Arne Slot is coming under increasing scrutiny at Liverpool as the Reds continue their dismal form, and now ECHO writers have had their say on his future
Arne Slot has overseen six defeats in seven Premier League games
Arne Slot has overseen six defeats in seven Premier League games
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Tuesday marks exactly six months to the day since Arne Slot lifted the Premier League trophy at a joyous Anfield. Absolutely nobody would have predicted where the Dutchman finds himself now.
Six defeats in seven Premier League games have seen the reigning champions slide down to the bottom half of the Premier League table, with their season reaching a new low with Saturday's 3-0 home defeat to Nottingham Forest.
That result has sparked more scrutiny on Slot than ever before, with the Liverpool boss facing mounting pressure ahead of a return to Anfield for Wednesday's Champions League clash with PSV Eindhoven.
Where, then, does Slot find himself now? Our ECHO writers have had their say.
Paul Gorst
For Rio Ferdinand and his pals, Arne Slot apparently isn't receiving the correct amount of criticism for Liverpool's recent form compared to that of Ruben Amorim during his own difficult period(s) at Manchester United.
The simple fact that one won the Premier League title and the other finished 15th last season has a lot to do with that, despite Ferdinand's shameless and blatant attempts at social media engagement on Monday, and, for now at least, Slot's crowning glory is insulating him from real questions over his job.
The criticism, of course, has been fulsome and not without merit given the paucity of the performances and the curiosity of some of the decisions from the Dutchman, both in game and pre-match.
For example, Liverpool spent the thick end of £200m on two out-and-out centre-forwards in Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike and seem to play a system that ensures that those who lead the line are as uninvolved as possible.
There's also the lack of intensity, the failure to win the lion's share of the duels and the horrendous habit of conceding first. That's before we mention the consistent pattern of loading up on forward players in search of a result only to see the team's structure fall apart and things get worse.
There are a myriad of problems and losing 3-0 at home to a team who were in the relegation zone prior to kick-off in Nottingham Forest means searching questions are valid.
How much longer the goodwill of last season lasts while results remain this poor will make for some debate but for now Slot has credit in the bank.
But it will be the Liverpool fans who ultimately decide if and when it is time for a change and an overwhelming majority are still backing Slot to clean this "mess" - to use Virgil van Dijk's phrasing - up.
If Slot finishes 15th, maybe those questions will start to really intensify...But, then again, Amorim kept his job after being so mediocre, didn't he Rio?
Theo Squires
While it is premature to consider Arne Slot’s position at Liverpool at risk, despite their recent woes, Wednesday’s clash with PSV Eindhoven has suddenly become a must-win. Fail to do so, and the outside noise will get a hell of a lot louder.
When the Champions League league phase draw was made, the visit of the Eredivisie outfit to Anfield would have been seen as the most straightforward of the Reds’ European encounters. But after losing 3-0 at home to Nottingham Forest, the Dutch outfit have every right to fancy their chances of landing their own blow to the flailing Premier League champions.
Liverpool have not been at their best throughout the entire season, even when scoring late winners back in the summer. And back-to-back 3-0 losses to Man City and Forest has wiped out all positivity after victories over Aston Villa and Real Madrid at the start of the month. The Reds have to respond on the pitch and Slot has to find a solution. Something has to give.
With each passing game, Liverpool continue to look vulnerable defensively and defeated the moment they fall behind, with every attack an unconvincing struggle to score.
Slot has chopped and changed his line-up without much success, with players being selected in different positions too. Throwing on attacking body after attacking body at the expense of defenders after falling behind is only adding to the chaos and confusion.
Yes, there are a number of mitigating circumstances for the Reds’ struggles. But at the moment, the light at the end of the tunnel is barely in sight.
Slot and his side need to find a way to take a step forward and fast to reverse this rut. His position is not at risk yet, but if Liverpool remain unable to offer something for supporters to clinch to, Premier League champion or not, questions will soon have to be asked.
Mark Jones
The most alarming thing about Saturday's defeat to Nottingham Forest was the strange acceptance of it. Morgan Gibbs-White fired in the third goal and Anfield just sort of groaned, before fans started streaming for the exits long before the end of the game.
That is never a good position for a manager to be in, and it would have hurt Slot to see Liverpool's home in such a fashion after overseeing such successes there during what is still a short period in charge so far.
The events of the summer have put football into perspective for all of us, including the Liverpool manager, but as he surveyed that scene, and indeed his side's place in the bottom half of the Premier League table, he can't have escaped the conclusion that he needs to find something from within to turn this slide around.
Slot has never experienced a period like this as a manager before, something that should spark concern among those who want him to dig Liverpool out of this mess, as Virgil van Dijk called it at the weekend. Jurgen Klopp, remember, had experienced battling against relegation with Mainz earlier in his career by the time he took the Liverpool job, but for Slot things have usually been quite rosy.
The Reds won't sack him any time soon of course, things would have to get a lot worse than this for that to happen. But the club now need their manager to show that he has it in him to turn around a failing situation. He was already facing the biggest challenge of his career this season, only now the stakes have dramatically risen.
Everything he has done at Liverpool should elicit sympathy for this situation and belief that he can turn it around, with the visit of PSV Eindhoven perhaps a perfect fixture for the Dutchman to regain some confidence in himself and his players. Daunting Premier League challenges are still to come, but right now Slot needs to take things one step at a time.