The development from Jurgen Klopp to Arne Slot‘s soccer has come as second nature for a lot of of Liverpool’s gamers. Harvey Elliott, nonetheless, is among the few who haven’t but reached their earlier heights beneath the brand new boss.
Liverpool have been near good for a lot of the 2024/25 season, however a draw in opposition to Man United and a Carabao Cup semi-final first-leg loss to Tottenham confirmed the primary indicators of issues that Slot should clear up.
As with every recreation when Liverpool dropped factors, the 1-0 defeat in north London generated debate about what may have been performed otherwise.
One significantly questioned choice was Slot’s alternative to depart Elliott on the bench regardless of the gamers on the pitch not producing clear-cut possibilities.
It appears affordable to ask why he wasn’t introduced on for Curtis Jones on Wednesday, because the starter didn’t create a single probability or produce a shot on purpose throughout the 90 minutes.
As a substitute, Trent Alexander-Arnold‘s second-half introduction turned the set off for Liverpool to threaten the hosts’ purpose extra frequently.
Even the No. 66’s affect and harmful crosses, although, weren’t sufficient to see the Reds rating on the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the place they netted six simply 18 days earlier.
Harvey Elliott’s lack of minutes beneath Arne Slot
One simple reply to the query of why Elliott didn’t come on is the very fact he’ll virtually definitely begin in opposition to Accrington Stanley on Saturday.
Nonetheless, this shouldn’t actually have prevented him from getting used in opposition to Tottenham given his non-necessity for relaxation having performed so jiffy this marketing campaign.
The choice to not put his belief in Elliott wasn’t a one-off from Slot. It follows a sample of the coach not going out of his approach to get the 21-year-old concerned.
Whereas he might not be getting a lot of a look-in for the time being, Elliott really began life beneath the Dutchman brightly.
In Slot’s system that options one of many three midfielders taking part in a place akin to the No. 10 position, Elliott was the early alternative in pre-season and appeared to go well with the job.
As soon as the primary males had been again and the season had begun, although, Elliott was out of the image and performed simply seven minutes throughout Liverpool’s first three league video games.
Elliott wasn’t the one one having to bide his time at this level, as Slot made simply two modifications in his first 5 video games as head coach.
By the point the boss started to rotate, Elliott had suffered a damaged foot which saved him out of each matchday squad from September 14 till November 24.
His first and solely begin of the marketing campaign so far was Liverpool’s 2-1 win at Southampton within the Carabao Cup quarter-finals.
Not sufficient time to make an impression
Maybe Elliott’s larger worries, although, lie in how he’s getting used from the bench.
Below Klopp the teen turned recognized for his impactful performances in its place, significantly in Klopp’s final 12 months when he got here on 26 instances.
Of his 4 targets over the course of the 2023/24 marketing campaign, two got here throughout his 27 begins whereas the identical quantity got here in his appearances from the bench.
These targets had been essential, too. The primary was an injury-time winner away at Crystal Palace, and the second put Liverpool forward in FA Cup further time in opposition to Man United.
For the reason that 21-year-old’s return, Slot arguably hasn’t given Elliott sufficient time to make a distinction in its place.
Whereas he has come on within the final 5 Premier League video games, the longest cameo was 16 minutes in opposition to an already-beaten West Ham group.
In reality, throughout seven league appearances this season, his minute tally comes to only 43 plus added time.
He understandably due to this fact hasn’t netted within the Premier League this season, however did rating on the event of his solely begin in opposition to Southampton.
His goalscoring, in fact, isn’t his strongest level. By self-admission, his fundamental asset is creativity, one thing Liverpool may have performed with from the bench in opposition to Man United and Tottenham.
Talking to the Instances, Elliott stated: “I really feel like that’s my strongest level, particularly in terms of the creativity facet of issues and the playmaking.
“That’s the place I play at England and I really feel like I can actually present my attributes. However on prime of that, now we have two different world-class No. 10s in Curtis and Dom.”
Amid reported curiosity from top-flight golf equipment in England and Germany, Elliott doesn’t seem to have any intention of giving up his combat for a spot.
“It’s not going to be simple in any respect,” he continued.
“It’s nearly ready for my second, my alternatives and attempting to take them with all the things I’ve.
“On prime of that, once I do get introduced in, whether or not it’s as a sub or wherever I begin, I simply wish to attempt to contribute for the group and be the very best participant I can.”
If there may be one man to revenue from Liverpool’s couple of poor outcomes, it may very well be Elliott who now has a recreation in opposition to Accrington Stanley to remind his boss of what he may have been lacking.
