Arne Slot defends his “brave” attack-minded substitutions

Below is a summary of the full article. Click here for the full version from This is Anfield or go back to LFC Live.

Liverpool yet again ended a game with arguably too many attackers on the pitch and not much cohesion, but Arne Slot has defended his substitutions. By the time the game ended, Liverpool had Mohamed Salah, Cody Gakpo, Federico Chiesa, Hugo Ekitike and Rio Ngumoha on the pitch, as well as Ryan Gravenberch at centre-back, in a desperate attempt to salvage something. • READ: CONFIRMED – Liverpool complete signing of right-back Calvin Ramsay Slot was quick to defend his decisions in his post-match press conference, saying similarly attack-minded changes were lauded last season.

“I don’t think we struggled with that (getting the ball into the attackers),” Slot said. Now, it is probably stupid.” Reflecting on his tactical tweaks made in the second period, Slot added: “I went to a 3-3-4 because I didn’t feel after my first substitution, we were able to create a lot.

“I thought with 2-0 down, let’s take an extra risk, but that didn’t work out really well because two seconds later we were 3-0 down.” Are Slot’s substitutions a cause for concern? Slot is right to stick up for himself at a time when the pressure on him is mounting, but his substitutions are feeling more bemusing by the game.