Arne Slot met with the media after Liverpool’s 2-0 setback to PSG. Among the topics the boss discussed were why he did not select Mohamed Salah for the Starting XI, what makes PSG so tough, and why there is still hope for the return fixture at Anfield.
Why Was Salah On The Bench
That was the question on everyone’s mind, and the boss gave some good reasons.
“I think in the last part of the game, it was more about surviving for us than there was ever a chance that we could score,” Slot said. “Yeah, you never know, because last season we scored five minutes before the end, Harvey Elliott [scored] when I took Mo off. But I think this was a 20, 25 minutes where we were only defending, and Mo has so much quality, but for Mo to be 20, 25 minutes defending inside his own box, I think it’s better for him to save his energy for a lot of games that are coming up in the upcoming weeks.”
Addressing The PSG Challenge
Everyone knew that facing PSG on their home pitch would be tough, but the boss breaks down what makes them such a challenge.
“It’s Hakimi, it’s Nuno Mendes, it’s their midfielders... You have to be really tight on them. If you’re not tight on the midfielders, they make the play, they dribble, they are so fast, and you have to be really tight on them. If you then start to help a little bit more with your full-backs towards the midfield or closing the inside a little bit more, then their wingers come in one-v-one situations, which they dominate completely against any defender in the world. And if you then are really tight on their wingers, they make deep runs, so it’s not an easy team to play against because they have so many weapons – and Nuno Mendes and Hakimi are two of them. They have more, but again – I’ve said it multiple times now – I am convinced about the fact that we can show something different in less than a week’s time, because we play Wednesday-Tuesday and have a game in between. That means even less time to recover, less time to prepare, but I am convinced about the fact that we will play a much more similar game in a week’s time as we played last season at home.”
There Is Still Hope
Even with the 2-0 loss, Slot believes Liverpool can make a push to advance at Anfield.
“Yes, of course there is,” he said. “I think football has shown so many times that everything is possible. I think it was 10, 15, 20 minutes after the game when I looked at my phone, and I saw Atletico had beaten Barcelona at home 0-2 because of a red card. So in football, red cards, incidents, penalties, yes or no, and don’t forget that Anfield can do a lot. I was sitting after the away game at Galatasaray in front of most of the same journalists who were also not very positive about our game, and one week later at Anfield, we played probably the best game of the season. Our fans do make a big difference for u,s and that’s also needed because I think it was completely clear today that we need our fans more than ever if we have to face this Paris Saint-Germain team.”
LFC Globe Verdict
I actually like Slot’s answers here. He was not under an obligation to tell the media why he did not start Salah, but he did and gave pretty compelling reasons in the process. He was also honest but hopeful concerning Liverpool’s chances of advancing, calling on the fans to do their part in helping the team. I know the supporters will answer the call. Now it’s up to Liverpool to climb the mountain.
Have Your Say
Do you agree with Slot’s stated reasons for benching Salah? Do you think it was worth saving him for the stretch run of the season? Let us know in the comments section below.