Slot Hails 'Professional' Reds as Liverpool Eye Premier League Glory

Liverpool manager Arne Slot praises his team's 'professional' approach after a string of dominant performances in the Premier League.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot is anticipating a tough test when his side hosts Ipswich Town in the Premier League on Saturday. Slot is wary of underestimating Ipswich, praising their progress throughout the season. He expressed his admiration for Ipswich's improvement, citing their resilience and determination.

Arne Slot reflected on his team's previous encounter with Ipswich, acknowledging that his side was still adjusting to his tactics at the time. “The fact was that I only worked with 13 or 14 players for 10 days back then (before the first Ipswich game). To be fair, it felt a bit the same for me, 12, 13, or 14 players came in one week before the season so it is normal that we have improved, especially the second half performance was quite similar to what I see currently.”

Slot attributed Ipswich's improvement to their manager, Kieran McKenna, and noted that they have been unfortunate in certain games. “They have been unlucky in times of games. Second half of the season is always more difficult because teams strengthen themselves and work with managers for half a season so a team becomes better and that is the case for Ipswich. It's fair to say they have improved and that is a compliment to Kieran McKenna. He made it difficult for us in the first game, but at a certain point, they have become a better team, maybe except the last game versus Man City.”

Slot emphasized the challenges of facing a well-organized team like Ipswich, who can create difficulties with their defensive strategy. “If a low block works hard to create chance after chance, it's tough,” he noted, highlighting the importance of being prepared for a tough encounter.

Arne Slot was asked about the approach of his key players, including Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk, and Mohamed Salah, and their perceived “professionalism.” Slot joked about the term, saying, “Better to (be called professional) than amateurs! I get questions about Mo and players, so you have to come up with something new, because we're doing well, people talk about us, and it's tough to come up with something new.”

Slot questioned the meaning behind the term “professional” in the context of his team's performances. “If I listen to you, the word professional is used. Does that mean we are controlling games? No errors? I don't know if it's meant positive or negative,” he said. Despite this, Slot acknowledged that being described as “professional” is a positive attribute. “Every single game we have more chances, and we deserve to win except for one game - Chelsea at home, a draw would have been more fair, but every game we were dominant. A certain style, and it's up to anyone to describe it. Professional. Ok. That's a good thing then.”

Regarding Harvey Elliott's progress, Slot emphasized the importance of consistent performances. “Just keep bringing in performances like he is. It's not only about the players, it's about the competition, and he is competition with 5 players and some youngsters as well,” Slot said. He highlighted the strong competition for places in the midfield, naming players like Wataru Endo, Ryan Gravenberch, Curtis Jones, Alexis Mac Allister, and Elliott himself. “Wata (Endo), Ryan (Gravenberch), Curtis (Jones), Macca (Mac Allister), and himself, the midfielders we have at the moment, so he has to bring up performances like he has, and then his playing time will increase.”

Slot also discussed Ibrahima Konate's fitness and playing schedule. The manager explained that while Konate is safe to play, he won't risk fielding him three games a week. “It's safe for him to play, but you're aware of playing someone every three days when they have been out for a bit. He is not in a moment where he can play three times a week,” Slot said. He praised Konate's defensive abilities, describing him as “impressive, so strong and tall.” However, Slot noted that Konate can improve his play with the ball, particularly when bringing it out from the back. “He can go to another level there, and I have already seen improvements there, but defensively, he is of the highest standard, he can cover for teammates, one-on-one with space at his back, so not a lot he can improve.”

Arne Slot discussed the competition between left-backs Kostas Tsimikas and Andrew Robertson, highlighting the benefits of having two strong options. “If Kostas was on a different level to Robbo, then it would not be smart to rotate or manage the load because you drop too much in quality, and that's a risk,” Slot explained. He praised Tsimikas' progress since his arrival, noting that the Greek defender has proven himself capable of playing at left-back. “I know Kostas didn't play a lot last season, but from the moment I came in, he has done well, and he has proven he can play at left-back. We have two good options, so we manage loads and rotate quite a bit.”

Arne Slot confirms Curtis Jones will miss our #PL fixture with Ipswich Town this weekend due to injury ⤵️

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) January 24, 2025

Slot also shared a lighthearted anecdote about his father's opinions on his tactics. The manager revealed that his father, a self-proclaimed fan, has been complaining about the team's recent performances. Slot laughed, saying, “It is difficult for fans, and my father is a fan, and I call him, and he says it wasn't exciting as other games, the Lille one, and I have to explain to him you can easily lose if you force difficult balls, but he doesn't always agree with me!”

Slot elaborated on his tactical approach, using the example of their match against Lille. He explained that his team's performance was solid, despite his father's criticisms. “As a manager, I was happy with our performance against Lille, there was one moment in the game Curtis (Jones) played a ball at the halfway line, and we lost it and countered, so that is the risk you have v a low block team,” Slot said. He also praised Nottingham Forest's ability to execute a low-block strategy effectively. “Forest are the best in the league at that against playing these stupid balls that my father would love to see us playing more.”