Jermaine Pennant tells Arne Slot the change he needs to make in Liverpool’s next game
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Arne Slot has a lot to think about as, right now, things simply are not working.Seven losses from their last 10 games is not a run of form the reigning Premier League champions should ever be on, but that is the reality for the Reds at the moment.Performances have simply not been good enough and, so far, whatever Slot has tried, it has not seemed to come off.Join our newsletter for news & smart analysis. With the final international break of the year now upon us, this is the last chance the Dutchman will get an extended period of time to think about things, meaning he needs to make the most of it.There are plenty of things he can do to change the course of Liverpool’s season, and Jermaine Pennant believes there is one move he now simply has to try.Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty ImagesHugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak must start togetherOne big dilemma Slot has had since the summer is in the striking department, with Liverpool now having two top quality strikers to choose from.Hugo Ekitike has started the better of them, meaning it would have been unfair to drop him, while Alexander Isak has since struggled with injuries.However, after the international break, they should both be available barring any more issues, and Pennant believes that now is the time for Slot to start them both together up front.“From what I’m seeing right now, why not?
Why not try that out?” he said on talkSPORT.“It’s not like we are firing on all cylinders and don’t need to change things, we do need to change.“We need to find a way to get the most expensive player in English football history on the pitch, and also Ekitike who is our top goalscorer.READ MORE: Liverpool told they now have a player who is ‘exactly the same’ as Luka Modric“Ekitike can drop a little deeper, even play on the left, and this is what managers get paid the big bucks for.”Liverpool should change formationThe obvious solution to get them both into the team is to play Ekitike on the left and Isak as the striker, but that might not cut it.Instead, the Reds should try a more narrow formation that allows them both to play up top together, even if that does mean dropping a few stars to try it.This, in theory, should make Liverpool more compact and harder to play through, with the midfield an area that has struggled as of late.Switching to something like a 4-2-2-2 could see someone like Mohamed Salah drop to the bench, which may not go down well, but at this point, it must be worth a try.