Liverpool has already won the Premier League title, and so the final few games of the season are meaningless in terms of results. They will, though, offer a hint ahead of a big summer.
Will Harvey Elliott get more opportunities? Will Liverpool be able to break the 90-point barrier? Today’s press conference was dominated by Trent Alexander-Arnold and Conor Bradley. This is every word that Arne Slot had to say.
On Trent Alexander-Arnold’s departure: “I think like everyone who likes Liverpool and is a fan of us, we’re disappointed because a good human is leaving but also a very good full-back as well. I also worked at clubs like AZ and Feyenoord when good players left, so I am a bit more used to it.
“The experience I have and this club as well, if a good player leaves, the next good player steps up and that is what will go again. Do you know where Trent is going? He hasn’t said anything, just that he will leave, so it is impossible to comment if he will play in the Club World Cup. You see by my smile, we both know where he is going to!
“Team selection will be the same as last week, same process. If Conor was available he would have started against Chelsea, so there’s a chance he might start.”
On Champions League semi-finals: “These two clubs (Liverpool and Arsenal) have the highest possible standards. We both want to win, but it’s a bit different then if the league was not yet finished. We definitely want to win but that is not different.
“Arsenal… I saw PSG and I watched Inter against Barca, that was better but a friend said to me was it that much more entertaining? Or was it that every chance led to a goal? Same amount of chances as Arsenal vs PSG, but not every chance was a goal. I knew how good Donnarumma was facing him at Anfield. Both games were a joy to watch.
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“So much was said about the format, but the latter stages of every tournament was nice. The quality shown in the four games was extraordinary as well. A joy to watch.”
On Conor Bradley: “Let’s not compare with Trent already, they are different types in my opinion, we all see Conor’s potential. Last week I walked on pitch with him [at Stamford Bridge] and for me, it was a surprise to hear from him, he had a comment about [it being] the first he was there as well. For me, he is already there ahead of development than being at Chelsea for the first time.
“Unfortunately, he hasn’t been fit all season. To become a good player you have to be fit all season, but we have a lot of confidence in him as a very good full-back for Liverpool.”
On rotating his starting XI: “A lot of things influence decisions I make. One of them is losing, so I am not looking to lose all four [of the final games] but there are more things that go into a line-up than losing or rotating, so we will see. Conor will start; he needs playing time, games under his belt to be prepared for next season.”
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On Arsenal coming to Anfield: It is difficult to predict but both teams look forward to this game. OK, maybe there is a bit at stake for Arsenal, top four, and I assume they prefer second to third or fourth; we can only finish as first.
“It is difficult to predict if it will be edgy but there are 22 players on the pitch of real high quality, and players off the bench with the same quality. Real v Barca at the weekend, Sporting and Benfica, Feyenoord v PSV as well, so a lot of nice games to look forward to. Unfortunately they are all on Sunday so I miss out!”
On replacing Alexander-Arnold: “If people have an opinion, on Trent, me or anyone, it is nothing new. Maybe a bit more negative than he is used to. I am not here to tell the fans how to react.
“The boys had a few days off, so I will wait and see how he feels. I have spoken to him on WhatsApp but let’s wait and see. I am not here to tell the fans how to react. Trent said that us, as a team and club, should not to be too distracted by this announcement, so I hope all the energy goes to the players, the fans and as less as possible to Trent, unless it is positive.
“Light at right-back? Is that true? We have Conor [plus Joe Gomez, Jarell Quansah] and Curtis Jones, so four players. I agree one of them is the ideal position and Gomez can play there well, but his favorite is center-back, and Jarell it’s the same.
“I think it is a surprise to you if I say we are looking at this or that; we don’t talk about the positions we want to improve the team. We have just won the league, we were so competitive against PSG, it is not easy to find better players to improve us, they need to be available and we need to be able to afford them.”
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On taking over from Jurgen Klopp: “First of all Jurgen and the club left the team in a good place, a lot of quality. I don’t emphasize myself too much. So many general opinions in football.
“Trouble in the hierarchy, in the ownership, sporting directors… then it is impossible to play on the pitch. Problems above me at Feyenoord but it didn’t stop us playing well on the pitch. If you have a good squad and that is what we had, you just work with them and try to get the best out of them.”
On Jarell Quansah’s consistency: “I like that you mention he played a good game at Chelsea. Maybe the last step he has to make is consistency levels, not to be involved in the moments that happened in the last minute [conceding a penalty]. The biggest part in us winning the league is consistency and that is the most difficult thing for a younger player.
“Some, like Lamine Yamal, it is not that difficult for him! Jarell has developed all season and the next step is for him not to be involved in things like the last minute. Jarell is fast, strong, comfortable on the ball, has all the ingridients for this club, then it is consistency in his performances.
“It’s so hard to play for Liverpool, for everyone, not just academy players. To play in this team, you need to be really good. He is competitive but a bit unlucky others stayed fit and had so much consistency in their levels.
“One moment can change the perception but it can also lead to winning or losing games too. So these small details can make a big difference in a season, and that is why to play at Liverpool, Arsenal, PSG, you need to do so much at a high level.”
On whether players leaving on free transfers will become a trend: “You cannot deny it is happening a bit more than in the past. It happens a lot if my memory is correct, mostly with certain club that brings in free agents, but you don’t see it much with other big clubs.
“It happened a few times now but I also see a lot of players moving for big fees, every single window for years. Could be a trend! Let’s wait and see if that happens. I cannot predict.”
