Two days on from Liverpool’s feeble FA Cup exit, the team selection from Arne Slot continues to spark plenty of debate.
Steve Nicol stuck up for the Reds’ head coach after he omitted numerous senior stars with one eye on tomorrow night’s Merseyside derby, but Henry Winter was among those to take umbrage with the experimental matchday squad which travelled to Devon at the weekend.
The pros and cons of allegedly sacrificing the cup competition in order to prioritise the Premier League title charge have been discussed on various platforms over the past 48 hours, and the fallout from the cup upset continues.
Podcast duo clash over Slot team selection
Ian Ladyman and Chris Sutton had strongly differing views on Slot’s team selection for the FA Cup fixture on Sunday, with the journalist believing that the Liverpool boss was justified in what he did, given the top-flight games that his team will face over the next fortnight.
Speaking on the (aptly-named in this instance) It’s All Kicking Off podcast, the Daily Mail’s football editor said: “That’s the priority. If you’re Arne Slot and you’re looking at those fixtures that I just read out in the next 15 games, away games at Villa, away games at City, home against Newcastle, away at Everton…if you’re looking at those fixtures, I think it’s almost suicidal to pick a strong team at Plymouth.”
However, the ex-Blackburn and Chelsea striker vehemently disagreed as he bit back: “What is your argument based upon? What I’m saying is you’re not a sports scientist. You’re just throwing out, you think it’s suicidal for Liverpool to do what they’ve done and play a weakened team. To say it’s suicidal, I mean, that’s ridiculous.”
Slot is well within his rights to pick whatever team he wants
There’s a reason why Slot is being paid a significant amount of money to work as Liverpool’s head coach – it’s because every decision that he makes (tactical, personnel or otherwise) will be scrutinised to the nth degree, often in an unforgiving manner.
Despite making 10 changes to his starting line-up on Sunday and opting to fill the bench with academy starlets rather than first-team regulars, it’s clear from subsequent comments that he certainly didn’t want to lose at Home Park and tamely bow out of the FA Cup.
The Reds are facing into a thankless 15-day period in which they play five Premier League matches, including tough away fixtures against Everton, Aston Villa and Manchester City, so it’s understandable why those are being viewed with the utmost of importance.
Had the team Slot picked on Sunday gone on to win, he’d have been hailed as a genius for keeping the likes of Mo Salah, Virgil van Dijk, Ryan Gravenberch, Cody Gakpo and Alexis Mac Allister fresh for the Merseyside derby tomorrow night.
Ultimately, should Liverpool claim victory at Goodison Park and end the month with a bigger lead than their current six-point advantage at the Premier League summit, the 46-year-old will feel more than vindicated with his team selection for the cup clash against Plymouth Argyle.
