talkSPORT pundit surprised by what Arne Slot has done to Jurgen Klopp's CHAOTIC Liverpool | OneFootball

When Jurgen Klopp announced he was stepping down as Liverpool manager at the end of the 2023-24 season, there was a resigned fear in the heart of Liverpool fans.

It was understandable. It would have been strange if there wasn’t. The man had won everything there is possible to win with this club and had been at the helm for so long - especially by modern standards - that no one knew what change would look like. Arne Slot was welcomed as the new coach, he had a reputation and was endorsed by Klopp himself, but no one knew what the next season was going to look like.

As a result, Liverpool sitting top of the table after six games is the most pleasant surprise anyone could have hoped for. Importantly, as well, the team are top of the table whilst looking like it’s Arne Slot’s doing, not a holdover from the methods Klopp instilled in the players.

Read more: Liverpool legend says Gravenberch SURPASSES Champions League winner

How have they changed?

This is the point former Irish international Tony Cascarino made on talkSPORT yesterday. Discussing the team with host Natalie Sawyer, Cascarino said:

“They’re a very economical side, very patient, way more patient than Jurgen Klopp’s, where at times you could argue they were more chaotic and manic in the way they played, that was their style, they were successful in that. There is a lot more patience in this Liverpool team.”

“I don’t see the outstanding performance by one individual all the time,” Cascarino continued, “I see a team playing well, 6’s and 7’s in performance, you might get the odd 8 from somebody, I think that’s the way the team is constructed.”

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Cascarino has a point. Whilst there is individual talent in the entire side, and naturally Mo Salah is involved with the majority of goals and Virgil van Dijk is commanding the back, but it is the unusual suspects that are making a name for themselves so far this season.

The level of performance by Luis Diaz, Ibrahima Konaté and Ryan Gravenberch has been just as essential to Liverpool being top of the table at time of writing as the performances of Salah, van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Cascarino continued on this point, saying, “This doesn’t really happen often in football, when a new guy comes in and doesn’t really bring anybody in. That’s really rare… It’s quite refreshing to see a manager walk in and not demands loads and loads of players.”

This goes back to a point manager Slot made in his post-match interview on Sky Sports. The Dutchman said that this is basically the same team that finished fifth in 2022-23 and failed to qualify for the Champions League and, as a result, they need to prove that they still have what it takes to perform both domestically and in Europe.

Federico Chiesa is the only new face in the squad - with Giorgi Mamardashvili’s arrival delayed until next season - from last year and the Italian has been reduced to a bit-part role as he builds up his match fitness.

It speaks to Slot’s level of coaching so far that he has been able to ride the wave of transition to his own advantage. In sustaining the level of the top performers whilst raising that of those who perhaps didn’t contribute as much last season, he’s setting himself up for success merely weeks after his arrival on Merseyside.

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