Arne Slot knows he will be treated with some leniency in his first season at Liverpool, but he will also be well aware of what a strong start can bring.
Just 10 years ago, Brendan Rodgers’ Liverpool team finished the season on a tear, winning 12 of their last 14 games.
In old money, it was a fantastic achievement. Famously, it wasn’t enough as the Reds stumbled in two of their last three games, handing the title to an imperfect Manchester City. It still sucks.
To borrow one of Rodgers’ phrases, Arnold will do anything to “get in the equation”. What Liverpool managed that season – the Northern Irishman’s second – was a good start.
Three of the first three wins have added different shades over the years.
In another life, John Walters would have scored a penalty in the final minutes of the opening game at Anfield. The leap of faith that allowed the club to take off immediately is very compelling.
Think back to last season when new Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou was in charge. If he had scored 26 out of 10, that would have been pretty good.
Since the close calls of a decade ago and Leicester’s 2016 thumping season, the stakes for winning the Premier League are higher than ever. The margin for error has shrunk compared to 2013/14, when the top three lost six games each.
Managed Expectations
Many of the pre-millennium matches between Manchester United, Arsenal and Newcastle were won by an aggregate score of less than 80 points.
Slot knows that there are no big expectations to deliver the 20th. It will be a surprising introduction for the Dutchman. He also knows that a mistake, an error or a lost point for a less important player is like an earthquake.
When a new student starts awkwardly, it only increases your patience level. Modern life is like that even during the so-called honeymoon period. There is no such romance in football performance.
“The margins are small and when you inherit a team that is really good, it is difficult. The percentage you can improve is a few percentage points. But those last few percentage points make the difference between winning the title, competing until the last day and finishing third,” the former Feyenoord manager said last month.
The minimum number of games won by the champions in the last eight title races was 27. Last year Liverpool equalled that number but fell far behind in the home straight.
The Reds have learned the hard way that dropping points at any stage of the season is costly, even if they finish in supersonic mode. Surprisingly, it wasn’t enough for Arsenal to have won 16 of their last 18 games.
The Gunners must ask Liverpool why they fell short of their target of 50 points from their final 54 games of the 2021/22 season.
If the Reds want to keep their long shot at the title dream alive, they need to attack their favorable opening games. Staying close to the top of the pack in the first 10 games is absolutely essential, especially when the teams that are in the mood start to fade.
A strong early kick, like a pacemaker, may be the slot’s best chance to generate excitement, belief and even raise eyebrows in North London and Manchester.
“I feel confident thanks to the players and I think we can add a few things to get a little bit more than 82 points, which is what you need against teams like Arsenal and City,” Slot said in his first club interview. “I hope we can get a little bit more than this season.”
Jamie Carragher has said the 45-year-old is unlikely to win any silverware in the Premier League, saying: “With a new manager and a firm grip on the Premier League, most Liverpool fans expect a top-four finish this season. I don’t think anyone is expecting a title.
Importance of middle to lower ranks
A total of 66-71 has been enough to secure a top-four finish in each of the last six seasons. Liverpool have drawn 59 of their last seven games, almost double the 32 draws recorded by Pep Guardiola’s side.
Checking the odds of winning on a black and white page never takes into account the numerous clues. Each team will sense any decline in the will and direction of Liverpool 2.0 to win.
Klopp had early problems collecting points from lower and mid-table teams, complaining that “when things go wrong, we are compared to the past”. Still, there is an opportunity to get things started quickly.
Ipswich, Brentford, Wolves, Crystal Palace, Forest and Bournemouth all make it to the first seven.
The new manager’s rebound factor during the campaign is different from what was set long before the big kick-off. The slot’s pre-season went well in terms of results even without many of its regular players, but Arsenal and Manchester United missed numerous opportunities in the United States.
Can Slot take on the challenge and create a template that can win through control and order? Last season was a chaotic journey of hard-fought wins, missed opportunities, and barely escaping before running out of gas.
“Liverpool Football Club exists to win trophies,” said the great Bill Shankly. And that’s what they do.
Slot finished with 84 points at Feyenoord, a club record. The problem is that PSV lost just 11 points and had the same brilliance as City to win the title. This new challenge is a different kind of daring.
