Jamie Carragher leaps to Arne Slot’s defence with valid point that many seem to be missing
Jamie Carragher has defended Arne Slot over the difficult season that Liverpool are enduring, arguing that not many of his peers would fare much better if they were in his shoes over the past few months.
The Reds began the campaign as many people’s favourites to retain the Premier League title, especially after a summer transfer outlay of almost £450m, but they now find themselves sixth in the table and facing a battle just to get into the Champions League.
There have been multiple reports of the head coach seemingly being on the precipice of losing his job, while several pundits have claimed that his future could hinge on whether or not LFC finish in the top five domestically.
Carragher leaps to Slot’s defence
Despite that, Carragher believes that Slot hasn’t been helped by key players experiencing a decline over the past 6-12 months, or by the injuries which have left Liverpool frightening short in crucial positions, and that anyone would find such circumstances rather challenging to navigate.
Speaking on The Overlap Fan Debate, the Sky Sports pundit said: “Obviously you get judged on results, but he’ll be such a better manager next season on the back of this season, in some ways. I don’t think it’s all his fault.
“I think anyone now managing with this squad, with Salah and Van Dijk not quite being the same players as last season…the squad’s not that big. It’s not well-balanced. I’m not sure there would be a manager out there getting loads more out of it, if I’m being totally honest.”
Would many others have done better with the hand Slot has been dealt?
The important thing to maintain here is balance – it’s perfectly understandable to have constructive criticism of Slot’s work this season without resorting to the nuclear option of calling for his instant dismissal.
For all the mitigating circumstances – not least coping with the tragedy of Diogo Jota’s death – Liverpool ought to be doing so much better than they have over the past six months, and we shouldn’t be going into the final third of the season with Champions League qualification on such a knife edge.
The head coach also hasn’t helped himself with some bizarre public utterances, especially those in which he’s undermined players in his squad (just ask Calvin Ramsay).
However, Carragher makes a valid point in stating that there aren’t too many alternatives to Slot who’d be faring much better if dealt the same hand as the Dutchman has been.
It’s very easy to call for a coach to be sacked when results fall off a cliff, as they have done for Liverpool at times this season. It’s a lot more dificult to identify and recruit a realistically attainable successor who’d rapidly improve the team’s fortunes.
The Reds boss has faced legitimate criticism during this campaign, but he’s also had to contend with major challenges outside of his control.
If he can simply get to the end of May with his team in the Champions League for 2026/27, the summer will offer the chance to take stock and build for a better season next time around, just like Jurgen Klopp did in 2021.
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