Topic: LFC's next manager - chat and informed speculation

[Nico CARP]

Arne Slot? I think Liverpool Gonna Need a Bigger Boat...

[spider-neil]

Moyes replacing the legacy of Ferguson is one of the most insane decisions in football history.

Ferguson was a selfish c*nt. He bought players to win him his last league regardless of their age and left Manu with an ageing squad. He cared about his own legacy and fuck Manu after I've gone. Compare that to Klopp and the signings Klopp has made in his final seasons. Endo aside (who only cost 15m) all signing with an eye to the future. Moyes isn't a great manager but he was on a hiding to nothing with the squad he inherited.

[spider-neil]

I think it's natural to be worried about the appointment of Slot but because;

a) He has only been managing for 5 years
b) The step up from the Dutch league is huge
c) Not many successful Dutch coaches
d) He is following on from an iconic coach

But the upside is

a) The squad is youthful and has a handful of world-class players
b) The structure helping him is experienced with world-class data
c) The playing styles of Klopp and Slot are similar so hopefully a smoother transition period

[Penfold78]

Thanks all. I’m kinda reassured by your confidence in our club. And I don’t mind the spiky comments. We have to use the forum as a safe space to properly debate stuff. It’d be a bit soviet if we all had to all repeat a positive pre determined narrative the whole time.

My only kick back at the responses is the one that doubles down on the belief in superior data science we deploy at the club. I’m in the data science trade, it’s my career. I run a dept of just under 30 analysts (I’m in the environmental sector so no, I’m not well paid….). We use R, Python, FME, Bayesian statistics, Monte Carlo modelling etc etc.  We are only most confident with our outputs when we have a good, deep set of raw input data. Before LFC, Klopp had around 600 managerial games. Amorim and Slot less than half this number, around 230-250. Alonso even fewer. So I’m pretty sure a purely data driven assessment would have run short of statistical confidence, relative to other assessments. You may respond by pointing out that we also use data to recruit young players with fewer games and therefore less data but with players there is richer data because you can derive plenty of raw data around speed, stamina, positioning, passing distance, passing accuracy etc and everything else we used to get on Championship Manager. So I come back to my point that a strong element of subjectivity will have crept into this appointment and the left field nature can’t be explained adequately by our deployment of novel data analysis.

[meady1981]

NERRRRRD!!!!!!

[WestieRed]

NERRRRRD!!!!!!

 

[jetshymotion]

I’m just a lad on a football forum so I don’t have a forensic knowledge of the club's strategies and I don’t have access to their emails. 

Me too. So you might not be wrong, but I’m close to certain that managing big egos was not the chief, let alone the only consideration, that binding established players (etc.) is not the main aim - or that, in any event, someone more ‘established’ would necessarily do any of those things better than Arne.

Also that planning to rip it all up again in a few years because they’re sure the fella they wanted all along will be available is an insane way to run any kind of business.

By fixating on ‘Arne… who?’ I think lots of folk are trying to see more to this than there is, because they’re so sure in their plug-and-play view of football management. That may have been the case once, but we know there’s far more to it than that now.

It may not work out, but there are numerous really good videos now that explain why we’ve chosen him. I don’t see any need to look further than that.

[rob1966]

We have a structure and a dependence on data like few other clubs.
To "be convinced" LFC looked at other big name managers, is what everyone thinks and expects. You don't need "convincing" for that. It's logical, it's what everyone would do... but we don't do what "everyone else" thinks or does.

We work according to a plan and a structure- based on data. If the data says it's Slot, then whatever the speculation in the media(and they were just speculation), we go out to get him. You know how we work. We've got a few names, almost always not well-known or fancied, and we go out and get 'em- and we move fast.
We're an outfit that loves blitzkrieg and guerilla tactics, both on and off the field- and' we've been tremendoulsy effective so far.

Our recruitment always hit everyone out of left-field and their silly opinions of "Liverpool should have done this" or "gone for that one" etc.. are usually made to look foolish.
Slot will be our Robinson, our Firmino, our Jota, our Mane, our Salah.

There are few managers who would not jump at the chance to take the helm. Big-name managers.
We're not interested. We're interested in what the data tells us. We've got a way of playing, distilled over more than a decade of management under FSG- established by Inglethorpe, Pep, Beale and distilled by Jurgen and his team. A system that works for us.
It is structured, its protocol, it's well-documented, the results are replicable, and we have the personnel, mindset, facilities and experience to support said system. It is well-known, has been rigorously tested within the club and it's flaws and weaknesses are also well-known.

If you don't play that type of football, we're not interested, so that's 99% of MANAGERS out of the game. We want a COACH, not a MANAGER with their own style of play. We already have one, and we have existing players, targets and Academy prospects ready to step into those roles and positions.
Slot is a coach and a bloody good one by all accounts.

Cracking post.

As you say, we've spent years getting to where we are, we're not going to undo that. When Ped leaves ADFC, their next manager will have to be similar in style to him. Its about 5 years ago now when my lad spent time at the Etihad Campus and watching the youth teams play then, they already played like Ped had their first team playing, we're the same, you watch our youth and its like watching the first team. If you pick the wrong man, all of that work is undone.

I'm already excited about Slot, seen a few pressers now and he seems like the kind of fella we will take to and the reports on him are all good.

[spider-neil]

I think it's silly to jump for joy at Edward's return than pick holes in his first data-driven signing since his return.

[The_Nomad]

From next season, l want us to be a bit more street smart. Not exactly descend to the levels of an Atletico Madrid or, increasingly Arsenal, but be a lot less naive when it comes to crucial situations.

[9 kemlyn road]

Ferguson is much lauded as a manager but he was no General. He left no exit strategy.  He bought his last league buying Van Persie and left a team on its last legs to his successor. United under Ferguson was like North Korea. Cult of personality. Thank F**K our club has an actual structure in place and Arne isn’t walking into Liverpool like Moyes did at United.

Ferguson also was fuelled by his hatred of us .no matter what they achevied or against who, WE ,were at the forefront of his mind.
He started his stint there from Aberdeen with a big chip on his shoulder from bob paisleys side dumping them out the European cup early doors in 1980 and began his reign with that shit quote about knocking us off our fucking perch .he knew Utd fans hated us so he was a perfect fit for them ramping up the hatred and saying it loud and clear ,he’s as much to blame for the hillsborough chants as any of those in bred fans .
Everything was about him so leaving them in the shit leaves HIS reign of glory intact without anyone surpassing it.
Klopp is the opposite,he leaves us in a far better state than he found us because he wants us to go on and surpass anything he achieved like all our former managers (owl excepted) did.
FSG have gone about this the right way keeping slots name out of the spotlight and doing this under the radar and doing due diligence on him since klopps announced he was leaving .it’s a bit like the way we operated back in the day with chairman John smith at the helm ,Peter Robinson as secretary,going about things quietly as efficiently without anyone realising what we’d done .

[Son of Spion]

From next season, l want us to be a bit more street smart. Not exactly descend to the levels of an Atletico Madrid or, increasingly Arsenal, but be a lot less naive when it comes to crucial situations.

Sadly, I have to agree. We are trying to compete in a bent league. It's massively stacked against the legitimate clubs, so you have to find any advantage you can, then exploit it. I've loved Klopp doing it the right way. I really have. But once he walks off into the sunset I hope we take the gloves off and get right under the skin of our opponents. Sometimes, in order to beat the cheats, you have to get down in the dirt and do them on their own patch.

[9 kemlyn road]

Sadly, I have to agree. We are trying to compete in a bent league. It's massively stacked against the legitimate clubs, so you have to find any advantage you can, then exploit it. I've loved Klopp doing it the right way. I really have. But once he walks off into the sunset I hope we take the gloves off and get right under the skin of our opponents. Sometimes, in order to beat the cheats, you have to get down in the dirt and do them on their own patch.

The trouble is though if we do take the gloves off and take the ,when in Rome do what the romans do approach,we will be getting a player or two sent off every week not to mention yellow cards left right and centre .
Taylor and tierney et al don’t need an excuse to penalise us as it is and we are probably the most fair minded clean club in the league but they would VAR us to within a millimetre.they’d love it we wouldn’t finish a game with 11 men at all.

[Son of Spion]

The trouble is though if we do take the gloves off and take the ,when in Rome do what the romans do approach,we will be getting a player or two sent off every week not to mention yellow cards left right and centre .
Taylor and tierney et al don’t need an excuse to penalise us as it is and we are probably the most fair minded clean club in the league but they would VAR us to within a millimetre.they’d love it we wouldn’t finish a game with 11 men at all.

Well yes, this is also true. 

[9 kemlyn road]

We’d also have sky pushing the liverpool= cheats narrative with rat boy Neville and his useful idiot carragher shouting it from the rooftops about how dirty we are .
Look at the ,salah is a diver ,goes down easy agenda they’ve pushed over the last few years ,hence never gets so much as a free kick even when he regularly gets dragged to the floor .

[kop306]

1 keep jota fit
2 buy  a top class centre half
3 buy a top class forward
4 get trent contract sorted

[Suareznumber7]

I think it's silly to jump for joy at Edward's return than pick holes in his first data-driven signing since his return.

Yes, totally.  Instead of being optimistic about the future it's always better to try to find reasons to doubt we'll be successful going forward.

[MD1990]

look at nunez and diaz
https://twitter.com/WhoScored/status/1787063437941756108

so poor

[lionel_messias]

I think it's silly to jump for joy at Edward's return than pick holes in his first data-driven signing since his return.

Yes, I hope we see Edward's plan, fully and well funded so that Slot
gets his ideal squad. If we do that and invest wisely again, we can expect further success.

[Keith Lard]

We have a structure and a dependence on data like few other clubs.
To "be convinced" LFC looked at other big name managers, is what everyone thinks and expects. You don't need "convincing" for that. It's logical, it's what everyone would do... but we don't do what "everyone else" thinks or does.

We work according to a plan and a structure- based on data. If the data says it's Slot, then whatever the speculation in the media(and they were just speculation), we go out to get him. You know how we work. We've got a few names, almost always not well-known or fancied, and we go out and get 'em- and we move fast.
We're an outfit that loves blitzkrieg and guerilla tactics, both on and off the field- and' we've been tremendoulsy effective so far.

Our recruitment always hit everyone out of left-field and their silly opinions of "Liverpool should have done this" or "gone for that one" etc.. are usually made to look foolish.
Slot will be our Robinson, our Firmino, our Jota, our Mane, our Salah.

There are few managers who would not jump at the chance to take the helm. Big-name managers.
We're not interested. We're interested in what the data tells us. We've got a way of playing, distilled over more than a decade of management under FSG- established by Inglethorpe, Pep, Beale and distilled by Jurgen and his team. A system that works for us.
It is structured, its protocol, it's well-documented, the results are replicable, and we have the personnel, mindset, facilities and experience to support said system. It is well-known, has been rigorously tested within the club and it's flaws and weaknesses are also well-known.

If you don't play that type of football, we're not interested, so that's 99% of MANAGERS out of the game. We want a COACH, not a MANAGER with their own style of play. We already have one, and we have existing players, targets and Academy prospects ready to step into those roles and positions.
Slot is a coach and a bloody good one by all accounts.

I enjoyed reading that. Made me feel horny for Microsoft excel 🥰

[the_red_pill]

I enjoyed reading that. Made me feel horny for Microsoft excel 🥰

Nothing like a few numbers that explain intricate real-world events and objects, to get the juices flowing!

[Bobinhood]

42

[Bangin Them In]

look at nunez and diaz
https://twitter.com/WhoScored/status/1787063437941756108

so poor

On Twatter too so it must be true

[Samie]

PSV confirmed as Dutch Champions. Feyenoord's season is techincally over.

[the_red_pill]

42

Ooww.. load blown!

[Devon Red]

look at nunez and diaz
https://twitter.com/WhoScored/status/1787063437941756108

so poor

Yeah, that Haaland's a bit shite as well

[Tobelius]

Nothing like a few numbers that explain intricate real-world events and objects, to get the juices flowing!

  Bet Edwards goes 'Spread those juicy sheets for me baby' every time he boots up his analysis programs

[Agent99]

Yeah, that Haaland's a bit shite as well

36 goals in 41 games is abysmal.

[the_red_pill]

Bet Edwards goes 'Spread those juicy sheets for me baby' every time he boots up his analysis programs

From bed sheets, to spread sheets!

[Hazell]

Bet Edwards goes 'Spread those juicy sheets for me baby' every time he boots up his analysis programs

Him and Richard Hughes together this summer:

[careful on these streets, I've heard stories]

Any links to the Feyenord game?

[DLF]

Another trip down memory lane.  During Klopp's last season at Dortmund (relegation zone at Christmas, finished 7th), wasn't there loads of informed punditry (LOL) along the lines of 'been found out', 'squad can't survive the intensity' and 'no plan B'? 

[Samie]

Feyenoord winning 2-0 againt Zwolle.

[DelTrotter]

Arne masterclass, 5-0 so far, so excited to see how we look next season, we'll no doubt be great to watch but hopefully he can bring the control on games his Feyenoord team have too

[SerbianScouser]

Done a tons of research and watched tons of their clips.

Two things that are noticeable to me - they attack together, it really looks like a wave, everybody seems to be involved and everybody is a threat. Second thing, there's a lot of one touch football which is great against low blocks.

We are obviously already a great attacking team but it's encouraging that Slot has good attacking ideas that can enrich and add to our already impressive repertoar.

However as always how we do without the ball is gonna determine how close we are to two biggest prizes next season.

[Sinyoro]

He is now giving his good-byes to the crowd

[amir87]

He is now giving his good-byes to the crowd

Where’s he going?

[Draex]

Where’s he going?

Turkey.

[SamLad]

all this talk of tactical smarts, charisma, man-management, media savvy, etc etc is all well and good. but avoids the biggest issue,


what I want to know is - is he a hugger?

[Samie]

Arne Slot says Mo Salah's goal today was great - but he had to switch off after that.