Liverpool are the Premier League champions and a defeat to Chelsea doesn’t change that but it may have provided hints on Arne Slot’s future plans.
With our head coach making six changes to the starting line-up before kick-off, this was always a chance for the fringe players to impress.
The most rotated position was midfield and with Enzo Maresca’s side certainly having the better of this area of the pitch, it wasn’t the perfect outcome for those who were given a chance to shine.
Speaking in his post-match press conference (via liverpoolfc.com), our head coach was asked whether the Reds missed the presence of Dominik Szoboszlai and his pressing ability, to which he responded:
“It is never about one player. One of the qualities Dom definitely has is the intensity he presses with.
“You can come up with all the tactics in the world, but it is always the intensity of the press that makes the difference.
“It doesn’t matter what I come up with, but if we are intense it is so difficult to play through us.
“One of the qualities Dominik has is definitely the pressing part and that’s why he played so much this season as well.”
It’s certainly a compliment for our No.8, though perhaps not the best news for those who were given the chance to replace him.
Arne Slot missed Dominik Szoboszlai in his midfield
The main replacement for the Hungarian in the match at Stamford Bridge was Harvey Elliott, so these comments won’t be well received.
After publicly requesting more game time, and certainly not for the first time, our No.19 needed to make the most of this chance.
Despite not playing horrifically, it wasn’t a performance that will make his boss think that the boyhood Red has to play again soon.
With so many players being rotated, against a good side and all whilst everyone was aware that this was a meaningless game – it was always going to be hard for the England Under-21 international to shine.
Nevertheless, the 22-year-old will need to show more if he is to get more game time at the end of this season and going into the next one.
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