Arend Martijn Slot is the full name of the Dutch coach but very few people know. When he walked through the door of Liverpool, people only knew this was slot, a quiet Dutch to replace the legendary Jurgen Klopp. But now, Slot has won the Premier League.
The replacement of Klopp is thought to be impossible, but the slot not only survived but also buried it. He did it by integrating quickly and brought Liverpool to the top.
During that time, Slot studied the team, analyzed the weaknesses and the reason why they finally failed in the Premier League last season. What looks like imitation is essentially assimilation. What looks like respect is a silent revolution.
Because “Arne Slot” is just a concealer. Now we are meeting Arend Martijn. The silent authority in a room full of Champions League and Premier League champions, led by three symbolic characters: Mohamed Salah, Virgil Van Dijk and Trent Alexander -Arnold – all are entering the last year of the contract.
The type of instability often breaks the dressing room and destroys the whole season. Slot not only keeps the team unite, but also helps them win. Salah continued to shine in the best season in Liverpool. Van Dijk has found the best performance after many years. Even Trent, who is studying Spanish, has improved the defense.
The team did not falter. Slot retains the whole story as a background noise. No exaggeration, no overwhelming and non -healing. Only calm, calm in management. He handled legends with the same efficiency and calm.
Slot does not destroy Klopp's heritage. He retained the still effective parts and position himself as a continuous person rather than erasing. But during that time, everything was turning. A familiar season but not so.
Pressing gameplay is still there, but the pace is still inclined to chaos. There were crazy matches: 6-3 before Spurs, 3-3 in Newcastle, 2-2 at Villa Park. And the backwards bearing the Klopp – typically the match against Brighton in November with the decisive goal of Salah.
But hidden deep inside, this was Slot's Liverpool. Starting with a 4-0 destruction victory over Leverkusen. There is no emotional preparation; Just a cold, neat performance. After that was a 2-0 victory over Real Madrid, a sharp performance, control and emotional mature.
And then Man City at Anfield. Liverpool controlled the ball less but completely owned the match. It is not a chaotic football, which is the match manager. Slot not only inherits Klopp's team. He is starting to rebuild it.
Earlier this year, Slot said that Liverpool “could find 1 or 2 additional weapons that the team lacked”. He did not say it. The design is changing. And now this is clearly Slot's Liverpool. Florian Wirtz is a manifesto, not only for the price but also because of the natural fit with the play that Slot wants.
Wirtz is not only skillful but also very fluent in tactics. The ability to link and move into the Half-Space area and the ability to glide under the pressure makes him not only a number 10 but also a pace regulator.
There is a natural combination formed with Salah and that is perfectly reasonable. Excellent players always find each other. Wirtz not only searched for space but created space and filled the next space. He always moved, always thinking like the conductor, not a chaotic agent.
If Klopp's Liverpool is based on emotional power and passionate Gegenpressing, Slot's Liverpool will be built on control. The territory – accuracy – pressure, that structure is gradually forming clearly.
Both wingers play higher and more diverse. There are more overlapping phases, rotating the ball in the half -yard area. Kerkez brings natural speed on the left wing, which Gakpo cannot produce in 1 -to -1 -to -1 -to -head confrontation phase. Frimpong brings pure acceleration on the right. In the slot diagram, that is must have.
The goal is not only offered to the front, but to stretch the squad, break the defense blocks and create 5 -lane attacks. Salah moved in to create opportunities. Gakpo linked. The players run the stretching space. More powerful technical platform. The whole system is clearly divided.
And when it is broken – because at this level, that always happens – that's when the counterattack weapons are effective. The speed of Frimpong, the position of Gravenberch. Szoboszlai, who played sharper than last season, covered more pitches, appeared in more areas and brought flexibility to fill the space whenever needed.
And don't miss Van Dijk. His cross -pitched passes for Salah, used to be a feature, now systematically. The matches before the season show that they are no longer just a good choice. They are an early active factor.
And now, with Gravenberch more frequently backward, Liverpool is regaining what they died when Trent left – a player who can make similar passes from midfield with strength and scope of calm, skillful.
This is no longer Slot that is adapting to the squad but the squad is adapting to Slot. The recruitment of Hugo Ekitike may not be noticeable, especially when Alexander Isak is about to join. But it is the change in style that really needs attention.
Both are not chaotic strikers like Darwin Nunez. They are systemic strikers. They are smart pressing, running accurate and connecting the gameplay. And importantly, they finish neatly, even though at different stages of development.
It is clear that they are more suitable for Liverpool to build. Slot does not want some special number of 9. He wants to control. Smart. Purpose. He wants a striker to be a natural part of pressing and have neat finishes.
Slot does not imitate Klopp to survive. He imitated Klopp to gain the confidence of the squad before shaping it in his own way.
