Liverpool served up some truly turgid football despite beating Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday evening.
The Reds headed to North London in better form having managed to go unbeaten in four Premier League matches.
But if supporters thought this might mean Liverpool playing with some confidence against Spurs, they were in for a disappointing surprise.
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Who was your Man of the Match during the tight win over Spurs?
Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool - Premier League
Photo by Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images
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Arne Slot chose to go a little more defensive than many would have liked to see, deciding to leave Alexander Isak out and play with a packed midfield instead.
This led to an uninspiring and one-paced first-half, with Liverpool ultimately extending an awful goal-scoring record which will do nothing to get fans on Slot’s side in the long run.
Liverpool continue slow Premier League starts
There have been so many problems at Liverpool this season, and it may feel wrong to point another one out after a decent win away at Tottenham.
But the truth is that after another dismal first 45 minutes, Liverpool are now without a goal in four of their past five Premier League first-halves.
Arne Slot issues instructions to his Liverpool team as Conor Bradley prepares to take a throw-in during the Premier League match against Tottenham Hotspur at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
Photo by Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images
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When the Reds hit poor patches of form under Jurgen Klopp, they could at least count on the football being enjoyable to watch.
There is still some of that under Slot, but far too often things have been ponderous.
The Dutch coach has so much credit in the bank at Anfield after winning the Premier League last year. As a result, many have forgiven him the team’s bad form this term.
But if they continue to start matches slowly, fans’ patience will become severely tested. Wins of course help, and Liverpool have been better in second periods, but this cannot continue.
Phew! Three points, but a really, really poor display. What are your takeaways?
Alexander Isak is helped off the pitch after scoring for Liverpool against Tottenham (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
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Liverpool must remember who they are
While it is clearly much better to be reflecting on this disappointing statistic on the back of a big three points on the road, it should not stop the microscope being pulled out on Liverpool and Slot.
After such a punishing season, it is completely fine that the Reds’ boss wants to set his team up with a much more solid base. That was missing in the early parts of the campaign.
However, that does not have to come at the expense of Liverpool playing their football. The Reds have to remember that they are champions after all. They have nothing to fear.
There were plenty of chances to move the ball quickly and really get at a fragile Tottenham while Saturday’s match was 11vs11. Time after time they chose the easy option.
At no point until Xavi Simons’ silly sending off did Liverpool look like scoring. Had that continued into the second-half, supporters may have started to get on Slot’s back just a little. As it happened, the Reds’ chief may need to send his countryman a Christmas card when he gets home to Merseyside.
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