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

[Andar]

Slot at AZ Alkmaar

------

Slot’s team is quite possession-heavy and his style is very dominant, which has led to AZ averaging more than 60% possession in the Eredivisie and the Europa League this term. Additionally, AZ average an xG of 2.02 and an xGA of 0.87, further indicating how they have dominated teams this season. The 41-year-old coach has been quick to stamp his authority on the playing style of AZ and he has been very successful in implementing the game model quickly.

Ever since Pep Guardiola introduced the roles for Philipp Lahm and David Alaba at Bayern Munich, the concept of inverted full-backs has been something only the most innovative coaches have implemented on a consistent basis. Basically, the role means that the full-back will move into midfield, often alongside the midfield pivot, to create an additional central passing option. This provides a better setup against counter-attacks, and looks to open straightforward passing lanes from centre-back to winger.

For Slot, it seems to be the last point that is most important in his use of inverted full-backs. Slot often has his right-back Jonas Svensson, in particular, move into midfield while the right-winger, often Yukinara Sugawara maintains width.

https://totalfootballanalysis.com/article/arne-slot-201920-scout-report-tactical-analysis-tactics-2
----

I have to say, we won't be a disaster under him. What he has achieved at AZ and Feyenoord is impressive. Top 4 certainly won't be an issue. His principles are sound.

The big question is can Slot match Guardiola and Arteta? The ceiling is high with those two so here is hoping he surprises us. Recruitment is huge this summer. If there is a big (or small) gap in coaching talent between Arteta/Guardiola and Slot, we need to trump them for player talent. We have a very good base but need to add an elite attacker and centre back. Type of signings that can revolutionise us. Asking for a lot but not too far off the impact of Salah/Mane and Van Dijk.

We have kept our powder dry for a few summers now. This is the time to go big by backing our new manager from the off.

Alonso was the dream choice and a slam dunk but it's time to move on. Our paths will cross when the time is right i guess. Whether than is in 2 years time, or way down the line in 2030 and beyond.

[Fromola]

Has there ever been a bigger comedown for a club between January and April, jesus

Are we still hopeful yet again of winning the league by hoping for someone else to slip up?

Except this time it's not just City, it's Arsenal too, who are hitting top form again.

Anyway we'll have to hope that this is a genius appointment and lots of research has been done, not another Rodgers

Klopp announced he was going in January, the season could have unraveled then, but we've been mostly consistent. Off the pitch we've reacted well enough to it bringing Edwards back and a sporting director sorted. The manager appears to be sorted, disappointingly not Alonso, but given what's available it seems as sensible as any. The problem with Rodgers was ultimately one of personality and ego, the new manager will hopefully not fall into the same traps/have the same character flaws.

Winning the league was always a long shot, we were hardly 10 points clear in Jan. Factoring in games in hand we were never really more than a couple of points clear and of course City and Arsenal have rarely dropped points from January. We'll realistically know after Sunday if we have a good chance of the title going into the last 3 matches.

Europe was disappointing but we did win a cup.

The only 'comedown' is losing Klopp a couple of years earlier than anticipated which obviously is a big blow, but that was delivered in January anyway.

[jillcwhomever]

Whilst I agree Alonso is a risk you’re being dismissive. You don’t think there’s been pressure to remain unbeaten? They’re 47 games unbeaten or some shit let’s call a spade a spade here. Have Bayern ever done that? It’s unprecedented what they’re doing.

I wonder if you’d be doing the same if Alonso was confirmed to be coming here.

I have made it quite clear, I will get behind whoever they choose and give him a chance.  My biggest concern about Alonso from the start was his lack of experience, he's at the beginning of his career. I also have a fear of former LFC players suddenly becoming managers of the club. It wasn't so long some people were taking it for granted that Steven Gerrard would manage us. I would always prefer a manager with experience as, they have an all round know how and we know not everyone can manage a club with the expectations some fans have. Despite my comments should Alonso go on and gain some of those attributes then I would reconsider my stance. A number of people have made sneering comments about us going for Slot, but for me he has a lot all round experience which is so important managing a club of this nature. It doesn't mean its without risk of course, but that is true of pretty much any manager including more even more experienced one. Alonso has got time to gain that, so let's see how he develops further forward. Another time, another place I might well feel different.

[Sheer Magnetism]

Good coach. Good manager when things were going well. Terrible at finding solutions, rebuilding and recovering when the wheels fell off.

He actually did really well at this, he was much more tactically flexible than any other manager we've had in the past 30 years apart from Rafa, alternating from a 4-3-3 to three at the back and then a diamond when needed. His weaknesses were that he had no European experience and a relatively parochial eye for a player, and his personality may well have grated after a while. Great coach though, you only have to look at how many players took huge jumps when he was here.

As far as Slot goes, it isn't blowing me away but I'm willing to give Edwards the benefit of the doubt here. Even if he doesn't work out, the fact he apparently plays a similar style makes him more of a continuity manager than most and maybe that's best in the short term. It might benefit the players not to have too many huge changes to add to Klopp leaving and the backroom overhaul.

[Kenny's Jacket]

What's more likely (rather than a decoy) is that while someone like Amorim would demand £10m and a 3 year contract, Slot would be much cheaper and, knowing himself that he's a gamble for a club like Liverpool, might opt for a shorter term contract.  Also, if playing styles are similar to Klopp, he can slot in quite easily with the squad we've built rather than demand x or y new player.

This gives us the flexibility to then ditch him and go for Alonso in 2 seasons, THEN look at how the tactical system might change.

or Klopp in 1 season

[Knight]

Slot at AZ Alkmaar

------

Slot’s team is quite possession-heavy and his style is very dominant, which has led to AZ averaging more than 60% possession in the Eredivisie and the Europa League this term. Additionally, AZ average an xG of 2.02 and an xGA of 0.87, further indicating how they have dominated teams this season. The 41-year-old coach has been quick to stamp his authority on the playing style of AZ and he has been very successful in implementing the game model quickly.

Ever since Pep Guardiola introduced the roles for Philipp Lahm and David Alaba at Bayern Munich, the concept of inverted full-backs has been something only the most innovative coaches have implemented on a consistent basis. Basically, the role means that the full-back will move into midfield, often alongside the midfield pivot, to create an additional central passing option. This provides a better setup against counter-attacks, and looks to open straightforward passing lanes from centre-back to winger.

For Slot, it seems to be the last point that is most important in his use of inverted full-backs. Slot often has his right-back Jonas Svensson, in particular, move into midfield while the right-winger, often Yukinara Sugawara maintains width.

https://totalfootballanalysis.com/article/arne-slot-201920-scout-report-tactical-analysis-tactics-2
----

I have to say, we won't be a disaster under him. What he has achieved at AZ and Feyenoord is impressive. Top 4 certainly won't be an issue. His principles are sound.

The big question is can Slot match Guardiola and Arteta? The ceiling is high with those two so here is hoping he surprises us. Recruitment is huge this summer. If there is a big (or small) gap in coaching talent between Arteta/Guardiola and Slot, we need to trump them for player talent. We have a very good base but need to add an elite attacker and centre back. Type of signings that can revolutionise us. Asking for a lot but not too far off the impact of Salah/Mane and Van Dijk.

We have kept our powder dry for a few summers now. This is the time to go big by backing our new manager from the off.

Alonso was the dream choice and a slam dunk but it's time to move on. Our paths will cross when the time is right i guess. Whether than is in 2 years time, or way down the line in 2030 and beyond.

I'm not sure last summer qualifies as 'keeping our powder dry'. We bought 4 players having bought someone in January.

[killer-heels]

For me personally, I've always seen the next stage as a fresh start whoever comes in.
Unless we're getting Guardiola, nothing is going to truly just continue seamlessly to the standard we expect.
I think people really need to check their expectations of the next couple of years.

I'm setting my sites at a push for top four in the first season, with obvious signs of a harmonious squad (I think a lot of the current fringe players will leave) that have potential to grow even if we don't get top four. So whoever it is, Im prepared for wins draws and losses - but there must be unity and hope!

If we dont get top four next season then Slot will be 6 months away from the sack. Sorry but whats the point in focussing on style of play and similarities if they are going to be caught up by the likes of Newcastle, Spurs, Villa and Man United?

Which of them have better squads than us?

[mikey_LFC]

It is a gamble, but Slot is a machine and we could hit the jackpot. I’m all in, and we should really be telling Arne to get to the chopper.

[rossipersempre]

I have made it quite clear, I will get behind whoever they choose and give him a chance.  My biggest concern about Alonso from the start was his lack of experience, he's at the beginning of his career. I also have a fear of former LFC players suddenly becoming managers of the club. It wasn't so long some people were taking it for granted that Steven Gerrard would manage us. I would always prefer a manager with experience as, they have an all round know how and we know not everyone can manage a club with the expectations some fans have. Despite my comments should Alonso go on and gain some of those attributes then I would reconsider my stance. A number of people have made sneering comments about us going for Slot, but for me he has a lot all round experience which is so important managing a club of this nature. It doesn't mean its without risk of course, but that is true of pretty much any manager including more even more experienced one. Alonso has got time to gain that, so let's see how he develops further forward. Another time, another place I might well feel different.

I think you confuse experience with talent.

[killer-heels]

Surely we expect a bit of a drop off and time for transition with a nw manager who has new ideas?

A great squad is one thing but it’s a big change and expecting a new manager to come in and hit the ground running like that is pretty insane given the wafer thin margin for error when it comes to winning the premier league

The poster in question says a top four push and even if we dont get top four. Drop off in terms of title challenge maybe, but would you accept anything less than 4th a failure?

[rossipersempre]

If we dont get top four next season then Slot will be 6 months away from the sack. Sorry but whats the point in focussing on style of play and similarities if they are going to be caught up by the likes of Newcastle, Spurs, Villa and Man United?

Which of them have better squads than us?

An extra 6 months would be overly generous given that particular situation IMO.

[jillcwhomever]

I think you confuse experience with talent.

You are such a child.

[rafathegaffa83]

Thought it was interesting that Voetbal International are reporting Feyenoord are surprised at how quickly we've made our move which makes me wonder if we felt another club (Bayern perhaps seem the most likely out of the clubs linked including Milan and Barcelona) were going to try to beat us to his services

[Son of Spion]

I don't think we'll have any issues with our players being unprofessional like that. I just meant that he has to make a good first impression in order to get the players on board with his approach to the game - tactics, formation etc. It's about his ability to get the players understanding what he wants them to do so that they're able to implement it on the field. This has always been one of the things that sets Klopp apart, hasn't it? (Though it seems to have gone to pot lately, but that's largely down to other factors.)

In truth, I'm not really worried on this score. From what I've read about Slot, it sounds like his prime qualities include being a good communicator and motivator (same goes for Amorim). If we can get some decent results (or at least decent performances) in our first few games under him, there won't be any problem with the players buying in to his philosophy.

Our 'no dickheads' policy is going to help here - I don't think any of our players will believe themselves bigger than the manager, so we're not going to have the situation Ten Hag had with Ronaldo, or the kind of problems Pochettino clearly has with most of the Chelsea squad.

I didn't articulate myself too well in that post. It was a general comment on football as a whole, rather than LFC and our own dressing room. It's just a general feeling I get these days that at big clubs it now feels like a new manager has to impress the players rather than the players having to impress the new manager.

So more a general feeling of player power coming into things. Big egos too. As you said, we don't tend to have much of a problem with such things at Anfield these days, thankfully. I don't disagree with your reply at all.

Regarding Slot, I don't know enough about him (well, I know nothing at all, actually) so can't even begin to comment on him. I was the same with Amorim. I'm pretty interested to surf his wave and see how it pans out if he does come in, of course. Another chapter in our history ... 

[Cafe De Paris]

What's with your obsession in getting big names? First Mourinho (have you been in a coma the last decade because you seem to neglect his putrid record of late) and now chequebook manager Ancelotti?

Ancelotti can only work with a fantasy elite squad. Indulges the massive egos of the very best and gets the best out of the attack he has.

Aside from that, hes utterly ordinary with anything below that. Lads like Muller at Bayern (a straight up guy who knows his stuff) slated him for not even coaching the side.

He may have won record Champions Leagues but its a record that overstates his abilities. We are not Madrid and we need a smarter man in charge.

I want someone with experience to take over managing the club. It is a risk appointing slott.
But by the way calling Ancelotti ordinary means you know nothing about football and should go back to your smash hits problem pages.

[Andar]

Good coach. Terrible manager.

Strong title push with Liverpool during 13/14. Best shot at winning a title since the last title in 1990.

Leicester fighting for top 4 in successive seasons. Occupied top 4 for the majority of both seasons but lost out to clubs with bigger resources in the end. Double treble at Celtic whilst going invincible. First Scottish team to do so since 1899.

How is that a record of a terrible manager? A good trend of overperformance wherever he goes. It can hit a plateau at a certain point but he has a good managerial record. Terrible is way off the mark.

[Pistolero]

you know nothing about football and should go back to your smash hits problem pages.

  ...im robbing that

[Bennett]

He actually did really well at this, he was much more tactically flexible than any other manager we've had in the past 30 years apart from Rafa, alternating from a 4-3-3 to three at the back and then a diamond when needed.

Replace "when needed" with "when it went to shite". Everything you describe was just flailing to stay afloat. The philosophy he tried to implement on the team when he first arrived was non-existant by the time Stoke were smashing us 6-1.

[rossipersempre]

You are such a child.

Resorting to cheap insults now?

You bang on about experience as some absolute parameter, whilst clearly talking down Alonso's achievements (still needing to prove himself experience-wise before you'd reconsider ) and lumping Slot in with him and Amorim as if they're all "equally risky", without any differentiating factors whatsoever.

I'd much rather debate with KH who hates Alonso, than listen to this fence-sitting, bet-hedging, jelly-nailing stuff you're peddling.

[Barneylfc∗]

Whilst I agree Alonso is a risk you’re being dismissive. You don’t think there’s been pressure to remain unbeaten? They’re 47 games unbeaten or some shit let’s call a spade a spade here. Have Bayern ever done that? It’s unprecedented what they’re doing.

I wonder if you’d be doing the same if Alonso was confirmed to be coming here.

If they see out the next 4 or so games they'll set a new record of unbeaten games in all competitions since the introduction of the European Cup in 1955

[kj999]

I want someone with experience to take over managing the club. It is a risk appointing slott.
But by the way calling Ancelotti ordinary means you know nothing about football and should go back to your smash hits problem pages.

Agree. What a fucking idiot.
I have no idea why Ancelotti is held is low regard by some. He has a phenomenal record. Not a "chequebook manager" at all. One of the greatest tacticians in the modern game.

[rocco]

New manager taking over a team that has and is challenging for the league , top 4 has to be the minimum and challenging the thought process .

[rossipersempre]

Agree. What a fucking idiot.
I have no idea why Ancelotti is held is low regard by some. He has a phenomenal record. Not a "chequebook manager" at all. One of the greatest tacticians in the modern game.

It's the Everton thing and the fact he looks like he's channeling Fagan in that poolside deckchair pic most of the time.

[Ycuzz]

This thread moves at a silly pace...

[meady1981]

An extra 6 months would be overly generous given that particular situation IMO.

So several people leave, we start slow, results don’t go our way as a new manager finds his feet (all probably likely), but after Christmas the team transitions well and we have a strong finish to the season with obvious positive signs of forward momentum and we finish 5th. You think he’ll be ‘lucky’ to have another 6 months?

[killer-heels]

So several people leave, we start slow, results don’t go our way as a new manager finds his feet (all probably likely), but after Christmas the team transitions well and we have a strong finish to the season with obvious positive signs of forward momentum and we finish 5th. You think he’ll be ‘lucky’ to have another 6 months?

In that scenario, yes.

[rossipersempre]

So several people leave, we start slow, results don’t go our way as a new manager finds his feet (all probably likely), but after Christmas the team transitions well and we have a strong finish to the season with obvious positive signs of forward momentum and we finish 5th. You think he’ll be ‘lucky’ to have another 6 months?

Yes.

[Andy82lfc]

So several people leave, we start slow, results don’t go our way as a new manager finds his feet (all probably likely), but after Christmas the team transitions well and we have a strong finish to the season with obvious positive signs of forward momentum and we finish 5th. You think he’ll be ‘lucky’ to have another 6 months?

Well it depends what happens in that final 6 months doesn’t it.

[RyanBabel19]

The poster in question says a top four push and even if we dont get top four. Drop off in terms of title challenge maybe, but would you accept anything less than 4th a failure?

I directly quoted a post talking about challenging for the title. There was no mention of top 4 so I never mentioned it but i’ve discussed it in another post

We should be getting top 4 with the squad we have IMO, especially considering he plays a similar brand of football. I think we should be securing top 4, challenging should be an aim but expecting it with a new manager is a lot if you ask me. The level in the league at the moment is very high

[upthereds95]

Well I reckon he'd be hellishly uninspiring. Would rather have a coach who has proven abilities to develop youngsters and unfinished articles like Slot than somebody who's only good at massaging egos of big players. He'd do nothing here.

Slot over Ancelotti what a mad shout hahaha

[kasperoff]

If we dont get top four next season then Slot will be 6 months away from the sack. Sorry but whats the point in focussing on style of play and similarities if they are going to be caught up by the likes of Newcastle, Spurs, Villa and Man United?

Which of them have better squads than us?

That won't happen. That'll signal the start of an endless merry-go-round of managers that would continue for years.

If he has us playing well and there are signs that he's building something, then he's good. Clearly it's a results business, but if we start the "top 4 or bust" game, then it could get very messy in the coming years.

[djschembri]

I think we need to get used to the idea that the club is being shaped in a way that the manager is not the most important football person at the club.

People calling for a big name, an experienced manager, a proven manager are missing what is happening right now behind the scenes.

With Klopp, everything revolved around him and he dictated how everything was done, to the point that his persona/demands/culture became the clubs.

Now, its going to be very different and the new manager will more likely be a head coach. He will have less say on player recruitment, contract extensions, long term strategy. He will be chosen for his own playing style but there would be an expectation that he works with the current crop of players, their strengths/weaknesses and build on what was done.

He will be chosen because he fits into to the club's culture. He won't define, or mould it in the way Klopp has

[red_Mark1980]

Agree. What a fucking idiot.
I have no idea why Ancelotti is held is low regard by some. He has a phenomenal record. Not a "chequebook manager" at all. One of the greatest tacticians in the modern game.

He's also 64, and has said he's not leaving Madrid.

You may as well consider Guardiola, Klopp and David Fucking Cameron to take over

[Bennett]

I still don't know why we're so fixated on replicating Klopp's style of play when all anybody ever says is it's a recipe for the ridiculous amount of injuries we incur.

[djschembri]

He's also 64, and has said he's not leaving Madrid.

He also does not fit what we need right now.

[Mister Flip Flop]

I'll admit i hadn't even heard of him until yesterday. Relieved it's not a Mourinho, Howe or Potter type appointment.

[Bennett]

So several people leave, we start slow, results don’t go our way as a new manager finds his feet (all probably likely), but after Christmas the team transitions well and we have a strong finish to the season with obvious positive signs of forward momentum and we finish 5th. You think he’ll be ‘lucky’ to have another 6 months?

Sounds like the Hodgson / Kenny Dalglish season ffs.

[Nick110581]

I still don't know why we're so fixated on replicating Klopp's style of play when all anybody ever says is it's a recipe for the ridiculous amount of injuries we incur.

That’s not entirely true is it ?

[elkun]

You can say what you want, but at least he has the courage to take this risk and follow Klopp.

I'm curious what it will be

[LovelyCushionedHeader]

His style doesn’t excite me much. There’s something about Dutch managers and their total football approach in the modern game that just seems so brittle.

Just very underwhelming.

So you have no idea how he plays then?

People can shit on the appointment all they want, but at least come at it with a semblance of knowing what you're talking about.