Arne Slot’s start at Liverpool has been better than anyone could have expected when he took over from Jurgen Klopp in the summer of 2024. The former Feyenoord manager has stepped into those enormous shoes, putting the Reds in contention for both the Premier League and the Champions League, but Jamie Carragher has a minor concern about his former club.
With relatively little transfer activity since his arrival in England, Slot’s ability to improve and elevate the standards of various players at Anfield has been remarkable. Ryan Gravenberch, the Dutch midfielder, is a perfect example of this.
Cast aside at Bayern Munich after being regarded as a player with enormous promise at Ajax, the Netherlands international struggled to establish himself in Liverpool’s starting lineup during his debut season. Slot missed out on his rumoured first-choice target for a new defensive-minded midfielder, Martin Zubimendi, and decided not to pursue a secondary option.
Arne Slot’s Loyalty May Cost Him
The manager hasn’t rotated his players significantly this season.
The 46-year-old has put a lot of trust in Gravenberch to keep things together in the number six position. He has done so admirably, emerging as one of the most promising players of the 2024/25 season.
However, Reds fans have expressed concern about Gravenberch’s playing time, with Wataru Endo being utilised sparingly as a backup. With just under 3,000 minutes on the legs of the first-choice number six, fatigue may become an issue in the coming weeks.
Former Liverpool defender Carragher has noted Slot’s hesitancy to put ‘confidence’ in certain of his squad members. In his Telegraph piece, the defender-turned-pundit stated that both Endo and Harvey Elliott aren’t getting enough playing time on purpose.
“The Liverpool manager has tended to favour the same starting lineup from a preferred pool of 14 or 15. He does not appear to trust backup choices like Harvey Elliott or Wataru Endo unless he has no choice.”
Carragher: Slot Does Not Think Chiesa Is a ‘Game-Changer’
The winger has only made ten appearances this season.
That lack of trust could cost Slot if his team runs out of steam in the last phases of the campaign. He would also have to rely on these guys if his usual starters if injured. Carragher doesn’t think the manager likes his single signing to date, Federico Chiesa. He added:
“Federico Chiesa, last summer’s solitary summer signing, has made no contributions. Again, his lack of minutes suggests Slot does not see the Italian as a game changer.”
The Italian winger has appeared only 10 times since joining from Juventus in a cheap deal during the summer transfer window. When Slot’s side is chasing a game, he is rarely put upon, as Darwin Nunez, Diogo Jota, and Luis Diaz are more trusted from the bench. Everyone involved will be hoping that the Liverpool manager’s insistence on playing the same 13 or 14 players does not come back to haunt him.
