Defensive Choices Facing Arne Slot Before Chelsea Test
Liverpool sit top of the Premier League but recent defeats to Crystal Palace and Galatasaray have raised questions over the balance of Arne Slot’s team. With Chelsea awaiting at Stamford Bridge, Lewis Steele speaking to Dave Davis for Anfield Index has suggested the biggest dilemma may centre around Ibrahima Konate and Joe Gomez.
“It’s something that someone needs to ask Arne tomorrow or at some point because it’s clearly a problem,” Steele said when discussing the French defender’s form. Konate’s struggles, alongside wider defensive concerns, have opened the door for debate ahead of Saturday’s key clash.
Konate Under the Spotlight
Konate has endured a difficult week, marked by back-to-back performances that Steele did not hesitate to criticise. “So I would maybe throw in Joe Gomez on Saturday because Konate has put in two absolute stinkers in the last few days and maybe it will do him well to have a little sit out on Saturday.”
This assessment comes at a time when Real Madrid links continue to hover around Konate. Steele made clear how such distractions can affect perception. “I don’t think there’s need for mass panic about Konate, but the fact that he has the Real Madrid saga going on in the background means that he gets cut less slack than if someone else was having this poor run of form.”
It is a reminder of how fine margins in performance can be magnified when speculation lingers. For Slot, the choice between loyalty to his starting centre back or rewarding Gomez’s consistency is a defining early season call.
Gomez as a Tactical Alternative
While Gomez has often been seen as a utility player, Steele highlighted how his adaptability could serve Liverpool in more ways than one. “It might sound a stupid suggestion, but do you play Joe Gomez at right-back and let him tuck in to make a back three, which would allow Milos Kerkez to bomb on.”
Such a system would not only address defensive concerns but could also reinvigorate attacking patterns. Liverpool’s defeat in Istanbul was not solely down to defensive lapses, as Steele explained. “The defence has been a big issue in the last few games, but against Galatasaray, I was equally as concerned about the lack of chance creation.”
Van Dijk’s Standards and Leadership
The captain remains central to any defensive solution. “Virgil has still been good but by his standards, he hasn’t been near his level and he’s lost the ball in sloppy areas a couple of times.”
This comment underlines the reality that while Van Dijk remains reliable, his own minor lapses become amplified when the players around him are faltering. Slot must find a formula that re-establishes defensive solidity without compromising the attacking fluency that drove Liverpool to the title last season.
Key Selection for Stamford Bridge
Chelsea will test Liverpool’s defensive structure with pace and physicality. The decision on whether Gomez replaces Konate may define not just the outcome of Saturday’s match, but also how Slot reshapes his team after their first significant bump of the season.
Steele’s observations offer a timely reminder that early challenges often force tactical evolution. Slot’s response at Stamford Bridge could set the tone for how Liverpool handle pressure in their title defence.
