A shift in focus towards more physical football and set pieces in the Premier League has not particularly impressed Arne Slot
Virgil van Dijk of Liverpool scores from a corner to make it 2-0 against West Ham United
Virgil van Dijk of Liverpool scores from a corner to make it 2-0 against West Ham United(Image: Paul Currie/Shutterstock)
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Arne Slot has admitted that he does not find the Premier League as entertaining as he did three or four years ago, as his Liverpool team adapts to the new competitive reality of the Premier League.
The Reds headed into the current campaign as defending league champions but have found the going considerably tougher this time around, losing eight of their 28 matches played so far, leaving them 16 points behind table-toppers Arsenal.
They face a Wolverhampton Wanderers side on Tuesday evening that sits rock-bottom of the Premier League and has won only two matches all season, including their most recent run-out against Aston Villa.
But the struggling Midlands outfit has been an exception to the rule in terms of competitiveness this season, with many clubs turning their focus to a more physical approach that targets goal-scoring opportunities through set pieces.
The trend for a more direct approach has resulted in teams lower down the pecking order routinely taking points off the bigger clubs above them and although it has made for a tighter league, Reds boss Slot has admitted that he now doesn't find watching Premier League matches as entertaining as he did before.
When asked why it had become so difficult for the established leading clubs to beat their smaller counterparts this season in his pre-match press conference on Monday morning, he said: "In the Premier League, all the teams playing have a lot of money and can get very good players. The best athletes in the world.
"It's not just down to top teams to sign top players. This happens with teams battling relegation as well. The second thing is the playing style. Usually, when the team plays a low block they are able to three, four, five, six times do a good counter attack.
"In the past teams didn't use that type of strategy."
It is not just the unfancied teams who have honed their tactics in this style, however. League leaders Arsenal have scored a record-equalling 16 goals from corners alone this season.
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When asked whether he was happy with the direction in which Premier League football is going, Slot said: "First of all, you have to accept it. I think it's mainly here, in the Premier League.
"If I watch other leagues, I don't think there is as much emphasis on set pieces. If I watch a Eredivisie game (Dutch league), which I still do, I see goals being disallowed and fouls on goalkeepers being given.
"I'm like, wow, that's a big difference. Here, you can almost hit a goalkeeper in the face and the referee still says 'just go on'.
"Do I like it? My football heart doesn't like it. If you ask me to think about football 10 or 15 years ago, about the Barcelona team, every Sunday evening you hope they will play.
"And now, most of the games that I see in the Premier League are not for me a joy to watch. But it's always interesting because it's so competitive and that's what makes this league great because everyone can win from everyone.
"But just as someone who loves to watch football without being interested in who's winning or losing, just to be enjoyed, I think there's a big difference now between three or four years ago in the Premier League.
"Not only because of the set pieces, but also because teams have become so much stronger. But we're not going to change it. Maybe in five or 10 years' time things will change again.
"But I wouldn't be surprised if you went to an under-16s game or Sunday League football and saw 16-year-olds being completely focused on set pieces. That's the new reality and I have my opinion about it, but it doesn't change."
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