition is needed, but the expectations were not that we were having a season as we are having now.”

There are reasons. “I don’t think there are many clubs in the history of this league who have had a lot of injuries and performed as expected,” Slot noted. And yet, he feels, they deserve to be where they are now. Liverpool were first when they last hosted Tottenham. They are sixth now. The standings suggest dramatic regression, even after heavy spending.

“I think the league table has always given a fair reflection of what we've done,” said Slot. “I do feel if only a few things would have been a bit more normal then we would have had many more points but it's not realistic for the way we've played this season to say that we would have been able to compete with Arsenal.

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Liverpool claimed their second Premier League crown with a 5-1 thumping of Tottenham last season (PA Wire)

“I'm 100 percent sure this will never happen in the season again, in the upcoming five or 10 years for Liverpool, that we're conceding so many goals after 90 minutes.”

Indeed, Tuesday’s defeat to Galatasaray was Liverpool’s fourth since November, but their first that did not involve an injury-time goal.

Nevertheless, it was Slot’s 100th game with Liverpool. Like the milestone, a reunion with Spurs is a reminder of the achievements of his reign, particularly the Premier League crown.

“What we have done here together, is in my head and memory only very special,” he said. “We are struggling now, that is also very obvious. This is probably the nicest club to struggle. This club has always shown in different periods, everyone is there for you. You try even harder.

“It is a fantastic club to work because of the facilities, people, fans, it is not all negative when we don’t have the performances we want. Even in a season like this, it is still a privilege. It is still a great place to be and even better if you win the league.” Which, of course, Liverpool did against Spurs.