Slot still backs summer signings to make huge impact at Liverpool

Arne Slot believes Liverpool will continue to improve as the season progresses and is confident his summer signings will grow into their roles as familiarity and consistency increase.

THE Premier League The champions sit fourth in the table ahead of Thursday’s clash with Leeds and are unbeaten in seven games in all competitions, with recent performances suggesting a gradual return to form after a rocky start to the campaign.

Slot has seen encouraging signs from newcomers such as Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike and is confident there is more to come from them in the second half of the season.

When asked if these players could still improve, he replied: “Yes, yes, of course. It’s not just about the new players. If you bring in a lot of new players and a lot of players leave, usually at least if I do my job well, they will play better football the longer they stay here and when they have more training and playing time.”

The Liverpool head coach stressed the importance of continuity, pointing to recent history as proof that time together breeds success. “History has shown time and time again that the longer players play together, the more likely you are to win something,” he said.

“If you add players to what you have, there is a serious chance of improvement. If you replace, like we did, it takes time. And usually it gets better after a while.”

Slot also acknowledged the impact of injuries on his squad, revealing that some absentees will not feature again this season. “Unfortunately Giovanni Leoni we won’t see him this season and Alex [Isak] It will be a long time before we see it again,” he said, adding that the financial context around departures and arrivals was important, even if the results are only now beginning to reflect this investment.

Despite Liverpool’s improving form, recent wins over Tottenham and Wolves have been marked by nervy endings, something Slot attributes to the fine margins that define football.

“It shows you how important goals are in a low-scoring sport,” he said. “A goal can change the dynamic, that’s what we saw last week and [on Saturday].”

He felt that Liverpool had largely controlled the two matches until conceding. “In both games, up until the point we conceded, it was the performance you expect from a Liverpool team,” Slot said.

“We didn’t score our first two chances. Goals have a huge impact on the dynamics of a match. This was demonstrated in our last two matches.”

Slot added that managing games more effectively has a lot to do with the depth of the team and the options available on the bench, especially given the current injury list. “One way to manage the game is the ability to make substitutions,” he said.

“Last year, when we were a goal ahead, I often brought on Wataru Endo. I’ve said this before, I don’t know if anyone noticed, but we are missing a lot of players. That’s why it’s so special that the in-form players are getting these results.”