19 Jan 2026 11:21:25
Last season after every game the media and fans hung on to every word Slot said. We were mesmerized by the way he spoke about tactics, formations etc, in awe of his knowledge.
He was able to explain in real time what the opposition changed mid-game and what he did tactically to counteract.
What has gone wrong?.
19 Jan 2026 11:55:17
Where do you start with what went wrong?
1. I guess the first place to start actually isn't Slot's fault. The tragic loss of Diogo Jota. There is no way to measure the impact this has had on Slot and the players. Mentally, it must be so hard to go into that dressing room every week and see his shirt hanging up. Then the fans every week immortalising him on the 20th minute. It's all very thoughtful and a beautiful tribute, but the players aren't being allowed to move on from the grief because their are reminders all over the place for them.
2. Tearing up a winning formula. I keep seeing people say Salah is done and maybe his legs are going, but the team was built around him. Hard working forwards like Nunez and Diaz who allowed Salah to be let off of his defensive work. The new forwards aren't in that mould. Couple that with Gravenberch suddenly being told he can play box to box and it's left a gaping hole in the heart of our team, and our best player pushed too wide where he is totally ineffective.
3. Stripping out the British/ Scouse core. We had several British players in the squad who despite not being key players (Trent aside) were still local lads or huge Liverpool fans. Elliott, Quansah, Morton etc. You don't have to motivate players like this even when they're not playing, because they love the club so much they'll come in a bleed for the badge anyway. We lost 4 huge Liverpool fans from our squad in the summer, ultimately. You can't overstate the importance of local lads in the team. They're a great way for the dressing room to connect with how the fans truly feel.
4. Heitinga leaving. Heitinga was allegedly the link between Slot and the players, and all of the players massively respected him. His tactical influence couldn't be measured whilst he was here, but it can be seen now he is not. Van Bronkhorst has us playing this stupid horseshoe passing tactic that got him canned at Rangers. It's boring and ineffective. Slot's put his faith in the wrong assistant. I can call where the next pass is going 9 times out of 10 before the player has even taken their first touch. Bradley to Konate, Konate to Virgil, Virgil to Kerkez; then back across the defence we go.
5. Fitness. For whatever reason our players just do not look fit. Ed001 seems to think this is down to the training methods and 've no reason to doubt him. So that sits squarely on Slot's shoulders. He is the head coach so he is the one who takes the blame if our players are not training with enough intensity to be match fit. We have players still cramping up in January. How can you not be fully fit by January?
6. Squad/ academy utilisation. I'm sick to the back teeth of Slot putting players out of position in a desperate ploy to avoid using someone outside of his "inner circle". When was the last time Dom started back to back games in midfield? He's played more at RW and RB than he has in CM and he's one of our better midfielders. Why can't Endo buy a game in DM? Why is Ramsay being told publicly that he's a worse RB than out of position CM's? It's not about whether the squad players are good enough, it's about keeping your star players in their best positions so you don't make 2 positions weaker. Slot just doesn't get it. You can't have several weak links in the Premier League because you've shuffled your core players around, but you can get away with having a kid in his natural position showing some youthful exuberance as a trade off for the odd mistake.
It's a disaster of our own making. Other than the Jota tragedy, pretty much all of these issues could've been easily avoided and most of them could be reversed within a month given that it's the winter transfer window.
19 Jan 2026 12:07:11
A combination of things in my opinion - a summer tragedy, two important weapons in Trent and Lucho gone, the set-piece coach disaster, no alternative for Konate and an unpreparedness for the tactical approach of the opposition.
Part of it is on him, part of it on Hughes and part of it could not really have been helped ie Diogo.
I would say he's a smart guy and will get good jobs after us. However, to be a true great he needs a better connection with the fans. Being cool, calm and analytical is great but sometimes you need a bit of fire and chaos too to feel alive. Perhaps that is something he will reflect on after us.
19 Jan 2026 12:13:50
Maybe he should have kept his mouth shut and not given away his tactics to the opposition coaches?! ?.
19 Jan 2026 12:28:39
I know there were changes, but it's not as if we bought a pile of tubes! I think he wants to go back to his family. And wants sacked and the compensation he'll get to live an easy life with them.
19 Jan 2026 12:38:18
I remember after the United game at Old Trafford he broke down their tactics so well that United fans were even amazed that he knew so much about their team.
Im with you verdo1, I do not understand how he went from that to "lets throw every attacker on the pitch when we need a result".
19 Jan 2026 13:08:14
I'll keep it brief, MK. Don't agree with point number 3 and Endo isn't good enough.
19 Jan 2026 13:37:02
Endo may not be good enough but be rarely let's us down when he plays and he's also the only midfielder with bite we have in our team. It's clear that Slot has a core group of players that he likes and the rest are the "outside" group who can never get a game.
His squad management is appallingly bad and not one we would associate with a title winning manager.
19 Jan 2026 13:42:59
Agree with Rome.
19 Jan 2026 14:09:45
Spot on IMO MK. I would only add to your commentary that IMO the issues are quite clear to see coming a long way off and yet Slot seems either unwilling or too stubborn to adapt, something he was lauded for prior to joining us lauded and we all saw evidence of him being that way inclined in many seconds half performances last season.
He's not incapable, he's proven that. What he's not proving is can he manage a team through the hard times when the pressure is on. Unfortunately for everyone the answer is becoming clearer and clearer that he cannot.
19 Jan 2026 14:18:27
Dracred, your statement regards to Slot having a core group of players is spot on. Last season we won the PL with him playing a core group of players. No one questioned his squad management last season. Well, they probably did, but we still won the league.
19 Jan 2026 14:31:32
MK, Harvey is from Surrey.
19 Jan 2026 14:31:59
Sorry, Rome. It's not about who is good enuff or not, IMO. It is about coaching the team and managing the players to give you their best, end of. Do people think Klopp rated every player in his squad (s)? Of course, he didn't and we all knew that.
What Klopp did was coach the team and players and let them know they were being counted upon to contribute which gave all the players (including those he did not rate) a boost and make them feel involved in the cause so they were ready to give their best when called upon. And we saw the results for the most part. You think Barcelona would've happened had he not been the arguably THE best man manager in football?
What we have here this season at least, is a manager exhibiting NO man management skills at all. Slot let's everyone know he doesn't rate certain players condemned to the bench game after game YET he throws them on 5 mins till the end to save his own skin. You think players don't feel the insult/ shade he is throwing on them? If you don't rate them then, sell them. Don't keep them, embarrass them to save your own skin and then, throw them on late in games to save your own skin.
Also, Slot throws players under the bus and scapegoats them at will when he needs to hide from his own mistakes every chance he gets including Salah. You think the players like that? Salah spoke out for being scapegoated cos he could due to his stature and screw the consequences. You think the others like Chiesa or Rio etc. Slot has scapegoated didn't want to do the same thing, had they had the stature that Salah has?
19 Jan 2026 15:09:14
When did Slot throw players under the bus? I honestly don't remember him doing that. And him removing Salah from the team wasn't scapegoating him, it was a tactical tweak that actually helped us get results. How did he scapegoat Chiesa or Rio? Chiesa has started a premier league game and didn't do a whole lot, did Slot call him out at the end of the game or something? Rio is 17 years old.
I'm not defending Slot here, but I honestly feel like you're distorting what actually happened, Oli.
19 Jan 2026 15:28:54
Fair enough, Oli. Let's chuck in half a dozen players who aren't good enough and see where we end up. My response to MK was specifically in regards to Endo, who, in my humble opinion, simply isn't good enough.
You brought the Salah debate up, again, I thought this matter had gone away. He was bang out of order. A view shared by every Liverpool supporter I spoke to about, when I'm at games, and not watching on YouTube.
19 Jan 2026 16:11:16
KemlynCat, I know hence why I said "British/ Scouse" and also mentioned "huge Liverpool fans" alongside "local lads". Elliott is a massive Liverpool fan despite not being Scouser.
Rome1977, I disagree with you on Endo. He's not a starter for a title winning side, sure. But he is good enough to be utilised as a squad player. Before Slot took over, Klopp actually preferred him to Gravenberch in midfield. We even won the league cup final that last season with Endo playing the full 120 and absolutely schooling Caicedo and Enzo. He's Japan's captain for a start. He is far better than playing 40-60 minutes in 22 Premier League games.
19 Jan 2026 17:03:59
I'd just like to point out that at no time was I ever "mesmerised" by Slot talking tactics. I was genuinely disgusted by it. Reminds me of Slot's first interview with Keane when Slot openly discussed tactics and Keane looked a little surprised, soon after, a meme started circulation with a caption along the likes of, "Keane in awe of Slot's tactical knowledge", which of course was utter nonsense. What Keane was surised by, and what I was shocked at, and still can't understand, is Slot's willingness to openly talk about tactics. As a manager, the only "Ace up your sleeve" is your tactical approach. From day 1 Slot was more concerned with displaying his knowledge of the game (which proves to be very little this season).
I can't stand that nonsense. Managers never used to be like that, even today a lot of managers will be very short with press if they start talking tactics.
19 Jan 2026 17:36:03
Let's agree to disagree on Endo, MK. What he did against Chelsea a few years back is irrelevant now. Also, he's been injured this season, so he couldn't play anyway.
19 Jan 2026 20:52:46
Oh, look. It's @Rome. Another one of those "fans" trying to flex his ability to go to games as some kind of moral high ground to stand on and to prove he's some kind of super fan or bigger fan. Take a day off, mate.
Just so you and your ilk get something straight. Being able to go to games has NO bearing on my life as a fan or as a human being. Nor does it mean your opinion holds more weight that mine. Don't ever hold your breathe waiting for that to happen.
And the youtube jokes again? That didn't take long. How sweet. So here's a tip: Don't ever quit your day job and go into comedy okay. Genuine advance
Also, I can bring up the Salah situation whenever the heck I want and I did it to prove my overall point, no matter what you and "every Liverpool supporter I spoke to about" think.
Yo'all ain't special, mate.
19 Jan 2026 21:03:31
PatrikBurgher, I distorted nothing. And also, Salah's withdrawal helped us get what results, exactly? We gave up a two goal lead vs Leeds.
We have been dire and arguably gotten worse since he went to AFCON. We are 4 points from 10th since he left. No goals at Anfield vs 3 promoted teams. Again, what results improved? If Slot was actually improving, why are the boo birds out for him at Anfield? Why is the way we play still rubbish?
Mate, you're one of the posters whose views I actually respect and enjoy reading BUT don't gaslight me. Don't take the mick, okay?
As for throwing players under the boss, if you want to believe Slot has never done this then, that's on you. The examples are out there. There's a reason I stopped listening to his press conferences. That's my opinion and I'm sticking with it.
19 Jan 2026 21:12:03
Oli you seem to miss more Liverpool games than you apparently watch and then claim to watch every other game that happens in world football.
I've been to the moon the same amount of times you've been to Anfield yet you give it the My club talk.
Choosing a super successful club from thousands of miles away in the 80's when there was no internet just makes you a glory hunter Oli. Not a supporter.
You're basically a modern day Man City fan 40 years before them.
20 Jan 2026 01:52:25
Isn't a disaster when someone dies? a football team playing badly is a frustration - not a disaster, as we should all know,