Preview

May

2024

Atalanta’s rise back to European prominence

Gian Piero Gasperini’s Atalanta take on the unbeaten Bayer Leverkusen in the Europa League Final and it is clear that La Dea are once again, back to European prominence after some years away.

By Kaustubh Pandey

For many, the 2023/24 season would be Atalanta’s best season under Gian Piero Gasperini. With the side having returned to the Champions League, they also made it to the final of the Coppa Italia, and they created history by reaching the club’s first European final (tonight!). Arguably, this season has allowed them more chances at winning silverware than any other season in recent memory.

While the Coppa Italia final loss to Max Allegri’s Juventus was quite disappointing, they have another chance at creating history and winning silverware this week. Besides, context is also vital, especially when it comes to La Dea’s identity and recent history.

Atalanta are no strangers to losing players constantly and that is exactly what happened last summer and beyond. Rasmus Højlund, who was catching fire, left for Manchester United and Duván Zapata, who had become a fans’ favourite at Bergamo, departed for Torino late in the window. Later in January, Luis Muriel also left for the MLS and Jeremie Boga had also departed for Ligue 1 in the summer. The Bergamo-based club had to simply reform an attack with the resources they had and the players they were able to sign.

Having said that, Atalanta are no strangers to this process. The club’s strong identity in playing style, tactical approach, and recruitment has made them one of the more prominent European faces from Italy. That sense of identity is something multiple Italian sides have struggled for and while Inter have started to create one, Milan, Napoli and Juventus have failed to have a consistent one. That is where Atalanta flourish and that makes them a very sustainable club. This time around too, La Dea’s recruitment helped them come through a difficult transition.

Charles de Ketelaere, who had suffered a terrible first season at Milan, was roped in on an initial loan deal. Gianluca Scamacca was signed from West Ham after a frustrating and injury-laden spell at West Ham, as Atalanta beat Inter to his signature. Teun Koopmeiners, who had played a much deeper role last season, has been used in the final third and that transition has brought the best out of the Dutchman.

Koopmeiners has shown himself to be a multifaceted force in the middle of the park, showing that he has a keen eye for a pass and even has the ability to dictate play in midfield when dropping deep. He has 12 goals and five assists and it is largely his range of abilities that have caught attention from the likes of Juventus and Liverpool.

While Scamacca and De Ketelaere have witnessed impressive resurgences and have scored a total of 21 goals in the Serie A combined, the Italian’s performance against Liverpool at Anfield caught the eyes of many. While De Ketelaere thrives on taking defenders on and acting as a fox in the box, Scamacca is more of a complete centre-forward. The ex-Sassuolo man has a delightful touch on him, holds up the ball really well, and can also supply the final ball.

At the same time, Brazilian midfielder Ederson has gone up a level and he too, has thrived in a dual role in the heart of the park.

The 24-year-old has six goals but he acts as the crucial link between midfield and attack and that is why he ranks 69 percentile for defensive actions. He has more than effectively replaced Remo Freuler, who departed for Nottingham Forest in the summer of 2022 and is now thriving at Bologna himself.

Ederson – like Koopmeiners, has been linked with Premier League clubs and he is another accurate example of how La Dea operate. He had joined from Salernitana in the summer of 2022 and they seem set to make a profit on the Brazilian.

Another exit from Atalanta in 2023 was that of Merih Demiral, who headed to Saudi Arabia. While it took Atalanta six months to replace him, they seem to have done that perfectly. Centre-back Isak Hien arrived from Verona in January even though Atalanta tried to sign him in the summer until attempts failed. The Swede cost only €9 million and has proved to be one of their best players in the second half of the season.

It wasn’t just a signing made for the sake of it. That isn’t just because he was trailed by Gasperini for months before he was signed, but because he suits the high line setup perfectly.

Like Demiral, Hien has a very good turn of pace during recoveries and boasts a very good reading of the game, helping him be one of the best defenders in the Serie A. He is proactive and also offers good upside on the ball. It is the sort of move one would expect the Bergamischi to make – one that is cheap, suits Gasperini’s approach, and is young enough to generate a future profit.

In a way, it is Atalanta’s consistent playing style which is key to their identity. After all, multiple Italian clubs recruit well owing to the financial constraints upon them. But none of them have a tactical identity which defines them and Gasperini’s constant presence at the Gewiss Stadium has helped in that for Atalanta.

On Wednesday, they come against a side that is arguably the most fearsome in Europe right now and regardless of what Atalanta’s context is, it would be their biggest challenge of the season.

At the same time, it would be another test of whether Atalanta can adapt to situations when it truly matters. The performance against Juve in the Coppa Italia final was rather drab and they created nothing of note, which is quite rare. That makes the Europa League final in Dublin an even bigger test for Gasperini, who is rooted in his ways and there have always been question marks about whether he can adapt when it is truly needed.

Xabi Alonso’s Leverkusen have shown that they adapt – constantly. That makes the task even more complex for Atalanta, who could yet bid farewell to Gasperini in the summer. But with Atalanta, there is always this assurance that they will respond and they will always come back and their identity will always allow them to do just that, even if they suffer another Cup final defeat.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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May

2024

Bayer Leverkusen stand on the edge of history

In football, ‘Unprecedented’ has become a synonym for things that are, well, prececented. Not everything is remarkable, but every now and again, a team or a manager come along and change everything. That’s exactly what Bayer Leverkusen and Xabi Alonso have done.

By Alex Roberts

Not since the unification of Germany has a club gone an entire Bundesliga campaign unbeaten, not even the great Bayern Munich sides of yore, led by Franz Beckenbauer and Gerd Müller.

This season was meant to be the same. Munich would win the title at a canter, with all opponents rolling over to show plump underbellies, ready to be torn open by Leroy Sané, Jamal Musiala, and new star man Harry Kane.

No one could have predicted what Leverkusen were going to do. Instead of rolling over they bore their teeth and Bayern shirked away, tails between their legs squealing, falling into third place as Stuttgart took their advantage.

On Saturday, May 18^th, the referee blew his whistle and Bayer Leverkusen’s invincible season was confirmed, beating Augsburg 2-1. The stadium rightfully erupted. They had just won their first ever Bundesliga title without losing a single game.

For football fans across the globe, it’s hard to imagine it getting any better than that. Surely this is the pinnacle? How could this ever be topped? Well, with 51 games and zero defeats, Leverkusen are on the precipice of something truly unprecedented… an unbeaten treble.

The last club to get close was Louis van Gaal’s Ajax in 1994/95, winning the Eredivisie and Champions League unbeaten but ultimately failing after getting knocked out by rivals Feyenoord in the KNVB Cup quarter final.

Many beers will have been sunk after the win against Augsburg by fans, players, and staff alike, now they need to shake off any lingering hangovers and get their game faces back on. Atalanta await in tonight’s Europa League final, and then there’s the DFB Pokal final against Kaiserslautern on Saturday.

It was in the DFB Pokal, Germany’s biggest cup competition, that the run started. All the way back in August, Leverkusen beat Regionalliga North side Teutonia Ottensen 8-0 in the first game of the season. It’s fair to say they haven’t looked back since.

Throughout their European campaign, Leverkusen have had the luck of the draw. In the group stage, they were tied against Azerbaijani side Qarabağ, Norwegian club Molde, and Sweden’s BK Häcken. All huge clubs domestically, but minnows compared to the likes of Leverkusen.

It was up them to make sure they didn’t screw it up, so, in stereotypical German fashion, Leverkusen efficiently dispatched each of their group-stage opponents, winning every single game.

Tactically, Alonso initially strayed from his preferred 3-4-2-1 formation, but the principles remained the same. Fullbacks/wingbacks would provide attacking options while central midfielders would drop back to help defenders deal with opposition counterattacks.

Domination allowed for rotation, and Alonso was able to give minutes to less regular players like Amine Adli and Adam Hložek. Adli was player of the match in their first game against Häcken, scoring once and later assisting Victor Boniface. Hložek would also repay his manager’s faith with a stellar performance in the 5-1 dismantling of Molde, scoring twice.

With the group stage all tied up in a neat little bow, Alonso and co could turn their attention back to matters at home. In the cup, things were looking a little dicey in the second round against Sandhausen. After taking the lead twice, Leverkusen finally got the win after three late goals from Hložek and Adli, winning 5-2.

SC Paderborn’s Sebastian Klaas made things a little tense in the round-of-16 tie when he made the score 2-1 in the 83^rd minute, but Patrik Schick would score five minutes later to ease any undue stress.

Late goals would become a running theme throughout Leverkusen’s season and big centre-back, Jonathan Tah’s 90^th minute header was one of the most important. In the last minute of normal time, Leverkusen’s corner was cleared away before the ball dropped to Florian Wirtz. The 21-year-old looked up and saw Tah making a run before expertly picking him out. Tah couldn’t miss, and Leverkusen were in the semis.

Qualifying top of their Europa League group meant Die Werkself avoided having to play in the knock-out round play-offs. A round in which each second placed side would face third place Champions League teams to find out which is worthy to progress to the round-of-16.

Funnily enough, Leverkusen would end up drawing a side in the last 16 that they had seen off in the group stage, Qarabağ. The Azerbaijanis were back, and they wanted revenge.

The first leg was in Baku, and Qarabağ were determined to make up for their previous embarrassment. The home side were finally rewarded for their electrifying start in the 25^th minute, Algerian playmaker, Yassine Benzia opening the scoring with an emphatic finish.

Just before half-time, Qarabağ doubled their lead. Patrick Andrade’s delightful through ball found Juninho who bounced the ball over Matěj Kovář in the Leverkusen goal before rolling it into an open net.

Qarabağ’s incredible first-half display was frustratingly undermined on the 69^th minute as an errant back pass found Wirtz through on goal. The playmaker lobbed the ball over the goalkeeper and Leverkusen were back in it.

Wave after wave of Leverkusen attacks crashed upon Qarabağ’s shores. All of a sudden, the game had done a 180, an equaliser felt inevitable. It finally came on the 91^st minute after Schick nodded home a cross from Robert Andrich. It ended 2-2, the tie still in the balance.

In the group stage, Leverkusen beat Qarabağ 5-1 at the BayArena. It was one of their more convincing victories of the season. This time, it would be anything but.

The first half came and went, neither side had any real chances to take the lead and grab the tie by the scruff of the neck. All the drama came in the second. Qarabağ silenced the home fans on the 58^th minute, Abdellah Zoubir beating Jeremie Frimpong at the back-post to score an easy header.

Frimpong was through on goal before Elvin Cafarguliyev brought him down. Referee Anthony Taylor initially gave a yellow card, but VAR intervened, and it was changed to a red.

It looked like Qarabağ had shot themselves in the foot once again but four minutes after the red card, they doubled their lead. Juninho, the man who scored a lovely goal in the previous game snuck in front of his marker and scored from close range.

Leverkusen looked shell shocked, but they didn’t give up. Frimpong made up for his previous mistake, scoring an excellent volley on the 72^nd minute to bring them back into the game.

The minutes ticked by, Leverkusen were all but out until Schick popped up to once again break Qarabağ hearts. The Czech forward was in the right place at the right time to meet Álex Grimaldo’s cross, equalising at the near post.

The home side smelled blood in the water. Qarabağ were there for the taking and Schick was circling them like a shark. Finally, on the 98^th minute, he made the killing blow. This time Exequiel Palacios was the provider, whipping it in for Schick to nod in. Leverkusen had snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.

By the time Leverkusen were due to play West Ham in the quarter finals, they had reached the final of the DFB Pokal. Fortuna Düsseldorf provided little opposition as they were beaten 4-0 thanks to goals from Frimpong, Adli, and two from Wirtz. Alonso and his side had reached their first final of the season.

When we said late goals were a running theme throughout Leverkusen’s season, we meant it. The first game against West Ham looked like it was heading for a goalless draw up until the 83^rd minute when Jonas Hofmann finally broke the deadlock with a volley from a corner.

Leverkusen were peppering West Ham’s goal from set pieces; it was only a matter of time until they doubled their lead. Finally, Victor Boniface scored a header to give his side one foot in the semis.

Michail Antonio scored in the 13^th minute of the second leg to set up an anxious match, but West Ham couldn’t capitalise and Frimpong eventually equalised on the 89^th minute.

Roma away in the first leg of the semi-finals was, on paper, Leverkusen’s hardest match of their Europa League campaign. Rejuvenated under Daniele De Rossi, I Giallorossi had turned their season around after a poor start with José Mourinho at the helm.

Both sides had their chances, Romelu Lukaku struck the crossbar with a header two minutes before Frimpong hit the side netting after a rapid counterattack. Two minutes after that, Wirtz had the ball in the back of the net following some calamitous defending from the home side.

Half time passed with Leverkusen still leading 1-0. The second half was much like the first, each side had their chances, but the visitors were the only ones taking them. Robert Andrich made it 2-0 on the 73^rd minute with a thunderbolt from outside the box. Advantage Leverkusen.

Two Roma penalties in the first and second halves of the home leg, both scored by Leandro Parades, made the tie level on aggregate. Once again, Leverkusen left it late to secure their spot in the next round.

Mile Svilar in the Roma goal was having a great game up until the 82^nd minute. The goalkeeper was left flapping at a Leverkusen corner before it bounced off Gianluca Mancini and into the back of his own net.

As it stood, Leverkusen were heading to the final, then, in the 97^th minute, they made it certain. Josip Stanišić cut inside from the right-wing and slotted the ball in.

Before this season, Bayer Leverkusen had only won two major trophies in their history. Now, they might win three, all without losing a game. When it rains, it pours.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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May

2024

Why winning the Coppa Italia would only paper over the cracks at Juventus

As Juventus get ready to play in Wednesday night’s Coppa Italia Final and attempt, finally, to win some silverware in Max Allegri’s second spell at the club, there is an overriding feeling of pessimism amongst supporters. And rightly so, even winning the Coppa Italia should not change Allegri’s fate at the club.

By Kaustubh Pandey

2024 has been fairly disastrous for the Bianconeri. Even though January began with their 6-1 win over Salernitana in an earlier round of the Coppa, February was exactly when things simply fell off a cliff. They have, as a result, gone from being title hopefuls to a side that could yet finish fifth in the league even though Champions League qualification has already been secured.

In their last 19 games in all competitions, Juve have won only five times and this run stretches back to January, when they had beaten relegation threatened Sassuolo. In the very next game, they managed to beat Lecce, another side who’s top flight status is not safe by any means. The recent draw against Salernitana, who have already been relegated, was perhaps the tip of the iceberg and Juve were minutes away from handing the Granata their first win of 2024.

Another frustrating feature of the season is the fact that Allegri, even when the title race was well and truly on, constantly admitted that the Old Lady were simply in a battle for the Champions League spots. If not for Italy getting an extra spot for the competition, as part of UEFA’s expansion plans, Juve would now likely be struggling to qualify via the usual route.

And their position in the table is perhaps well deserved too. With Milan having recovered in time for the second half of the season and Bologna riding their momentum under Thiago Motta, Juve seem like a spent force – especially in attack. And the numbers show that, bringing the constant criticism of Allegri’s defensive approach back to the forefront of people’s minds.

While they have conceded the lowest amount of xG in the season (28.3) and they have conceded exactly 28 goals, Juve are fourth for xG generated and it perhaps suggests that they are – as Allegri would like, defence first.

That thought is further accentuated by the fact that they aren’t possession-focused at all. And strikingly enough, they are 12th in the table for average possession in the league and they are worse than Frosinone in that regard and little better than Lecce and Verona.

The fact that they are fifth for touches in the opposition’s box (893) shows that while they don’t like to keep possession, they are fairly direct in getting the ball forward in the final third. Allegri is known for that approach, which is more about the end result than the process.

While there is nothing fundamentally wrong with that way of playing football, there is a constant question about whether a system like that is even suiting the players that Juve currently have in their squad. And the answer to that question is no. Not only is it detrimental to the current players, it would also run the risk of hindering the development of Juve’s famed Next Gen players.

Manuel Locatelli was one of the most technically proficient midfielders in Italy before he moved to Juve. But his development has been stifled. The promise surrounding Fabio Miretti has also faded, with the Italian linked with potential exits from Turin. Matias Soule couldn’t quite make a mark under Allegri last season but he is thriving at Frosinone and has been linked with moves to the Premier League and even tonight’s opponents, Atalanta.

Most prominently, Federico Chiesa has cut a frustrating figure. He has often had to play wing-back in the 3-5-2 shape, thereby impacting his overall contribution.

While he is taking close to three shots per 90 minutes, the Italian hasn’t taken a single shot from inside the six-yard box. Despite that, he has managed to overperform on his xG by a decent margin.

On top of that, there is talk in the Italian media that the relationship between Allegri and Chiesa is deteriorating, leading to major question marks about the ex-Fiorentina star’s future at the club.

Adrien Rabiot had become a symbol of the club last season but his performances have dipped again this year and so has his output in terms of goals and assists. One of his most important traits was to get in the final third and make things happen, but the direct approach this season impacted his numbers too.

It isn’t to say that Rabiot has been bad, but the fact that one of Allegri’s most trusted players has had a dip says everything about the situation. And perhaps, it points towards the fact that the experiment should end.

While Dušan Vlahović has scored 16 league goals this season, he has still come across as a frustrated figure. There are spells across the season when the Serbian hasn’t scored and the ongoing spell is a clear example of that, with the striker having failed to score in any of his last four games.

While he has adapted from playing in a very attacking system at Fiorentina to playing in a more pragmatic system under Allegri, there remains a feeling that Vlahović would be scoring more under a different manager.

There is a chance that Juve do win the Coppa Italia this evening and the aforementioned players go on to have an excellent outing against La Dea. But it is vital to remember that Allegri has always been very good at one-off knockout games. That will not change how the league has panned out and 90 minutes should never be enough to alter the whole perception of the Italian and his approach.

It is fair to say that Allegri helped Juve transition away from a difficult period and without the points deduction, they would have been in the Champions League this season. And Allegri deserves credit for how he handled a complex situation and perhaps, history will be kind to him for making the most out of limited resources. But the club needs something fresh and that can’t be denied either.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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May

2024

Preview: Spurs stand in the way of Manchester City’s title bid

At the very summit of the Premier League, the air is becoming increasingly rarefied. Arsenal cling onto top place by their fingernails, but every time they glance over their shoulders, there in the distance is the lumbering silhouette of Manchester City, relentlessly and mercilessly lumbering towards them.

By Ian King

And some way behind them are Spurs, trying to cough and splutter their way to a Champions League place that it barely feels would have been merited by the tail-off to a season which had begun more promisingly than most had expected.

The mathematics of it are fairly straightforward. A Manchester City win puts them two clear of Arsenal at the top of the Premier League table with one to play. A Spurs win leaves everybody where they are, with a small upward nudge for Arsenal’s goal difference and Pep Guardiola needing a hand from Sean Dyche – Everton would have to take something from The Emirates Stadium for City to have any chance whatsoever of lifting the title on Sunday.

A draw at The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium would probably be the most fascinating result of all from the perspective of the title chase itself. It would leave Arsenal top on goal difference so, with Arsenal playing Everton and Manchester City playing West Ham, there would be a straightforward goal chase for the title, with City needing to win by three goals more than Arsenal to sneak it at the very last.

Meanwhile, there is something fundamentally Tottenham-esque about Spurs’ season coming down to a match that they can’t win. This all might have been rendered irrelevant had Aston Villa beaten Liverpool at Villa Park on Tuesday night, but they didn’t. That 3-3 draw leaves Villa needing a draw at in-form Crystal Palace on Sunday to get fourth, unless Spurs can put eight past Sheffield United.

Spurs have been playing their last dozen matches of the season looking as though they’d rather already be on their summer holidays. The great Arsenal debate has, to a point, served as a useful diversion from some pretty wretched football. Their 2-1 win against Burnley last Saturday was punctuated by the same sort of strangely stodgy yet skittish fare that had been so ruthlessly punished by their previous four opponents. Questions have been asked about whether they can really run on vibes alone. Rebuilding work is required.

And of course, the argument over whether Spurs should beat Manchester City or not overlooks a couple of key questions, the most relevant of which is probably whether they can. City arrive in North London having won seven in a row since their goalless draw with Arsenal at the end of March. They’ve only dropped six points from the 21 Premier League games that they’ve played since their last Premier League defeat, at Aston Villa on the 6th December, a little over five months ago.

Over the course of those seven straight wins they’ve scored 28 goals; only once scoring less than their average of four per game over this run, a 2-0 win at Brighton. When people talk about Manchester City clicking into that mindset that makes them appear like a gold-plated steamroller, this is precisely what they mean.

Spurs don’t even have the comfort of holding a hex over them any more. City have won their last two matches against them now, which included a first win against them at The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in knocking them out of the FA Cup in January.

Against Wolves the Saturday before last, their Vigo the Carpathian-Terminator crossbreed Erling Haaland scored four times and still found the time to get in a huff with Pep when he was hauled off, presumably to allow his batteries to recharge ahead of the trying couple of weeks ahead.

On top of all this in the Premier League, City also have an FA Cup Final to prepare for against Manchester United, not that you’d realise from the amount of sweat they haven’t been expending in their matches over the last few weeks. And that, perhaps, is the key to their title run-in. That serenity, that easy glide towards another league title, has become something of a trademark.

When you stop to consider the chaotic way in which their first title of this oil-gilded era was won, in 2012, the contrast is massive. It’s possible that there will be some degree of drama this weekend, regardless of tonight’s result in North London. The broadcasters will certainly present it that way. But it’s difficult to imagine the same sort of reaction that greeted Agueroooooo’s winning goal against Queen’s Park Rangers twelve years ago.

Even two years ago, with the press hollering themselves hoarse with excitement over the conclusion of the race between City and Liverpool, even when City went 2-0 down at home to Aston Villa with twenty minutes of the season left to play and the door was nudged just open… they closed it again with ruthless efficiency. Three goals in six minutes, and that was that. Had you forgotten that had happened too?

Therein lies the key to Manchester City. Moving machine parts can be beautiful to watch, and there’s a simple elegance to the way that City play as a team that can be beguiling to watch at times. But they’re still a machine, and even the best-running of machines can malfunction. That this is the case remains Arsenal’s best chance of winning the Premier League, for now.

(Images from IMAGO)

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May

2024

Arne Slot may not be Jurgen Klopp’s perfect successor – but Liverpool desperately need his reset button????

While there are question marks over Arne Slot’s credentials as he prepares to take over from Jürgen Klopp, the need for fresh energy cannot be more apparent.

By Jack Lusby, ThisIsAnfield.com

Whoever fills Jürgen Klopp’s shoes will face an almost-impossible job, with the charismatic German embodying the Reds on and off the pitch throughout his nine-year tenure.

Liverpool have become Klopp’s club. He was uniquely qualified for the position back in 2015, and the role has been moulded in his image in the years since. A man who represents not only the values of Liverpool FC, but also Liverpool as a city and a people.

Put simply, Klopp gets what it means to be part of the club – and he has embraced that.

Not only that, but he is of course one of the finest managers in world football. A purveyor of a relentless, attractive style of play that has endeared him to supporters and neutrals alike. It is not lip service when Pep Guardiola describes him as “the best rival I ever had in my life.”

It has been remarked that whoever replaces Klopp will need cajones.

They would need not only the skills, but also the stature to lead a club the size and expectation of Liverpool – but as has been made patently clear since Klopp’s resignation became public, the key attribute required is energy.

There should be no surprise, then, that those considered for the role have all been young, hungry managers with more to prove.

Xabi Alonso was arguably the perfect candidate, but he has since committed himself to Bayer Leverkusen. That has left Liverpool to reassess the situation at boardroom level, with a number of options across the Premier League and beyond mentioned as possible successors.

The collective will of supporters and journalists alike positioned Sporting CP manager Rúben Amorim as the most viable alternative – a must-hire, even – but the news that he instead held talks with West Ham laid clear the reality facing Liverpool.

With the likes of Brighton’s Roberto De Zerbi, Wolves’ Gary O’Neil and Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola all linked with the job, there was a growing sense that the perfect appointment is not currently out there, and that Liverpool were erring closer to the territory they found themselves in when Brendan Rodgers was hired from Swansea in 2012.

That is, that the candidates on Liverpool’s shortlist seemed more suited to becoming the next Brighton manager, rather than leading the Reds out at Anfield.

Feyenoord’s Arne Slot, who is now poised to take over at the end of the season, would arguably fit that description; the 45-year-old has similar credentials to Amorim, as a title-winner outside of Europe’s top five leagues, but there are understandable concerns over whether he can step up.

Those within Liverpool’s boardroom clearly believe he is capable, with Slot impressing both in the data and in interviews with club hierarchy – which will include Fenway Sport Group’s CEO of football Michael Edwards.

His success with Feyenoord – winning the Eredivisie in his second season in charge and, as they settle into second place to earn a Champions League spot, lifting the KNVB Cup this time around – underpins that.

Slot appears capable of outperforming his resources, with Feyenoord a club whose record signing remains centre-back Dávid Hancko, who joined from Sparta Prague in 2022 for just €8.3 million. He has formed a cohesive unit with a defined style of play; intense, attractive, attacking football but perhaps with more control and conservatism than Klopp’s heavy metal.

But while he did reach the Europa Conference League final in 2022 – losing 1-0 to AS Roma – there remain question marks over how transferrable his skills will be to life at Liverpool, largely due to his entire career being spent in the Netherlands.

It is safe to label it a calculated risk by Edwards, who is supported by FSG president Mike Gordon, chief executive Billy Hogan, director of research Williams Spearman, sporting director Richard Hughes and assistant sporting director David Woodfine in a data-led recruitment process.

Whether or not Slot has the immediate gravitas to step into Klopp’s shoes, the events of the past month or so have shown that Liverpool is a club in need of a hard reset.

Any manager who holds the same job for almost a decade may struggle with the sense that his work is becoming stale, and losses to Manchester United, Atalanta, Crystal Palace and Everton highlight the ongoing flaws within the Liverpool squad.

Where before Klopp’s aura could drag the players through difficult times, the acceptance that he no longer has the fight, or even the willpower, to continue to do so has led to a desperate, complacent end to the campaign.

Off the pitch, Liverpool appear to be lacking ideas; on it, they are clearly lacking a cutting edge, with a misfiring attack one of their biggest concerns in this recent run of awful form.

Perhaps a summer of change will serve as the boost Liverpool need, allowing this season to be the building block it was initially viewed as before pre-season began – the belief in a title challenge, let alone a quadruple, only truly picked up steam upon the news of Klopp’s plan to leave.

A new manager, with new ideas and new methods, could be exactly what the Reds are asking for – it is the positive to cling to amid a poor stretch, when even finishing in the top four is not yet guaranteed.

(Cover Image from IMAGO)

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May

2024

Arne Slot may not be Jurgen Klopp’s perfect successor – but Liverpool desperately need his reset button???

While there are question marks over Arne Slot’s credentials as he prepares to take over from Jürgen Klopp, the need for fresh energy cannot be more apparent.

By Jack Lusby, ThisIsAnfield.com

Whoever fills Jürgen Klopp’s shoes will face an almost-impossible job, with the charismatic German embodying the Reds on and off the pitch throughout his nine-year tenure.

Put simply, Klopp gets what it means to be part of the club – and he has embraced that.

It has been remarked that whoever replaces Klopp will need cajones.

There should be no surprise, then, that those considered for the role have all been young, hungry managers with more to prove.

That is, that the candidates on Liverpool’s shortlist seemed more suited to becoming the next Brighton manager, rather than leading the Reds out at Anfield.

Whether or not Slot has the immediate gravitas to step into Klopp’s shoes, the events of the past month or so have shown that Liverpool is a club in need of a hard reset.

Off the pitch, Liverpool appear to be lacking ideas; on it, they are clearly lacking a cutting edge, with a misfiring attack one of their biggest concerns in this recent run of awful form.

(Cover Image from IMAGO)

To keep up to date with everything Liverpool, make sure you click follow on the team profile in the FotMob app. Download the free app here.

May

2024

Arne Slot may not be Jurgen Klopp’s perfect successor – but Liverpool desperately need his reset button??

While there are question marks over Arne Slot’s credentials as he prepares to take over from Jürgen Klopp, the need for fresh energy cannot be more apparent.

By Jack Lusby, ThisIsAnfield.com

Whoever fills Jürgen Klopp’s shoes will face an almost-impossible job, with the charismatic German embodying the Reds on and off the pitch throughout his nine-year tenure.

Put simply, Klopp gets what it means to be part of the club – and he has embraced that.

It has been remarked that whoever replaces Klopp will need cajones.

There should be no surprise, then, that those considered for the role have all been young, hungry managers with more to prove.

That is, that the candidates on Liverpool’s shortlist seemed more suited to becoming the next Brighton manager, rather than leading the Reds out at Anfield.

Whether or not Slot has the immediate gravitas to step into Klopp’s shoes, the events of the past month or so have shown that Liverpool is a club in need of a hard reset.

Off the pitch, Liverpool appear to be lacking ideas; on it, they are clearly lacking a cutting edge, with a misfiring attack one of their biggest concerns in this recent run of awful form.

(Cover Image from IMAGO)

To keep up to date with everything Liverpool, make sure you click follow on the team profile in the FotMob app. Download the free app here.

May

2024

Arne Slot may not be Jurgen Klopp’s perfect successor – but Liverpool desperately need his reset button?

While there are question marks over Arne Slot’s credentials as he prepares to take over from Jürgen Klopp, the need for fresh energy cannot be more apparent.

By Jack Lusby, ThisIsAnfield.com

Whoever fills Jürgen Klopp’s shoes will face an almost-impossible job, with the charismatic German embodying the Reds on and off the pitch throughout his nine-year tenure.

Put simply, Klopp gets what it means to be part of the club – and he has embraced that.

It has been remarked that whoever replaces Klopp will need cajones.

There should be no surprise, then, that those considered for the role have all been young, hungry managers with more to prove.

That is, that the candidates on Liverpool’s shortlist seemed more suited to becoming the next Brighton manager, rather than leading the Reds out at Anfield.

Whether or not Slot has the immediate gravitas to step into Klopp’s shoes, the events of the past month or so have shown that Liverpool is a club in need of a hard reset.

Off the pitch, Liverpool appear to be lacking ideas; on it, they are clearly lacking a cutting edge, with a misfiring attack one of their biggest concerns in this recent run of awful form.

(Cover Image from IMAGO)

To keep up to date with everything Liverpool, make sure you click follow on the team profile in the FotMob app. Download the free app here.

Apr

2024

Arne Slot may not be Jurgen Klopp’s perfect successor – but Liverpool desperately need his reset button

While there are question marks over Arne Slot’s credentials as he prepares to take over from Jürgen Klopp, the need for fresh energy cannot be more apparent.

By Jack Lusby, ThisIsAnfield.com

Whoever fills Jürgen Klopp’s shoes will face an almost-impossible job, with the charismatic German embodying the Reds on and off the pitch throughout his nine-year tenure.

Put simply, Klopp gets what it means to be part of the club – and he has embraced that.

It has been remarked that whoever replaces Klopp will need cajones.

There should be no surprise, then, that those considered for the role have all been young, hungry managers with more to prove.

That is, that the candidates on Liverpool’s shortlist seemed more suited to becoming the next Brighton manager, rather than leading the Reds out at Anfield.

Whether or not Slot has the immediate gravitas to step into Klopp’s shoes, the events of the past month or so have shown that Liverpool is a club in need of a hard reset.

Off the pitch, Liverpool appear to be lacking ideas; on it, they are clearly lacking a cutting edge, with a misfiring attack one of their biggest concerns in this recent run of awful form.

(Cover Image from IMAGO)

To keep up to date with everything Liverpool, make sure you click follow on the team profile in the FotMob app. Download the free app here.