Arne Slot responded to claims defending Premier League champions Liverpool have lost some of their sparkle despite going on a nine-match unbeaten run
Arne Slot admits he cannot disagree with criticism over Liverpool’s style of play at present but is adamant the Reds can still enjoy a “special season”. The Premier League champions head to runaway leaders Arsenal on Thursday aiming to extend an unbeaten run that was stretched to nine games with the 2-2 top-flight draw at Fulham on Sunday.
Liverpool, though, have struggled to rediscover their free-flowing attacking form of last season with that sequence containing disappointing draws at home to Sunderland and Leeds United.
And while accepting his team are not creating sufficient chances, Slot believes there are caveats that must be taken into account.
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“I find it really hard to hear (that Liverpool are dull and boring) but it’s not that I would not completely disagree, I would use different words and I would take certain things into account,” said the Reds boss.
“I want to win as many trophies as I can but I think I am also known for the fact that my teams always try to play attacking football and can only say they’re trying to do so.
“But having a lot of ball possession, I’ve said many times, doesn’t mean you play attacking football… that does mean you try to play attacking football because you try to win the ball back as soon as you can and when you have it, you try to create something.
“We are struggling to create a lot of chances. But we are not the only team that struggles to create a lot of chances. I don’t think the number we create is that different to some other teams that are doing really well.
“One thing I would like is us winning a lot of games but also us playing an attractive style of football, which we have also done this season.
“We have to find a way against teams (who play) in not an attractive way, which is, of course, maybe even smart for them to do. We have to find answers to that and that’s we haven’t found enough yet but we are working on that every single day to improve that.
“It is nine games unbeaten but we have definitely had two draws too many.”
The improved results have moved Liverpool three points clear in fourth place ahead of the latest round of games, with the Reds strongly placed to qualify for the Champions League knockout stages and beginning their FA Cup campaign at home to League One side Barnsley in the third round on Monday.
“I’ve said so many times we aren’t where we want to be, but I feel we have a very talented squad,” said Slot. “If everyone’s available and ready, then I think we can do special things.
“There are so many times this club has shown when it didn’t have the greatest form in the league that they were able to win another trophy.
“We’ve shown that this season because we’ve got quite a lot of impressive wins, but we’ve also had unimpressive draws and losses. We haven’t had the consistency but we’ve already beaten some very good teams, so that tells you the talent is definitely there but the consistency isn’t.
“It will be another challenge for us with players being out but we have enough very good players available to go to Arsenal and make it a proper fight.”
