Arne Slot conviction clear as two Liverpool changes speak volumes

Arne Slot conviction clear as two Liverpool changes speak volumes

Arne Slot has guided Liverpool to 14 victories in 16 games since taking charge of the Reds

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Liverpool continued their impressive form this week with victories against Brighton and Bayer Leverkusen to position themselves top of both the Premier League and the revamped UEFA Champions League. The Reds' impressive progress is testament to the impact of new head coach Arne Slot.

The Dutchman has gone about his work in convicing fashion this season, winning 14 of 16 games he has taken charge of so far.

But just what has been the most impressive aspect of the early days of Slot's reign? Our LFC jury have their say:

James Noble (Worcestershire, @james_noble98) - Clarity, concision and positivity

There have been so many impressive features of Arne Slot’s time at Anfield so far, but what I’d pick out is the composed clarity, concision and positivity with which he has communicated and, indeed, acted.

Words, understandably, are often perceived via the prism of the actions surrounding them – and so Liverpool’s strong start has added justifiable value to Slot’s messages. Communication, publicly and privately, does tend to set a tone.

Press conferences and interviews have consistently seen him healthily challenge players and supporters. Can levels be sustained across different competitions and three-game weeks? Can we manage different phases of matches?

Decisions are made with conviction and explained honestly. The willingness and ability to adapt, combined with the evident appreciation and retention of the prior work, is also pleasing. There is a persistent belief demonstrated that the club should be topping tables, should be upwardly mobile, and should be approaching every test with an air of confidence. Such outlooks do transmit. We’ve seen it on the pitch and the stands, perhaps none more so than this week.

That overarching tranquillity and positivity feels culturally healthy and pleasingly sustainable; it is a tone that can be invaluable throughout a season’s changing fortunes and intensity. It bodes well.

Rhys Buchanan (Aigburth, @Rhys_Buchanan) - Winning attitude impresses

With the Reds healthily placed at the top of the Premier League and UEFA Champions League tables, it’s safe to say Arne Slot has already exceeded all expectations we might have had for him at the start of the season.

It’s hard to pick just one most impressive thing the manager has done since stepping into the dugout so far, from his tactical tweaks that seem to be getting more from key players through to his no-nonsense press conferences.

I think it’s his down to business and winning attitude that’s impressed me most though. He hasn’t been afraid to make big decisions when needed and has come in with a confidence that seems to be rippling across a harmonious team. If we can keep this form going through some tough matches on the horizon this month, we won’t be far from dreamland going into the festive period.

Andrew Cullen (Widnes, @brothersred5) - Affecting change speaks volumes

The question of when Liverpool will be properly tested this year has felt like a perennial question. Surely a systematic, stylistic dismantling of the Bundesliga champions will be enough to silence the critics, for now at least.

The Liverpool manager position has always been an enviable role, but after Klopp’s departure, the position must have felt in some ways undesirable because of the success that Klopp brought and the legacy he left. How could any new manager develop the same relationship with the fans? How could any manager have the same seismic influence over the team, the club, and the fans?

Arne Slot seems to have appreciated the tall task that lay ahead, but quietly, and confidently, he is building that confidence in his vision, his style, and his managerial credentials.

Our early success seems to be due to the way that Slot has tempered the intensity of Klopp’s style. Although we have only seen marginal tweaks to our play, those tweaks have yielded marked improvements: on the eye test, we seem more defensively assured, more composed in possession, and the statistics seem to confirm that view.

A mark of a good manager is how they are able to affect change on players they have. Largely on the perimeters of the squad last year, Ryan Gravenberch has become central, which was a bold move from Slot, especially given how regularly Endo was used last year in the same position. We have also seen the emergence of other players such as Curtis Jones, who now is influencing games with goals and assists, things that escaped him in previous years.

Our early success on the domestic and European stage may well transpire to be transient, but there is a growing feeling that Slot can bring major honours.

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