Why Liverpool Are Standing by Arne Slot After ‘Unacceptable’ Season—Are They Right?

Despite a disastrous second season in charge of Liverpool which has been brandished “unacceptable” by every associated with the Merseyside outfit, Arne Slot reportedly boasts the backing of the club’s owners amid growing calls for his dismissal.

Liverpool supporters have become increasingly frustrated throughout a dismal season. A non-existent Premier League title defense, early domestic cup exits and an unconvincing European campaign have been the source of fury, Slot unsurprisingly coming under fire as a result.

Pressure has intensified on the Dutchman throughout the season, but The Athletic report that Liverpool owners Fenway Sports Group (FSG) currently have no plans to part ways with Slot.

The 47-year-old’s position is considered safe—for now, at least—in large part due to delivering last season’s Premier League title, with significant credit in the bank. The club believe he deserves the chance to turn things around next term, and there are no signs the players have lost faith in him.

Mitigating factors for Liverpool’s poor season include the tragic death of Diogo Jota last summer, as well as an erratic transfer window that left a title-winning squad unbalanced and without key components following the departures of players like Luis Díaz and Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Former Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso is heralded as the club’s potential savior, with the former Bayer Leverkusen and Real Madrid manager currently on the market. If FSG’s position on Slot changes, the Spaniard will be among the leading candidates to succeed him.

Should Liverpool Stick With Arne Slot?

Slot’s main problem is not necessarily his side’s downturn in performances and results, or the failure to add further silverware to Liverpool’s trophy cabinet this season. The largest issue he must overcome is winning back the faith of supporters.

Rightly heralded for hoisting the Premier League title aloft in his first term in England and ensuring a seamless transition post-Jürgen Klopp, patience has run out among a core of Liverpool supporters sick of turgid performances and unacceptable results.

Liverpool have had no discernible identity this season. Passive defensively, outworked in the engine room and often too blunt in the final third, no part of Slot’s team has functioned to its potential. More alarmingly, many players have regressed such as Mohamed Salah, Alexis Mac Allister and Ibrahima Konaté, with Dominik Szoboszlai the only performer operating above last term’s standards.

There are few shoots of hope for Liverpool fans to cling onto, with the team bereft of confidence and ideas. It’s the same tepid, uninspiring soccer week on week, with Slot having been unable to remedy the club’s widespread issues.

Perhaps at another moment in time, Slot would deserve Liverpool’s backing for at least one more season. But with Alonso currently available—somebody with an intense connection to the club and one of the most impressive up-and-coming coaches around—the Reds might regret not changing tack, once again missing out on an opportunity to reunite with the 44-year-old.

Liverpool’s squad is now geared towards the Spaniard’s preferred 3-4-2-1 formation. Jeremie Frimpong and Florian Wirtz were even members of his Bundesliga-winning Leverkusen team. Liverpool lack natural wide players outside of two fullbacks better suited to be wingbacks, their narrow build may perhaps thrive in Alonso’s favored shape.

While changing manager is always a risk, it’s similarly hazardous to back Slot. The crisis could yet deepen, spilling into next season after another sizeable summer spend.

If Liverpool can woo Alonso, they absolutely should.

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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Why Liverpool Are Standing by Arne Slot After ‘Unacceptable’ Season—Are They Right?.

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