Arne Slot has made some interesting comments about Liverpool’s form in his second season at the club.
Despite the transfer buzz that has been a fixture of Liverpool news over the past month, it’s Slot’s future that has dominated discourse.
Especially after Xabi Alonso’s departure from Real Madrid, pressure has been mounting on Slot at Liverpool.
mail iconJoin our newsletter for news & smart analysis.
Will Xabi Alonso be Liverpool manager by the start of the 2026/27 season?
If no, where will he be instead?
Xabi Alonso pictured during Real Madrid's La Liga match against Real Betis at the Bernabeu (Credit: Getty Images/Alberto Gardin/NurPhoto).
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Alberto Gardin/NurPhoto
👇 Join the debate; share your insight. Use the comment button on the bottom left to have your say
Results have turned a corner of late, but the season as a whole is still viewed in a rather negative light.
And there’s one aspect of the criticism that the Dutchman can’t argue with.
Arne Slot understands Liverpool fans’ frustration with quality of performances
If you needed confirmation on FSG’s backing of Slot, his new interview with Richard Hughes and CEO Billy Hogan represents a united front at Anfield.
Despite their backing, Slot knows some aspects of this season haven’t been good enough.
MORE LIVERPOOL STORIES
As he explains on The Reds Roundtable: “As a manager, you can win the league, you can win the Champions League, you can win an FA Cup or a League Cup, but the biggest thing you can win is that you can play the nicest football to watch.
“Although at this moment of time, fans might argue this a little bit, but it is absolutely something that I am aiming for. I always want to have the ball. I want it to be intense. I want the fans to like what they see and that is something I dislike the most.
Arne Slot banner at Liverpool v Newcastle United
Photo by Kate McShane/Getty Images
“I would almost say even more than our results, even more than the league table, that not all of our fans in every single moment of the game see us as a joy to watch, and the hardest thing is I even understand because I agree with them.”
It’s true that some of the displays we have witnessed from the Reds have been dreadful. It’s a far cry from last season, when Liverpool were clearly the best side in the division.
But something about this Slot take doesn’t fully land.
Arne Slot needs to focus on results first, then ‘joy’
We all want to see a further improvement in performances, but entertaining football alone will not keep Slot in the job.
The race for Champions League football is shaping up to be as intense as we have seen in recent seasons, making every point count that bit more between now and May.
Slot is backing Liverpool for a top-four finish. Where do you think the Reds will end 25/26?
Slot predicted Liverpool will earn Champions League football in his pre-Bournemouth press conference!
Arne Slot prior to Liverpool v Leeds United - Premier League
Credit: Liverpool FC/Getty Images
👇 Join the debate; share your insight. Use the comment button on the bottom left to have your say
Of course, fans would prefer that the football is enjoyable to watch, but only if it also translates into wins.
Slot concluded that point by saying: “Trophies is one thing, but being a team or a club or a manager that stands for something, that stands for good football is, I think, in the long term even worth more.”
The importance of a footballing identity is especially critical at this club, but so is winning silverware. It’s how Slot can save his job at Liverpool.
Join Our Newsletter
Receive a digest of our best Liverpool content each week direct to your mailbox