Liverpool’s ceiling is Arsenal’s floor, or so claimed a viral post from an Arsenal fan account that shall not be named (you all know which one). The run of poor recent results means Arne Slot can now finish on a maximum of 89 points, the same as what the Gunners finished on last season — but nobody at Anfield will be in the slightest bit concerned, with the Reds actually manufacturing a critical advantage.
Quite how any Arsenal fans have reached the conclusion that 89 points is their team’s “floor” is anyone’s guess. Mikel Arteta’s side can finish on a maximum of 74 this season, which last time I checked was significantly lower.
In fact, Arsenal’s record Premier League points tally is 90, so if anyone’s ceiling is around 89, it is not Liverpool’s. But far more importantly, it is plainly obtuse to ignore the context of the recent downturn at Anfield, with Slot taking the opportunity to make wholesale changes since the title was wrapped up.
The latest defeat, to Brighton, saw Virgil van Dijk denied the chance to play every single minute in the league campaign. The captain did not feature at all on the south coast.
Meanwhile, Federico Chiesa made his first ever league start for the club. Diogo Jota and Alexis Mac Allister were left out of the squad altogether.
Rarely, if ever, has a manager so openly embraced the “on the beach” mentality. There has barely even been lip service to taking the remaining games seriously.
Liverpool has hardly trained since the title was confirmed. Slot and his players have all been away on holiday, with the transfer department seemingly the only ones doing any work.
While Arsenal’s pathetic jibes will be like water off a duck’s back to the new champions, the mass rotation does at first glance look a little unusual. After all, Liverpool has no other competitions to focus on; it is not the same situation as the ones at Manchester United and Spurs, who have each effectively abandoned their dismal league campaigns to focus on Europa League salvation.
However, Slot might actually be producing a quiet masterstroke. Having taken care of business in ruthlessly efficient fashion, he has effectively unlocked almost an extra month’s worth of rest for his star players.
(Image: Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Whether or not they are picked at the weekend, the Liverpool stars are still hardly exerting themselves, with training time so limited. In an era where congestion of the football calendar is so often discussed, the Reds are having the kind of summer break seldom afforded to anyone.
Arsenal has choked its so-called title challenge so badly that it needed its win against Newcastle at the weekend to finally even confirm Champions League qualification. Its season has been relentless and ultimately thankless.
But at least it will be spared the Club World Cup. For Chelsea and Manchester City, the break from football will be almost non-existent, placing more demands on the squad than ever before.
Meanwhile, Liverpool will rock up for the start of the Premier League in August having not been in meaningful competitive action for the best part of four months. Especially at a time when the club has gambled on the continuing output of Van Dijk and Mohamed Salah well into their 30s, that could be a monumental advantage.
Pre-season will be important to shake off any rust. But while Arsenal will be nursing the hangover of a third straight runner-up finish, Liverpool will be armed with the freshness to go again, and to maintain its intensity for a full season.
So while some Arsenal fans might be taking pleasure in Liverpool’s long-awaited dip in results, they are laughing at a phenomenon which will only make their task next season even more difficult. If this is what Slot can do in his first season, just wait and see what happens when he unleashes a well-rested group on jaded rivals — the Reds might be able to start their holdays even earlier next year.
