Slot Defends Keeping Ramsay Out Despite Right-Back Emergency

10 Feb

Liverpool supporters were hoping for a glimpse of Calvin Ramsay in the right-back slot today, after injuries and suspensions left the squad stretched. But at his pre-match press conference, Arne Slot made it clear that Ramsay still won’t be featuring — and gave a telling insight into his thinking.

“If you don’t win a game, the players who aren’t playing become the best players in the squad,” Slot said.

“I just want to protect all my players. I’ve chosen other players until now… and I will to the same tomorrow.”

The comments will frustrate many fans. With the Liverpool right-back position effectively in crisis, the expectation was that Ramsay would finally get a chance to step up. Yet Slot’s words suggest he is prioritising player protection and trust over immediately solving the problem on the pitch.

For supporters, the quote may not offer much reassurance. Ramsay is ready, fit, and has the experience to slot into the first team, but Slot’s approach shows that he is playing the long game — valuing consistent selections and managing his squad carefully.

It’s a difficult balancing act. On one hand, Liverpool need solutions to cover injuries and suspensions. On the other, Slot clearly believes that throwing Ramsay in under pressure might do more harm than good, both for the player and the team’s cohesion.

The press conference statement underscores a recurring theme this season: Slot is unafraid to make unpopular decisions, even when they frustrate fans. But for supporters watching the right-back situation unfold, patience is running thin. The big question remains: when will Ramsay finally get his chance?

Liverpool Fans Are Losing Patience With Cody Gakpo – So Why Won’t Arne Slot Drop Him?

10 Feb

Few Liverpool players divide opinion right now quite like Cody Gakpo. On paper, he has the tools to be a key part of Arne Slot’s attack — technically gifted, versatile, and capable of moments of real quality. But week after week, many supporters are left asking the same question: how long can this go on, and why does Slot refuse to drop him?

The frustration isn’t just about missed chances or quiet games. It’s about inconsistency. Gakpo can look sharp for a short spell, link play nicely, and then disappear entirely when Liverpool need him most. In matches where intensity and directness are required, he too often fades out, leaving fans wondering what his actual role is meant to be.

What makes it harder to accept is that this isn’t a new problem. Liverpool supporters have seen this version of Gakpo before — flashes of promise followed by long periods where he offers little end product. Yet despite this, he continues to start games, while others are rotated, questioned, or hooked early.

From Arne Slot’s perspective, there may be logic behind the loyalty. Gakpo fits the system tactically. He presses when instructed, understands positional rotations, and can drop into midfield areas to help control games. Slot may value reliability in structure over risk, especially during a period of injuries and instability elsewhere in the squad.

But football isn’t played on tactical boards alone. Supporters see the momentum stall when attacks break down around Gakpo. They see chances slow, decision-making hesitate, and promising moves lose their edge. At Anfield, patience wears thin quickly when effort isn’t matched by impact.

The bigger issue is the message it sends. If underperforming players continue to start regardless, what incentive is there for others to force their way in? Liverpool fans aren’t necessarily demanding Gakpo be written off — they’re asking for accountability. A spell on the bench isn’t a punishment; it’s often a reset.

This is where Slot faces one of his earliest tests as Liverpool manager. Sticking by his players shows trust, but ignoring fan frustration and on-pitch evidence risks disconnect. Dropping Gakpo for a game or two wouldn’t be an admission of failure — it would be a statement that standards matter.

Because right now, supporters aren’t confused about Gakpo’s talent. They’re confused about his selection. And until that changes, the noise around him — and around Slot — is only going to get louder.

Liverpool’s Right-Back Crisis Deepens – So Why Won’t Arne Slot Trust Calvin Ramsay?

10 Feb

Liverpool’s growing injury list has created a familiar problem, but this time it feels particularly damaging. With no senior right-backs currently available and now Dominik Szoboszlai suspended, Arne Slot is facing one of his first real selection crises since arriving at Anfield. Yet amid all the reshuffling and tactical compromises, one question keeps coming back: why won’t Calvin Ramsay get a chance?

The absence of a recognised right-back has already forced Liverpool into makeshift solutions. Square pegs are being pushed into round holes, balance is being lost on the right side, and the knock-on effect is being felt further up the pitch. Szoboszlai’s suspension only adds to the problem, removing energy, pressing, and drive from midfield at a time when Liverpool badly need stability.

What makes this situation more frustrating for supporters is that Ramsay remains on the periphery. Signed with promise and pedigree, the young Scot has barely featured since arriving and now finds himself overlooked even when the position he naturally plays is wide open. Injuries have stalled his progress, but when fit, this feels like the exact moment he should at least be considered.

Arne Slot may have his reasons. Trust is earned on the training ground, and perhaps Ramsay hasn’t convinced the new coaching staff physically or tactically. Slot’s system demands discipline, positional awareness, and bravery in possession — qualities he may not yet see consistently in Ramsay. There’s also the possibility that the manager simply prefers experience or versatility during a difficult run of fixtures.

But that explanation only goes so far. If Liverpool are already compromising defensively by using stand-ins, what is really lost by giving Ramsay a chance? At worst, you learn he isn’t ready. At best, you uncover a solution that saves further disruption elsewhere in the team.

Szoboszlai’s absence makes this even more significant. Without his intensity and forward thrust, Liverpool need clarity and structure behind him. Constantly reshuffling defenders doesn’t help midfield control, and Slot’s reluctance to trust Ramsay risks compounding the problem rather than solving it.

This is shaping up to be a defining period for Slot’s early Liverpool reign. Injuries and suspensions are unavoidable, but squad management is part of the job. How he navigates this right-back crisis — and whether Ramsay is finally trusted — will tell us a lot about his approach, his flexibility, and how willing he is to take calculated risks.

Because if not now, then when?

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Can Slot Survive This Tough Week?

10 Feb

Liverpool fans don’t tend to overreact — but weekends like the one just gone have a habit of sharpening every doubt. The defeat to Manchester City wasn’t just painful because of the result, it was painful because of what it hinted at. Suddenly, this feels like a defining week for Arne Slot, not in terms of his job just yet, but in how firmly he can steady the ship, quieten the noise, and show that this Liverpool side is moving forward rather than treading water.

Liverpool fans are waking up on Tuesday morning with that familiar, sinking feeling — the kind that comes after a game that should’ve been a turning point but instead feels like a reminder of just how fragile things still are.

That’s because this past weekend’s 2-1 loss to Manchester City at Anfield wasn’t just another defeat. It may well have been the moment that truly tests Arne Slot’s credentials, his tactics, and his future at Liverpool. 

1️⃣ The Result Hurt — Deeply

Slot’s side took the lead through a stunning free-kick from Dominik Szoboszlai, and for 70-plus minutes it looked like Liverpool might finally grab a big scalp at home. Instead, they conceded an equaliser and then a stoppage-time penalty — leaving fans gutted and the stadium silent. 

But what makes this more than just a loss is the context around it.

2️⃣ Momentum Slipping in the League

This defeat wasn’t a fluke — it’s part of a worrying pattern of late goals conceded and points dropped. Liverpool have now conceded four stoppage-time winners in the league this season, something Slot himself has even admitted feels like the team is “almost getting used to” conceding late goals. 

That’s not a statistic you want hanging over a manager who’s supposed to be building something resilient at a club with title expectations.

3️⃣ Fans Are Questioning More Than Just Tactics

The reactions online tell you everything you need to know. Some supporters are fuming at Slot’s in-game decision-making, especially substitutions that came too late to influence the match. Others are pointing at the team’s shape, pressing, and lack of control in big moments. 

On forums and social media, you see fans who are no longer just disappointed — they’re anxious.

4️⃣ Pressure Is Building Faster Than Slot Probably Expected

Liverpool’s league position — sixth and outside the Champions League spots — adds real pressure. Former Reds like Jamie Carragher have openly questioned whether Liverpool can even secure top-four football if this kind of form continues. 

That’s the kind of talk that turns a bad result into a dangerous week for a manager.

5️⃣ This Week Is More Than Training

Slot now faces:

A tough away fixture to Sunderland where Liverpool cannot afford to slip up, before an FA Cup tie at home to Brighton on Saturday. Questions from pundits and reporters about his tactics. A fanbase that’s itching for clarity on Klopp comparisons, team identity, and true progress

This isn’t just about bouncing back. It’s about whether Slot can silence the doubters and prove the City loss was a blip — not a trend.

Final Word

No one expects Slot to perform miracles overnight — managers always have ups and downs. But this week? It’s one of those moments every Liverpool fan will be talking about long after the dust settles.

Because whether you’re firmly in the Slot In camp or you’re quietly skeptical, this is the point where belief starts to matter almost as much as results and supporters are running out of patience as Liverpool slide down the league table.

Don’t Blame Konate

12 Nov

Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate has been widely criticised for his many of his performances this season, and once again he was criticised by Liverpool supporters and pundits after the Reds’ 3-0 defeat to Manchester City at the weekend.

There has been considerable speculation regarding the French defender’s future, with his current contract expiring next summer, and the constant rumours that Real Madrid are keen on signing him on a free contract if he doesn’t sign again for Liverpool.

Konate and Virgil van Dijk have been cornerstones of Liverpool’s success in recent years, with their partnership in defence being so vital.

But this season Liverpool have been losing so many goals, and Konate has been the main target of criticism for the Champions’ defensive problems.

It is true that Konate’s performances this season have not been up to his high standards, and he was involved in a few key moments in Liverpool’s defeat to City, for example, he got into a mess with Conor Bradley as Liverpool conceded a penalty, before poor defending resulted in Haaland heading City into the lead.

These key moments mentioned don’t help Konate regarding assessments on his overall performance, but the team in general is not clicking, and there is very clear lack of cohesion in the entire team this season.

Last Liverpool looked far more in control in games, and far more solid defensively after new manager Arne Slot tweaked a few things after inheriting Jurgen Klopp’s talented squad.

But after Slot’s summer spending spree, the manager is having trouble integrating the new signings into the team with success.

Konate has been a bit of a scapegoat for criticism this season, but he has shown he is still a great defender with his strong performance against Arsenal and more recently Real Madrid, two of the best teams in Europe.

Too often this season Konate is not getting protection from the midfield in front, and left exposed. Gravenberch seems to be playing a different role from last season, and isn’t giving the same protection he did last season.

The midfielder is playing slightly higher up the park and Konate is looking more vulnerable, also the chopping and changing at right back isn’t helping with new signing Frimpong, Bradley and Szoboszlai all featuring in defence this season.

All these little factors are having an effect on Konate and the quicker Slot finds a settled formation and solution, then the quicker we will see Konate at his best.

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Young Defender Could Save Liverpool A Fortune

3 Aug

It has been well documented that Liverpool need to sign another centre half, especially after the departure of Joel Matip.

But the performances this preseason of Sepp Van den Berg have impressed new manager Arne Slott, and it will be interesting if the 22-year-old will be a part of his plans this season.

The young Dutchman was signed back in 2019, but he hasn’t really had much of a chance at Liverpool after three loans spells away from Anfield.

But it really looks like his loan spells have improved the young defender after witnessing his performances this preseason so far.

The Kopite View

Van den Berg hasn’t really had a chance when Jurgen Klopp was in charge, and just maybe Arne Slott could be the man to give him the chance he’s been waiting for at Anfield.

He obviously has strong competition for a place in Liverpool’s defence with the obvious names ahead of him in the pecking order.

But he could be the man to provide cover in the centre of defence if the likes of van Dijk, Konate or Quansah are not available.

Preseason is a great chance for players to impress, especially when many first team players are still on holiday.

Let’s see what Slott does with Van den Berg.

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Gordon And Gomez Transfer News Not Great For Liverpool

31 Jul

All of a sudden the quiet summer regarding Liverpool’s transfer business, has suddenly exploded today.

It is believed that the Reds have agreed a deal of £45 million with Newcastle for Joe Gomez in part of deal involving winger Anthony Gordon moving to Anfield for £75 million.

The Reds have shown an interest in Gordon all summer and the winger is a boyhood supporter of the club and has made his feelings known of his desire to play at Anfield.

The Kopite View

I have no doubt that Gordon is a tremendous talent, but do Liverpool need him ?

I’m not so sure, and not at the expense of losing Joe Gomez.

Liverpool’s longest serving player is very important because of his versatility to play in so many defensive positions, and for me that is vitally important with Joel Matip no longer at the club, and the recent injury problems the Reds have sustained in recent years.

I think the money could be better spent instead of paying so much for Gordon.

If Gordon joins Liverpool, then it makes you wonder if Diaz is leaving?

Because if he doesn’t then Liverpool have too many left sided players with Gakpo, Jota and Nunez all able to play in that role.

The very strong reports today certainly suggest that the two players could be moving in opposite directions.

Liverpool Targeting PSV Midfielder

29 Jul

The latest transfer rumours regarding Liverpool is that they are being linked with PSV Eindhoven midfielder Joey Veerman.

The midfielder enjoyed a very good season last season, with 21 goal involvements.

Veerman is versatile in being able to play defensive and attacking roles.

Liverpool’s interest in the PSV midfielder is centred on the want for a defensive midfielder to allow Mac Allister to play in a more advanced midfield role where he can be more instrumental and creative.

With recent interest from other clubs regarding Endo, it makes sense that Liverpool are looking for other midfield options.

Arne Slot will be very aware of Veerman’s credentials to improve his team, and it will be interesting to see if Liverpool want him enough to put in a concrete offer.

The Kopite View

It’s very encouraging that Liverpool are being linked with another midfielder, especially one as highly rated as Veerman.

There are rumours that Endo could leave, but regardless if he stays or goes, he really isn’t mobile or good enough to be playing regularly in a defensive midfield role for Liverpool.

Veerman’s impressive attacking ability is also advantageous for Liverpool’s midfield despite him probably being used in a more defensive midfield role.

Regardless if Liverpool sign Veerman despite the rumours, I’m convinced that it is only a matter of time before Slot strengthens his squad.

Liverpool Jet Off To US With Stripes But No Stars

23 Jul

Liverpool flew out earlier today for the next phase of their pre-season schedule, as they left for the United States.

New manager Arne Slot has been busy putting his new players through their paces on the training ground before losing 1-0 to Preston North End last week in a behind closed doors friendly.

Preparations for the new season will be stepped up as they prepare in America for friendly fixtures against Real Betis before playing Arsenal and finally Manchester United.

But the pre-season isn’t ideal for Slot with so many first team regulars still on holiday after participating in various international commitments this summer.

Player like Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk, Cody Gakpo, Joe Gomez, Ibrahima Konate, Diogo Jota, Ryan Gravenberch, Alisson Becker, Alexis Mac Allister, Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez will all miss the US tour.

The Kopite View

This pre-season is very difficult for many teams that have had players playing in international tournaments this summer, but Liverpool are affected more than most with a new manager taking over, and so many experienced players missing for most of the pre-season.

It will be very difficult for Slot as he won’t have most of his star players back until shortly before the start of the season, but it will give him a chance to see if some of his youngsters are ready to challenge for first team places.

We will watch this US tour with interest as Slot prepares for his first season in charge at Liverpool.

Slot Must Improve Liverpool’s Injury Record

19 Jul

New Liverpool manager Arne Slot has a lot of work to do in his new job, as he tries to continue the impressive work former manager Jurgen Klopp achieved.

One of the most important challenges that the Dutch boss will want to improve on, is to reduce the amount of injuries that Liverpool have had during Klopp’s reign.

It really has been horrendous the amount of injuries that Liverpool have had during the last nine years, and it makes you wonder if it has been partially caused by the German’s training methods?

It will be very interesting to see if Liverpool’s injury record improves now that Arne Slot is in charge because the injuries have really curtailed the Reds at important stages of different seasons.

It is very hard to find faults with Klopp but maybe his training methods can be questioned.

Liverpool must have a fit squad to compete in so many competitions next season.

Hopefully Slot can solve the problem.

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