Arne Slot’s first year in charge of Liverpool has been nothing short of remarkable. With the Reds on the brink of claiming the Premier League title in his debut season, there’s no doubt his impact has been hugely positive. However, that doesn’t mean he has got everything right.
While some rival fans and media narratives may try to downplay his achievements, Slot’s success cannot be overstated. Given the uncertainty surrounding Liverpool when he arrived, guiding the club to the top of English football is an incredible feat. Yet, recent disappointments in the Champions League and Carabao Cup have left a lingering sense of what might have been.
Liverpool’s exit to Paris Saint-Germain in Europe was a blow, and their lackluster performance in the Carabao Cup final against Newcastle exposed one of Slot’s biggest challenges—squad rotation. His reliance on key players like Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch has left some of them visibly fatigued, while others, like Harvey Elliott and Federico Chiesa, have shown they have plenty to offer when given a chance.
Elliott, in particular, may feel hard done by. The 21-year-old was one of Liverpool’s standout performers last season under Jurgen Klopp, prompting the former manager to admit he regretted not using him more. Despite making more appearances than almost anyone else, Klopp later acknowledged that Elliott had been underutilized during a crucial part of the season.
Slot has also kept Elliott on the fringes for much of this campaign, which has understandably left the youngster frustrated. After scoring the winner against PSG in the first leg, he admitted:
“There are moments within the season where I am getting angry, I am getting frustrated because I want to play, but at the same time I need to respect the situation, I need to respect the manager’s decisions.”
While rotation is always a challenge for top clubs, there’s certainly an argument that Slot could have managed his squad better, especially to avoid fatigue in key players. Learning from this season’s mistakes will be crucial as he looks to build on what has already been an outstanding debut year at Anfield. If he can find the right balance, he may avoid the kind of regrets Klopp later expressed and ensure Liverpool remain competitive on all fronts.