Arne Slot is preparing to tackle the challenge of squad rotation as Liverpool’s manager, readying himself for the demanding fixtures of both the Premier League and the Champions League.
Slot’s team will face Nottingham Forest on Saturday, marking the start of a grueling schedule of seven matches in just 22 days, before heading to AC Milan for their Champions League opener on Tuesday.
Having succeeded Jurgen Klopp in the close season, Slot made only one change to his starting lineup in his first three games. This consistency helped Liverpool secure victories over Ipswich, Brentford, and Manchester United.
In his previous role at Feyenoord, Slot favored a stable lineup and made few changes. However, with the increased depth of resources available at Liverpool, he is prepared to adapt his approach for the upcoming busy period.
“My former teams were able to play almost every game with the same players, but it’s a different league now, so I might need to adjust,” Slot said to reporters on Friday. “It also depends on their physical performance. In the first three games, we were very strong physically, but we only played one game every seven days. Now they have something to prove. I assume they all want to play every game, so if they want to, they need to show up every time in terms of quality and work-rate. We have more than 11 very good players, so I can rotate more.”
Slot will have to adjust his plans without Harvey Elliott, who recently suffered a fractured foot while on England Under-21 duty. “If he had stayed fit, he would have had a lot of playing time in the upcoming fixtures, but now it gives a chance to someone else,” Slot commented. “It’s a blow for him and for us.”
Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher, who made his first competitive appearance of the season during the international break, has hinted at a desire to leave Anfield in search of a number-one role elsewhere.
Kelleher, who serves as Alisson Becker’s understudy at Liverpool, has seen competition increase with the signing of Georgia international Giorgi Mamardashvili, who has been loaned back to Valencia until next year.
Slot acknowledges Kelleher’s frustration, stating: “I would be really worried if a player said, ‘I don’t care about playing first-team football; I like it so much on the bench and want to stay there for the rest of my life.’ But at this moment, it’s quite clear that Alisson is the number one. He is handling the situation really well.”
