Slot on striving for perfection, considering in English and danger vs reward

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot sat down with Sky Sports activities’ Pat Davison to debate his facet’s glorious begin to the season and dealing with Chelsea at Anfield on Tremendous Sunday:

Ten video games as Liverpool supervisor up to now, and I do know managers wish to look ahead, not again behind the worldwide break. Simply to take a breath, how do you replicate on the start for you as Liverpool supervisor?

“It has been a superb begin, let that be clear. There was just one recreation we weren’t proud of, and that was after all the Nottingham Forest recreation.

“All the opposite ones I feel we deserved to get the outcome we bought, though possibly in an excellent world the distinction between us and the opposite staff would have been a bit greater. So, each time we received I feel we deserved it, however some video games we deserved it greater than others when it comes to how massive the hole was between us and the opposite staff. So, it has been a superb begin. Additionally within the Champions League it is all the time good to start out off in the very best approach, and we hardly did that aside from that one recreation.”

Has something significantly stunned you? Is there something that has caught you unexpectedly when it comes to the league, when it comes to the membership?

“No, I do not suppose I am the kind of person who will get stunned rather a lot, as a result of earlier than I begin someplace, earlier than I begin with one thing, I guarantee that I do know what I can anticipate. So then usually you are not stunned that a lot. The constructive factor is that individuals all the time discuss 9 out of ten at this second, however we additionally performed preseason and we had some excellent outcomes over there as nicely.

“So, it did not come as a shock for me that we began the season that nicely. The one factor that stunned me was I used to be a bit, I would not say careworn, however a bit like, OK, with all these gamers coming in that late, will we get off to a superb begin? How match are they after they come again? We made the choice that almost all of them have been two and a half weeks to 3 weeks off, after which beginning collectively two weeks earlier than the season begin, that was a bit, hmm, let’s wait and see. However it paid off fairly nicely.”

So, is the largest problem, or the largest change, the off-field stuff? I noticed you probably did an interview the place you have been speaking about talking a unique language all day, every single day. You understand how to educate a soccer staff – you would not be sat right here in the event you did not. So, is it these off-field bits which might be the largest change for you?

“Yeah, for me off-field is the largest change. The primary time that I reside overseas is the primary time that I reside individually from my household, from my youngsters and my spouse.”

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And that is powerful, proper?

“That is not the perfect world. You’d adore it to be totally different than that. However the good factor is that I am on this constructing rather a lot. We work rather a lot. So there’s not lots of time to sit down at house and really feel like I am alone.

“We’re both going away to a Champions League recreation or making ready for the following one. So that’s totally different. However yeah, the primary days, all new faces. As a result of in the event you go in the identical nation to a brand new membership, then you understand the physio or all these employees members. their faces and generally you understand their names. Generally you even work with them earlier than, in the event you change to a different membership. Now going to a unique nation, the whole lot is new. After which talking English the entire day, that does get some vitality out of you. This mix of recent faces, new membership, new league.”

Do you suppose in English but?

“Generally, generally I rely in my head in English. However no, principally I feel in Dutch. However the good factor for me was that at my former membership, Feyenoord, we additionally had lots of overseas gamers. So the entire conferences, so the soccer discuss was already rather a lot in English. So, speaking about soccer isn’t that troublesome for me.

“However speaking a few regular life, then generally you need to dig actually deep to give you the proper phrases. When you’ve got a standard dialog throughout lunch or throughout breakfast.”

When it comes to your loved ones, are you seeking to transfer them over? Are your children at ages the place you suppose, no, they should keep in class, stuff like that?

“I feel it will depend on the way it will work out this yr. Each of them are doing their exams. So, it was inconceivable for them to return. I would not say inconceivable, however that would not be the proper option to convey them over. And let’s have a look at the way it works out this yr for them, for me, and see how we are going to do issues subsequent yr. However to begin with, now we have to maintain on successful for me to maintain this job!”

One factor that is actually struck me listening to different interviews you’ve got carried out, you appear actually comfy with the success that is come earlier than. Premier League historical past tells us that following an awesome supervisor, and let’s be sincere, that is what Jurgen Klopp was for this membership, is not straightforward. However you appear to type of put on the stress if there’s stress. You appear to put on that fairly comfortably.

“I feel I do, yeah, however that has rather a lot to do with how a lot I belief the gamers that I took over from him as nicely. So, I wasn’t stunned as a result of I noticed lots of video games of them and I noticed lots of coaching periods as nicely. So, I knew the standard they’d. And the one factor I’ve affect on is working with them and making ready them in the very best approach.

“And that is what me and my employees attempt to do. After which if the sport begins, you possibly can modify a bit, however it additionally will depend on how nicely you probably did your work earlier than and the way a lot high quality your gamers have. And now we have lots of high quality.

“So, yeah, you then go in with lots of confidence into the sport. Should you put together nicely, if in case you have high quality, then the traditional consequence is lots of wins at a membership like Liverpool.”

I really feel like possibly a much less skilled coach, or not even simply in soccer administration really, a much less skilled chief goes in, desires to stamp their authority, change this – however I’ve seen a great deal of bits the place you’ve got stated: ‘the tradition’s good, the foundations are good.’ I feel you seemed again at a few of Jurgen Klopp’s coaching. I really feel like you need to be comfy in your personal pores and skin to make use of the great issues. Does that make sense?

“Yeah, possibly you need to. However I feel it could be a very unusual choice additionally if this membership had been so profitable with Jurgen and so many gamers are nonetheless there, then to vary the whole lot. I do not suppose that will work out rather well.

“So, you simply preserve the issues that you just like rather a lot and implement just a few concepts that you’ve your self as nicely. However we have got skilled gamers who’re used to a sure approach of working. After which it is generally additionally refreshing to vary one or two issues, however it could be silly to vary the whole lot the place they have been profitable with.”

When it comes to the issues you’ve gotten modified, you probably did an interview with Jamie Carragher the place you talked about simply rebalancing the risk-reward a bit bit, not all the time taking part in the troublesome ball. Do you suppose the gamers are adjusting to that little change?

“Generally higher than in different moments. However that may all the time be the state of affairs. You’ll by no means attain perfection. We’re aiming for it, however we are going to by no means attain it. So generally a participant sees an opportunity, feels that that’s the second to play the troublesome ball. And if it occurs, I am the primary one to say, nicely carried out. But when it would not, you see me on the line like, why does he make this troublesome selection? It stays a recreation for the gamers. And as a lot as they will, they need to make the proper selections and the very best executions.

“However I feel they cope fairly nicely, particularly if I have a look at the sport in opposition to Ipswich, the place I feel we dominated possession and we managed the sport rather well by possession. However then the following factor is to create extra possibilities if in case you have the ball a lot. We had just a few, however for my part, not sufficient.

“So once more, we do not attain perfection, however we’re distant from perfection in the mean time.”

The aim of the additional components, is that just about defensive? It means you give away fewer transitions and if and while you do give it away, you are in higher form to defend the transition. Is that the considering behind it?

“Yeah, however greater than that, I feel it is also about in the event you needed to run rather a lot to get better the ball, to get the ball again, after which in the event you lose it, instantly afterwards, I see gamers from my staff with their head down considering, s**t, now we have to defend once more, now we have to run once more.

“However the different staff will get lots of confidence as a result of they instantly have the ball again once more. So, it isn’t solely this further move that possibly offers you a greater relaxation defence, soccer can also be a psychological recreation. And if in case you have the ball rather a lot, you are feeling extra comfy, you are feeling higher.

“So, yeah, if this move after transition instantly results in an opportunity and the followers are loud, that additionally offers you the proper vitality, psychological vitality. However in the event you select a troublesome ball with out, so lots of danger, with out lots of reward, if it finds your team-mate, then I feel one other selection would have been higher.”

Lastly, I needed to ask you about a few people. You, within the final couple of days, watched various clips of Ryan Gravenberch, and it appears apparent with how constant he’s in possession, how nicely he breaks up play, that he’d be a superb No 6.

I feel he did it a bit at Ajax, however you are the man who’s given him an everyday run at six. So what did you see that different folks did not?

“He’s very comfy with the ball, and I feel that is what all people noticed, however not each supervisor. So, it is a bit of a selection. You possibly can convey a No 6 in that is solely actually good with out the ball – exhausting tackles and sliding – which each fan loves, and lots of pundits love as nicely.

“Otherwise you look extra at what can he convey for us if now we have the ball, and I feel he may help us rather a lot with the ball. And he has a superb deal with, however he is not a… The place would you evaluate him? He isn’t an N’Golo Kante, he is a Declan Rice, no matter you need to give you. However he’s an excellent runner, so he has lengthy legs, he can carry on operating, closing down traces. Is that the way in which to say it?

“So, he’s not the everyday No 6 that’s making sliding tackles of three or 4 or 5 metres, which lots of followers additionally wish to see. However in the event you play in a possession-based staff, which he does, it is rather a lot about preserving the ball, making the proper selections if in case you have the ball, and bringing the ball from the final line in the direction of the forwards. It is only a little bit of the way you have a look at a participant.

“However in the long run, he additionally stunned me, not how comfy he’s with the ball, but additionally how trustable he’s with out the ball. And I feel that’s one thing he picked up actually quick, or which was possibly already inside him, however folks and me by no means noticed earlier than.”

And is Trent Alexander-Arnold, to select one other particular person, some of the distinctive gamers? Having that form of firepower that far again within the pitch?

“Speaking about danger and reward! And the alternatives he makes during which second, then he is one of many gamers that may make his selections generally higher, for my part. However to have a proper full-back that’s so particular with the ball, yeah, that is an additional high quality Liverpool had for therefore a few years, and I am fortunate sufficient to have that also, as a result of what number of full-backs create so many possibilities for his or her staff?

“So, he ought to preserve bringing this danger to his recreation and in some moments discover different choices as nicely. However I even have to handle, for my part, how nicely he is defending at Liverpool in the previous few video games we have performed

“So, I see a participant that’s bringing his recreation additional up, which was hardly attainable as a result of he was already that good, however I feel he nonetheless does, and that is a superb factor.”