Liverpool manager Arne Slot has conceded that it is entirely reasonable for his performance to be evaluated on the basis of the club's faltering Premier League title defence this season, rather than being granted any special dispensation due to last year's championship success.
Pressure Mounts on Slot as Liverpool's Form Stutters
The Dutch coach finds himself under increasing pressure as Liverpool's campaign has failed to ignite, with the team currently languishing in sixth position in the Premier League table. This disappointing standing is compounded by a worrying run of form, having failed to secure a victory in their last five league outings. A minor consolation was achieved by finishing third in their Champions League group stage, but this has done little to alleviate the growing concerns surrounding the team's domestic performances.
A Changed Landscape for Modern Managers
Slot reflected on the evolving and often unforgiving environment for top-flight managers, noting that the profession has become increasingly precarious. He observed that there appears to be a greater propensity for calls demanding a manager's dismissal, while simultaneously there is diminishing credit given for past accomplishments and trophies won.
"I think it is fair that people judge me on this season," Slot stated. "And what they exactly make of it, I don't know but I think it is fair to judge me on this season and not on last season. For all the other things that are being said, that is what you have to accept if you are a manager that is not winning enough games."
He elaborated further on this shift in perspective, suggesting that past glories no longer offer the same protective shield they once might have. "Maybe it has changed for managers that even if you have won something there is still room for criticism, which to a certain extent is normal because we are in a new season and I was the first to say to players, 'we have to forget last season'."
Ambitions Remain Unchanged Despite Current Struggles
Despite the team's current difficulties, Slot was adamant that the fundamental ambitions at Anfield have not wavered. He recently pointed out that Liverpool had been crowned champions of England only twice in the preceding three decades, a statistic he used not to talk the club down, but to provide context for the scale of their previous achievement.
"I think the aim for Liverpool has always been the same, winning the league and that has not changed, not last season, not this season and it will not change next season," he explained. "But the reality is also that it is really difficult for any team in this league to win it – and that it is even more nice we won it last season, how special that has been."
Defending the Club's Transfer Strategy and Financial Model
The scrutiny on Slot's management has been intensified by the club's significant expenditure in the summer transfer window, which totalled approximately £450 million. This outlay included breaking the club's transfer record twice, first for the £100 million acquisition of Florian Wirtz and then for the £125 million signing of Alexander Isak.
However, Slot expressed frustration that the narrative often overlooks the substantial income generated from player sales, which included the departures of Darwin Nunez, Luis Diaz, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Caoimhin Kelleher, Ben Gannon-Doak, Tyler Morton, and Jarell Quansah, recouping around £300 million.
"It's a model of sustainability," Slot asserted, defending the club's financial approach. "That's why everyone talks about £450m but that's why we had to recoup £300m. So that's our model and I am not frustrated about that. Maybe I am little bit frustrated that too many people don't notice what our model is."
He emphasised his full commitment to operating within this framework, which he believes is prudent for any club's long-term health. "That's the model I stepped in to and I even embrace it. It's a good model to have for any club... Future signings will always be or should be of a sustainable level. In terms of sustainability, what I mean is you don't spend more than you have."
Mitigating Factors and Unrealised Potential
Slot also pointed to mitigating circumstances that have hampered the team's progress, notably a series of injuries which have prevented the squad from reaping the full benefits of their summer investment. He revealed that a significant portion of the expenditure has yet to impact the pitch.
"And £250m [of the spending] we haven't used yet," he noted. "Alexander Isak and Jeremie Frimpong only a little bit and Giovanni Leoni not at all. That is the reality."
This combination of a stringent financial model, unfortunate injuries to key new signings, and the intense pressure of following a title-winning campaign forms the complex backdrop against which Arne Slot's first season at Liverpool is being critically assessed.
