Arne Slot's Liverpool Revolution: In Style

 After 8 years of joy for Liverpool fans all over the world, the “normal one” Jurgen Klopp announced his shock resignation mid-way the 23/24 season, whilst the season ended in a late title collapse in April. Liverpool fans still recognise his everlasting legacy at his tenure at Merseyside winning it all that there is.

In his departure, Slot was quick to assume his position as Head Coach of Liverpool Manager in June 2024. However, there were many to quickly write him off; as many podcasts, pundits and rivals mostly calling it a “rebuild season”, as last seasons failures will bring Liverpool into another hangover similar to the one after the Paris 2022 Final.

Throughout pre-season, Arne emphasised his happiness after beating infamous rivals Manchester United 3–0 on tour in the US “It’s a 3–0 win but the score could have been different tonight as well. Very positive, I think. Of course the results, that’s where everybody is looking at. But players stayed fit and they are able to perform in the way we want, so [a] high-intensity”, as there was increasing pressure for a signing specifically a “6” that the departing maestro Thiago left in the Liverpool squad as a deal with Martin Zubimendi was failed as he rejected to stay in his boyhood club.

In the mellow August sun, Salah and Jota’s goals capped off a start to their highly anticipated season of the Premier League. This momentum carried to another 3 wins, including a thrashing of Ten Hag’s disastrous Reds’ at Old Trafford. Following a hiccup against Nuno’s overperforming men, Liverpool bounced back at wins in the San Siro and making it 9 out of 10 wins, a stellar start for Slot, as they remain during the November intl break 1st in both competitions and a League Cup Qtr-Final. Not bad for “Anfield’s 2nd choice” as said by Sky Pundit Gary Neville.

Slot’s contrastive Dutch designed football is far from those of Van Gaal and Koeman, that encourage defensive rigidity over all and pragmatism. His ideology comprises of ‘Controlled Chaos’ giving the licences for player to attack maurdingly such as Curtis Jones but also retaining possession with proactive passing rather than beat opponents by ‘1000 passes’ such as Guardiola’s tiki-taka style. This defensive and controllsive attacking football has given some players that struggled under Klopp’s juxtaposing football of ‘Rock and Roll’ such as prior mentioned Curtis Jones, Ryan Gravenberch and Luis Diaz.

Overall, Slot’s envision of his utopian Liverpool side is far from completed with issues regarding the midfield position, with his eccentric start and young plot of a core group it’ll be interesting how he’ll challenge the ones who’d doubted him before seeing the final product. As the hardest fixtures come to a close featuring many blockbusters such as Man City, Real and Everton only time can tell on how they’ll be in May.