Liverpool’s Struggles Under Arne Slot: Tactical Confusion and Dressing Room Fractures

The mood around Liverpool has taken a drastic turn. From winning the Premier League in May to sitting eighth in the table with just four wins in their last 15 games, Arne Slot is under immense scrutiny. In a recent episode of Anfield Index’s Post-Match Raw, Dave Hendrick voiced deep concerns over Slot’s tenure following the dramatic 3-3 draw at Leeds United.

“The man seems to me like a good man. I like him. I wanted him to succeed,” Hendrick admitted, but added, “I also want my club to succeed more than I want any one man to succeed, whether it’s Mo Salah or Arne Slot.”

This sentiment was echoed by Trev Downey, who pointed out the emotional disconnect between Slot and the squad, suggesting the manager’s lack of passion may be affecting morale. “He’s not got the passion,” Trev said, contrasting Slot’s demeanour with that of his predecessor. “Jurgen was so passionate and… that could have been his downfall… but it was who he was.”

Players Losing Faith?

Perhaps the most damning section of the podcast came when Hendrick suggested that “there’s some evidence that at least some of them [the players] have” given up on Slot. This followed discussion about visible tension between Slot and Mo Salah. Trev observed Salah “standing out, pointedly clapping the fans on his own” as the rest of the team walked off. He added, “Apparently Mo had some stuff to say… it’s not complimentary of the manager.”

There’s a sense that key players, including Salah, are no longer aligned with Slot’s vision. “If this relationship is [expletive] at this stage… and Slot is going to be here… then yeah, get the money in,” Dave said, hinting at the need to offload unsettled stars.

Tactical Naivety and In-Game Decisions

Beyond relationships, the contributors questioned Slot’s tactical judgement. Jim Boardman criticised Liverpool’s late shift to a defensive setup after pulling the game back to 3-2, saying, “That’s not us… you can’t just suddenly put that on us… we’ll just get in each other’s way.”

Hendrick added, “It’s either all attack or all defence… that’s kind of how I used to play Championship Manager when I first started.” His tone captured a growing frustration with Slot’s binary approach, a stark contrast to the tactical fluidity Liverpool fans came to expect under Klopp.

Downey also pointed out a lack of resilience in the squad, saying, “One thing Jurgen did really well… was never say die,” while lamenting that today’s Liverpool side sees their “heads go down too easily.”

Is Slot’s Time Already Up?

The overall message was blunt: change is needed, and quickly. Hendrick concluded, “We should already be looking for the next person to come in.” He warned against repeating the mistake made with Roy Hodgson, saying, “Let’s get someone in, give him time to look at the squad… for this next transfer window.”

Whether Liverpool’s ownership listens is another matter. But according to Hendrick, if they don’t act soon, “that is a dereliction of duty without question.”