Liverpool boss Arne Slot has been told to rotate his team more frequently after a disappointing run of results. The Reds boss wasn’t happy with the Wembley defeat to Newcastle United and admitted himself he should have made a couple more changes.
Before that, Liverpool crashed out of the Champions League against PSG after the two-legged tie went all the way to penalties. After winning the Merseyside derby against Everton, the Reds then lost 3-2 at Fulham.
Slot is still going to win the league title at the first time of asking — his side is 11 points clear at the top — but there have been suggestions that he should have used more of his squad more regularly to keep everyone fresh.
“It is a fair shout,” former Reds winger Jermaine Pennant told Liverpool.com. “There was a moment where he was playing Diaz-Jota-Salah in a four-game span. They didn’t score goals and they looked off it.
“I was thinking maybe just go back to that style of putting Luis Diaz in the middle and Cody Gakpo on the left, just to change something up. And if that isn’t working, maybe start Harvey Elliott.
“Every time Elliott comes off the bench, things change and Liverpool look more threatening going forward — attacking with a bit more purpose and some more creativity.
“Federico Chiesa when he came off the bench looked a little bit sharper with an eye for goal. He gave those boys a go against Plymouth, but those games are so difficult to play in.
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“Slot gave them a chance in that game and since that loss, it has been a negative for the likes of Elliott and Chiesa. But you have to let them play big games to see if they can give something extra. Rotation is key to being successful.”
Elliott is yet to start a Premier League game under Slot while Chiesa has barely featured since signing from Juventus. Slot has tended to favor stability in his selections.
“I’d like to see more of Chiesa before the end of the season,” Pennant continued. “We all know there is a player in there. There has been glimpses but you only see the best of these players when they get game time.
“It is so difficult coming off the bench — it takes five to 10 minutes to get up to speed with the game. It is a different game when you come on as a sub for 15 minutes. I’d like to see him get a bit more game time from the start.
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“One reason he hasn’t is that Mohamed Salah might not be there for 70 minutes but then he will score you a goal. But you also have to say that this is Slot’s first season. He wants to put the best team out there every single week.
“He doesn’t want to take the risk of rotating knowing if he played another team, he would have won the game. At the moment, he is just trying to win the Premier League and he is going with the team that he knows — he doesn’t want to take the risk of playing Elliott or Chiesa.”
Now with seven games left and four wins enough to secure first place ahead of Arsenal, though, Slot doesn’t need to be concerned. His team is going to get over the line sooner rather than later.
“You want to win the league as comfortably as possible but I think just getting the job done and making sure they are lifting the championship at Anfield is the main target here,” Pennant said.
“I’m sure Arne Slot is going to drill that into them and not be complacent. Any team on their day can win in the Premier League.
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“We all knew Fulham was going to be a tricky game — they came to Anfield and almost won. Liverpool were down to 10 men but they are a tough team and they have beaten some big teams.
“The performances haven’t been great [in recent weeks] but they got the job done against Everton. Against Fulham, that was the worst defensive display I’ve seen this season.
“These things can happen, though. It is difficult for a team to go 38 games playing absolutely unbelievably, and I don’t think I’ve seen it. You look at Man City in 2022/23, they lost three games that season and won the league — Liverpool have only lost two.
“The recent performances haven’t been great but in the grand scheme of things, losing two games — and being 11 points clear with seven games to go — it is still a good season. But the last seven games, I hope to see a better display than that against Fulham.”
