Arne Slot, the new manager of Liverpool, will not have a honeymoon period, Virgil van Dijk has warned.
Liverpool’s victory over European powerhouse AC Milan to start their Champions League campaign was the most striking outcome of Slot’s new rule. However, that occurred after they suffered a home defeat to Nottingham Forest, and in only three days, they went from a terrible loss to an incredible victory in the San Siro.
Van Dijk calls Forest a “reality check,” but he also warns that if they want to succeed, they must maintain their high standards. If they make another mistake, Slot will soon feel the fire. “In football, you have to deliver today and tomorrow. If you don’t, then the pressure can pile up from the outside, but we have to stay calm,” stated Liverpool captain Van Dijk.
“Obviously, the manager and I play a major part in it, and as players, we have to demonstrate that on the field. We must remain composed and concentrated on our goals, as I stated before the game. However, thinking back to that particular game and our home loss to Forest—no offense intended—is a sobering reminder of reality.
“If you want to accomplish the goals I have for the club, it cannot take place. Milan was a nice response, but now it’s time to rest, get home, and this Saturday is really important.
In the enviable challenge of succeeding Jurgen Klopp, Slot has had a gift of a start for Liverpool against Bournemouth on Saturday. But instead of winning every point, they lost to Forest, and despite going down early on, van Dijk says he was pleased with the way Milan responded. Remarkably, he revisited the Forest game and said that it appeared as though they lacked a strategy.
“I believe we showed the reaction in Milan I like to see, especially after the first three minutes,” Van Dijk stated. To many more, I say. You must keep in mind, who is claiming that, should we lose, everything would end in disaster? What can you do about those from the outside, then? Our actions on the field are the only things that affect others.
“You saw the response in Milan, and you can play for another hour and not score if you play the way we want to play instead of running around a lot and appearing to have no plan, like we did, especially for the last 30 minutes.”
Along with fellow Dutchman Cody Gakpo, who attempted to prove a statement in Milan on his first start of the season, Van Dijk was on target in Milan with his central defense partner, Ibrahima Konate. Van Dijk believes set pieces can be crucial this season.
Van Dijk continued, saying, “I don’t believe we should forget that he played some terrific games last year too. Aside from the national team, of course, during the past several weeks, we’ve all seen what he’s capable of producing. However, I believe that athletes must exercise patience and perform at their highest level when they play only one game every week.
“We aim to be significant in every game in set pieces. It may occasionally appear and sound easier than it actually is. In the previous game, I believe I had two opportunities. We should score every ball that enters the box since Ibou and I are both 6 feet 4 inches tall, or whatever.
You have to work for it since, as you can see, it’s not always flawless and you might occasionally get doubly tagged. However, since you witnessed today, we were present and able to see its significance. Ibou’s goal was significant, and my goal helped us go forward with the second, so everything went well.
