Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has provided an update on the club’s ongoing injury problems and confirmed that he does not plan to switch formations ahead of Sunday’s clash with West Ham United.
With the trip to London approaching, Slot’s approach has come under increasing scrutiny. The Dutch manager explained that a change in formation is not feasible, as the team lacks enough fit defenders to make such adjustments.
Liverpool are currently struggling for form, having lost nine of their last 12 matches across all competitions. The Premier League champions now sit 11 points behind leaders Arsenal, conceding 10 goals and scoring just once in their last three outings. This poor run has intensified calls from fans for Slot to rethink his tactics or make bolder team selections.
Some supporters have suggested adopting a wing-back system for added defensive stability, but Slot dismissed this idea. Both senior right-backs, Conor Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong, remain sidelined, while Giovanni Leoni is out for the season with a torn ACL. Joe Gomez recently received a knee injection, and Ibrahima Konaté missed training ahead of the 4–1 Champions League defeat to PSV Eindhoven.
Slot’s Comments
Asked about possible major changes, Slot told The Guardian:
“Are you asking whether I should make major changes? I don’t know what you have in mind, but if you’re thinking about a five-man defence, that won’t work. I don’t even have five defenders available. The system we’re using is the best for this squad. Most of these players have spent their entire careers playing this way, and with the limited time we have between matches, it’s almost impossible to completely switch our football philosophy. We’ve used many different lineups — not because we wanted to, but because players haven’t always been available. We’ve had to depend on everyone.”
Belief in the Squad’s Quality
Slot also stressed that Liverpool’s struggles are not unique. He pointed to Manchester City, who experienced a similar poor run last season before finishing third, as an example that a recovery is possible.
“I’ve mentioned several reasons for this run, and I could list five or six more, but none of them make the results any easier to accept,” he said. “Pep [Guardiola] would probably say the same. We had injuries last season as well. It’s not a new problem. It’s not as though everything went smoothly last year and suddenly we’re struggling because of injuries now. But City’s example is relevant — they have quality, and so do we. The only way out of this is for us as a team, and for me as a manager, to get the maximum out of the players again and return to winning matches. If we didn’t have quality, we’d be in real trouble. But we do — and now we must bring that quality back to the surface.”
