Watching Arne Slot’s team selection against Tottenham Hotspur felt eerily familiar for many Liverpool supporters—and not in a good way.
For some, it brought back memories of when it became clear that Brendan Rodgers’ time at Liverpool F.C. was coming to an end.
One moment in particular still lingers: the day Rodgers deployed Danny Ings at left-back against Manchester United at Old Trafford—a decision that felt baffling at the time and ultimately ended in a heavy defeat.
A Selection That Didn’t Add Up
Fast forward to now, and similar questions are being asked. Against Spurs, Slot’s team selection didn’t just raise eyebrows—it left supporters genuinely confused.
Liverpool had two natural right-backs available in Jeremie Frimpong and Joe Gomez, yet neither was trusted to play there. Instead, Dominik Szoboszlai, a midfielder, was deployed at right-back.
It’s the kind of decision that is hard to justify:
Playing players out of position Ignoring natural options in the squad Disrupting the balance of the entire team
Rather than strengthening Liverpool, it made them look disjointed and uncertain.
A Team Without Balance
The knock-on effect of that decision was clear. With Szoboszlai out of midfield, Liverpool lost control in the centre of the pitch. At the same time, the right-hand side lacked defensive stability.
It created a situation where Liverpool were weaker in multiple areas, not stronger in one. Against a struggling Spurs side, that should never have been the case.
Echoes of the Past
When Rodgers made that infamous call at Old Trafford, it felt like a sign that things were unravelling. Not just a bad decision, but a manager searching for answers and overcomplicating things.
That’s why this latest selection has struck a nerve. It carries the same feeling—decisions that don’t quite make sense, and a growing concern that the manager is overthinking rather than simplifying.
A Growing Concern
Liverpool supporters don’t expect perfection, but they do expect logic. Playing a midfielder at right-back while two natural options sit available is the kind of decision that fuels frustration.
It also raises bigger questions:
Why aren’t natural positions being respected? Why are in-form players being overlooked or moved? Where is the clear tactical identity?
The Bottom Line
One strange selection doesn’t define a manager—but it can say a lot about where things are heading.
For many fans, this wasn’t just about Spurs. It was about a feeling they’ve had before, at a time when things were starting to go wrong.
Liverpool have seen how this story can play out. The hope now is that Arne Slot can recognise the issues quickly—before the comparisons to Brendan Rodgers become more than just a warning sign.
Jamie (The Kopite View)
The Kopite View 
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