Arne Slot insists big Liverpool change is 'not by choice' ahead of Arsenal encounter

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

Arne Slot has acknowledged that Liverpool’s recent tactical shift toward greater solidity is “not by choice” but a response to circumstances ahead of the Premier League clash with Arsenal. The head coach, known for his attacking philosophy, insists he has not abandoned his principles, but injuries, form, and the need to halt a damaging run of defeats have forced him to prioritize defensive structure.

Slot has bristled at suggestions that Liverpool have become “dull and boring,” stressing that his teams are built on high pressing and attacking intent. He points out that Liverpool still aim to win the ball high up the pitch and create chances, even if the execution has not matched the ambition in recent weeks. Nonetheless, he accepts that the side has struggled to generate clear opportunities and has been vulnerable at set pieces, issues that have drawn criticism from supporters accustomed to more expansive football.

In the build-up to the Arsenal game, Slot is expected to field a more conservative lineup, with four central midfielders likely to start to give Liverpool greater control and stability. This adaptation, he argues, is a pragmatic step to steady the ship after a run of poor results, rather than a deliberate philosophical shift away from attacking football. He notes that at other points this season he has been criticized for the opposite approach, overloading the team with forwards when chasing games.

Slot frames the current approach as a temporary necessity, shaped by the realities of the squad and recent performances rather than a long-term vision. Facing an in-form Arsenal side with few obvious weaknesses, he portrays the encounter as both a test of Liverpool’s resilience and an opportunity to show that the team can still marry defensive organization with the dynamic attacking style he believes will ultimately define his tenure.