Analysis of Arne Slot's press conference as Liverpool prepare to take on West Ham United in the Premier League on Sunday
Liverpoolfc.com
Arne Slot cut a calm figure at his press conference(Image: Liverpoolfc.com)
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One of things Arne Slot professed to being most impressed by when dealing with the level of player at Liverpool was their ability to keep a level head whatever results came their way. When the Premier League champions won their first five games, it was spoken about in gushing terms how the Reds' squad were keeping their feet firmly on the ground in the early stages of the campaign.
So on the back of a run that sees Liverpool heading to West Ham United on Sunday looking to avoid their 10th defeat in 13, Slot cut as relaxed a figure as is possible in his pre-match press conference on Thursday.
The head coach said he accepts the severity of the situation he finds himself in but believes his team aren't far away from moving quickly away from the worst run of form since the early 1950s.
Slot, though, did concede that he did not exactly sleep soundly after overseeing a 4-1 defeat to PSV in the Champions League at Anfield.
"How did I sleep last night? What do you think? Not the best," Slot said. "Not completely poor, it is not like I lie awake for the whole night.
"But if we win I don't sleep well also, so then there is a lot of adrenaline and a lot thoughts going through your mind. But I had a few hours of sleep, enough to feel fresh again this morning."
One of the many unwanted statistics that might have contributed to Slot's unrest is the fact that no other Premier League team has conceded more since the start of the season.
The total of 34 is the most across all competitions and lays bare the fragile underbelly that has been exposed too often since August.
For now, though, it seems unlikely that Slot is planning a shock team selection to jolt his players into life, despite the shocking sequence carrying a pattern in recent weeks.
"I think you consider everything," Slot said when asked if he would consider making several changes in an effort to send a message to many of his under-performing players.
"Until now, I have decided differently. But they train with us every single day and they can prove themselves in those moments.
"It's always a balance between, if you don't change, people think: 'Ah, you should change more.'
"I think there was a period of this season where we lost and I made a few changes, where people complained about the fact that I made a few changes too much, and there was never any time the same team.
"Of course, I consider [that] but I cannot tell you what the end product of that consideration is for Sunday yet."
Whatever the team deemed fit to take on the Hammers, Slot, plainly at this stage, needs a result more than anyone. Failure to do that might just lead to more sleepless nights.