Arne Slot has delivered a candid assessment of Liverpool’s current form, admitting “we are struggling now” amid a difficult run at Anfield.
The math at Anfield usually adds up to silverware, but this season, the numbers are looking increasingly grim. After a summer outlay that touched the half-billion-pound mark, the expectation wasn’t just a title tilt it was a sustained charge. Instead, Liverpool’s hopes of defending their Premier League crown were effectively extinguished before the Christmas decorations were even packed away.
It has been a campaign defined by a search for an identity that remains stubbornly elusive. From the porous, end-to-end chaos of the autumn to the turgid, low-tempo struggles against defensive blocks in the winter, Arne Slot’s side has lacked the “heavy metal” rhythm or the clinical control required to stay at the summit.
With a daunting FA Cup trip to Manchester City looming and a deficit to overturn against Galatasaray in Europe, the pressure is mounting. Yet, while the “Slot Out” brigade grows louder on social media, the message from inside the AXA Training Centre is one of defiance rather than departure.
“The nicest club to struggle with”
Slot himself remains a picture of composure, even as the walls close in on Liverpool’s Champions League qualification hopes. Ahead of Sunday’s visit of Tottenham Hotspur, the Dutchman was candid about the “wobble” his side is experiencing, but pointedly noted that Liverpool is not a club defined by the knee-jerk culture of the modern game.
“This might sound weird if I say only positive [things], because this season has not been only positive,” Slot admitted. “The support I have always felt – not talking about social media I don’t follow that much – but the support I have felt from the home crowd, away crowd, people inside the building, the ownership.
“What we have done here together to achieve the things we have achieved, is in my head and memory only very special. We are struggling now, that is also very obvious. This is probably the nicest club to struggle [with].”
For Slot, the infrastructure and the historical patience of the Fenway Sports Group hierarchy provide a shield that many of his contemporaries lack.
He added: “This club has always shown in different periods, everyone is there for you. You try even harder. It is a fantastic club to work because of the facilities, people, fans, it is not all negative when we don’t have the performances we want. It is still a great place to be. Even better if you win the league! Even in a season like this, it is still a privilege.”
While sections of the fanbase may be looking toward the exit door, those in power are looking toward 2027. David Ornstein, whose word often carries the weight of gospel in recruitment circles, has provided a clear indication that a managerial change is not on the agenda, regardless of whether the Champions League anthem rings out at Anfield next term.
Ornstein noted the disconnect between the stands and the boardroom, stating: “Liverpool, from what we hear, are steadfastly behind Arne Slot. He’s under contract until 2027 and they want him to be their head coach. The hierarchy are determined that he is the man to get things right.”
The logic from the top remains analytical rather than emotional. Even if Liverpool were to scan the horizon for a replacement, they believe the man they currently have in the dugout represents the “exact profile” they would be searching for anyway.
Liverpool are playing the long game. Whether that patience is rewarded or becomes a costly gamble remains the defining question of the Slot era.
