Restoring Confidence: Arne Slot’s Challenge as Liverpool Manager

Liverpool’s head coach, Arne Slot, faces the significant task of restoring broken confidence within his squad, alongside the challenge of improving performance. The Dutch manager is making a concerted effort to highlight the few positive aspects of the team’s play to his players.

With a disheartening record of nine defeats in 12 matches—including six losses in the last seven league games—Sunday’s fixture against West Ham carries immense importance as the defending champions strive to halt their downward spiral.

Amid increasing negativity surrounding the club due to unfavorable results, Slot seeks to maintain a positive outlook, particularly during the moments when the team performs well. “It would also be nice if we rewarded ourselves during those moments of good play because the focus, rightly so, is on our shortcomings,” he remarked.

He added, “There are certainly lengthy segments of games where we perform well and generate numerous chances; however, we tend to overlook the need to capitalize on those opportunities. Every minor mistake or oversight quickly leads to conceding a goal.”

Recognizing that team morale diminishes with every goal conceded—ten times in the last three matches—Slot remains confident that his players do not enter the pitch with a negative mindset. “I don’t perceive our confidence as low when we start the game, nor did I notice it waning after we conceded the first goal in Wednesday’s 4-1 defeat to PSV Eindhoven,” he stated.

He continued, “Even after the second goal against us, despite the disappointment, we managed to create several chances. However, when they scored the third goal, I could see the players were affected, which was not the moment when our fighting spirit was at its best, to put it mildly.”

Amid speculation regarding whether he has lost the players’ support during this challenging phase—the club’s worst run in over 70 years—Slot firmly denies that the squad has ceased to listen to his guidance.

“After the third goal, it becomes quite difficult to communicate effectively from the sideline. However, I believe my messages get across before the match and during halftime,” he explained.

He also noted, “The way we create our chances reflects our training and the strategies discussed in meetings, but regrettably, that does not always result in goals, which is tough for everyone involved. Nonetheless, the clarity of my message regarding how we generate our chances remains consistent.”