Arne Slot Urged to Use This Liverpool Star More
Liverpool’s season has reached one of those familiar pinch points. Injuries, absences and tactical limitations have converged, and suddenly the squad looks thinner than it did in August. Arne Slot, who delivered the Premier League title in his debut campaign, finds himself in a different reality this time around, sitting 4th, tasked with reviving a team short on attacking spark and predictability.
One of the ironies of Liverpool’s squad planning is that the club created attacking depth, yet barely accessed it. Federico Chiesa, signed to offer rotation and unpredictability, has barely featured. And 17-year-old Rio Ngumoha, hyped for his flair and promise, has barely had a sniff of senior football, even during a spell when Liverpool needed him most.
With Mohamed Salah away at AFCON, Alexander Isak sidelined for the foreseeable, and Hugo Ekitike absent for the 2-2 draw at Fulham with a minor issue, Ngumoha still didn’t leave the bench. Even without Ekitike, Salah, or Salah’s usual deputy, he didn’t come on in a 2-2 match crying out for a different attacking profile.
Squad Depth, Optics, Reality
David Lynch, speaking to Dave Davis for Anfield Index, shared his concern over the situation:
“I’m totally open to the idea of a pathway for Ngumoha and I want Liverpool to bring young players through, especially when they’re exciting as he is, but there’s no point in leaving a pathway if you’re not going to use him.”
He’s right. Slot publicly backed the idea of a development route, yet Liverpool’s usage patterns tell a different story. When senior forwards drop, the squad looks incomplete, not youthful and energised.
“It immediately makes the squad look weaker. If we knew at the start of the season that he wasn’t going to properly use Chiesa and Ngumoha, then alarm bells would’ve been ringing.”
There’s a real truth here. Supporters can accept a small squad if young players are trusted. They can also accept limited youth minutes if senior signings carry the load. What fans can’t accept is a small squad and unused alternatives. That’s when the compromise loses logic.
Struggles Against Low Blocks
Liverpool’s attacking issues this season are well documented: sterile possession, predictable rotations, and struggles to unlock compact defences. These are exactly the environments Ngumoha is built for.
“Rio has shown that he is deserving of the opportunities and I would like to see a little bit more of him, especially against these teams with a low block.”
He’s not wrong. When opponents sit deep, games hinge on improvisation, 1v1 bravery and micro moments of chaos.
Managerial Responsibility
Slot is now living with the consequences of his own squad calibration.
“Ultimately, the manager allowed that happen and now he’s been left short.”
Accountability matters. But so does adaptability. Liverpool can still correct course. And the correction might be simpler than another tactical overhaul or formation debate.
“Slot wanted a pathway, so give him a pathway! We all want to see a little bit more of him.”
Exactly. This isn’t a demand for reckless youth deployment, it’s a plea for coherence. If Liverpool are short of attacking options, the club’s most electric unused option is already in the building.
Ngumoha’s minutes wouldn’t weaken the squad, ignoring him is what already has.
