David Lynch: Arne Slot Already Facing ‘Real Issue’ as Liverpool’s Pre-Season Progresses | OneFootball

Liverpool’s Pre-Season Woes: Arne Slot Faces Major Setbacks

Christ, I hope there’s some better news when Monday’s podcast comes around. Liverpool FC’s preparations for the upcoming season have hit a significant snag, according to David Lynch’s exclusive. On the back of the report, it’s evident that the absentees from the US tour are a massive blow for Arne Slot and his pre-season plans. Missing potentially nine first-team players, many of whom are pivotal to his strongest XI, Slot faces an uphill battle to get his squad ready for the challenges ahead.

Key Players Missing the US Tour

Slot’s ambitions to hit the ground running are dampened by the absence of several key players during the pre-season tour of the United States. Confirmed absentees include Darwin Nunez, Luis Diaz, Alexis Mac Allister, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Joe Gomez. These players will not join the squad due to their commitments in the Euros or Copa America, making their participation in the tour redundant.

Additionally, uncertainties loom over Ibrahima Konate, Virgil van Dijk, Cody Gakpo, and Ryan Gravenberch. Although expected back slightly earlier, their involvement in the initial stages of the pre-season remains doubtful. This leaves Slot with a skeleton squad, far from ideal when trying to instill his tactical philosophy and training methods.

Photo: IMAGO

Impact on Pre-Season Preparations

The friendly against Manchester United on August 4th in South Carolina, followed by the season opener against Ipswich Town less than two weeks later, highlights the pressing need for a fully fit and cohesive squad. However, with the absence of critical players, Slot’s plans to implement and reinforce his tactical systems face significant delays. The lack of time with the current captain and vice-captain, both in the last year of their contracts, further exacerbates the situation.

These leaders on the pitch will miss out on crucial tactical sessions, leaving them unaccustomed to Slot’s playing style and strategies. Consequently, it wouldn’t be surprising to see many of these key figures starting from the bench in the early fixtures. Never mind their long-term futures.

Photo: IMAGO

Training and Tactical Challenges

The truncated pre-season schedule presents Slot with a formidable challenge. Establishing repeat patterns of play and ensuring all players are on the same tactical wavelength requires time, something Slot is desperately short of. Players like Konate, Gravenberch, and Gomez, who didn’t clock any minutes at the Euros, might not be eager to rush back, complicating the situation further.

These players’ late return leaves them out of sync with Slot’s methods and styles, potentially leading to a slow start to the season. Integrating them into the squad and bringing them up to speed will be a race against time, impacting the overall team cohesion and performance in the early matches.

Looking Ahead: Strategic Adjustments

Given the current scenario, Slot must optimize the time with the players available to him. Building a strong core group and ensuring they are well-versed in his tactical plans is crucial. The friendly against Preston on Friday is just minutes and doesn’t serve as a critical juncture for Slot to assess the available squad members or really refine his strategies. But it will help shape patterns of play and start to get players used to what he expects. Liverpool’s pre-season has already been significantly disrupted by summer tournaments and the absence of several key players makes it worse.

Arne Slot faces an enormous task in preparing his squad for the upcoming season, with limited time and resources at his disposal. The challenge will be to integrate the returning players swiftly and ensure the team hits the ground running when the season starts.