Liverpool are on the brink of a Premier League title under Arne Slot, and two Reds midfielders gave divergent answers regarding the Dutchman’s impact in Jurgen Klopp’s place
Liverpool’s Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister gave varied responses when quizzed on their experiences under new boss Arne Slot compared to Jurgen Klopp. With Klopp having bid farewell at the end of the previous season, many a Reds supporter braced for what might come next.
However, Slot has slipped into the managerial hot seat with remarkable ease. Filling the German’s significant boots, Slot is now a single point away from an inevitable Premier League title and has already steered his men to a League Cup final appearance.
While a shift in tactical approach is evident, the club’s midfield maestros have offered differing insights into the transition from Klopp to Slot. Hungarian star Szoboszlai remained tight-lipped and cautious about comparing the two managers, whereas Mac Allister was more forthcoming about the freshness that has grown under Slot’s stewardship.
“I don’t compare them with each other,” Szoboszlai stated to Sky Sports regarding Slot and Klopp. “They are both unbelievable managers. Jurgen had a different style of playing football than the manager has now.
“So, that’s why football is beautiful. Everybody is different. Probably all the coaches in the whole world are working on something different than the others. I never compare my coaches between each other.”
Meanwhile, Mac Allister, speaking with La Media Inglesa, pointed out a fundamental change in Liverpool’s tactical approach since Klopp’s departure and the arrival of Slot – the Dutchman praised for refreshing the team’s style.
“I think the main difference is that before we were a very, very direct team, and today we’re a team where we try to be a little more patient and a little more possessive,” Mac Allister said.
“With the quality of the players we have, with the physical capacity of the players we have, having possession and, at times, being able to rest with the ball has helped us a lot to be more fresh.”
Mac Allister, who was far more willing to indulge the changes than Szoboszlai, identified this pivot towards a possession-oriented system as the key shift in tactics under Slot, differentiating it from Klopp’s transition-based approach.
Moreover, Slot himself shared insights into his approach during a Sky Sports interview, highlighting how his setup is utilised and how it differs from Klopp’s heavy transitions, reports the Liverpool Echo.
“I think it’s also about if you had to run a lot to recover the ball, to get the ball back, and then if you lose it, immediately afterwards, I see players from my team with their head down thinking, s**t, we have to defend again, we have to run again,” Slot stated.
“But the other team gets a lot of confidence because they immediately have the ball back again. So, it’s not only this extra pass that maybe gives you a better rest defence, football is also a mental game. And if you have the ball a lot, you feel more comfortable, you feel better.
“So, yeah, if this pass after transition immediately leads to a chance and the fans are loud, that also gives you the right energy, mental energy.
“But if you pick out a difficult ball without, so a lot of risk, without a lot of reward, if it finds your team-mate, then I think another choice would have been better.”
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