S Poddar
Liverpool Manager Arne Slot was the last person to know he had done something nearly impossible during his first few months with the club. Slot jokingly said he had done something “nearly impossible” after his team’s 2-0 victory against Bologna in the Champions League.
The win at Anfield was Liverpool’s second successive victory in the group stage matches, coming after their 3-1 win over AC Milan. Slot’s management has attracted praise from fans and pundits, but this victory fetched him a highly significant milestone. This win made Slot the first manager in the history of Liverpool to win eight out of the first nine games under his captaincy-a feat yet to be achieved by any other manager.
While Slot’s accomplishments have been Liverpool good enough that under his tenure, their performances have been very solid. They have lost only one Premier League game up until this point: against Nottingham Forest. However, apart from the shocking loss to Nottingham Forest, the team remains unbeaten in all competitions. At this point, though, when told of his record-breaking feat on TNT Sports, Slot looked genuinely surprised. Speaking to host Reshmin Chowdhury, Slot responded with a touch of humor, “It’s almost impossible to do something so special at this club!”
He showed complete humility as he would go on to acknowledge the collective effort that contributed toward the team’s early success.
Slot was quick to credit the dedication and hard work of the players and staff, really, in this good start to the season. “I think it says a lot about where we started off, how much the players bought into it, how much effort they put in, and how much the staff have helped as well to create this start,” he said. Slot’s leadership has undoubtedly resonated with the team, who responded with consistently high-quality performances.
Liverpool was victorious against Bologna, who proved to be a hard nut to crack. Alexis Mac Allister scored the first goal, while the other one that sealed the deal for the former was scored by Mohamed Salah. Just like his manager, during the match, Salah also broke a record: Salah is the first player in the club’s history to score in five consecutive Champions League matches at Anfield after scoring Liverpool’s second goal.
But that was not all in that impressive contribution from Salah. He also marked his name in the pages of European history when he became the first English club player to both score and assist in nine Champions League games. All these testify to his consistency and importance to the team as he delivers in crucial moments.
Despite the win, Slot remains humble and aware of what waits ahead for the young team. When asked about the upcoming matches, he said that the schedule awaiting Liverpool is even more challenging. “Even tougher games are coming up, starting on Saturday where we play a 12:30 kickoff against Crystal Palace after playing at an evening Champions League on Wednesday. But it’s great to start like this.”
Slot has a very down-to-earth personality. He gained not only recognition for his tactical nous but for the way he copes with successes: Slot understands better the kind of pressures that come with the team management of storied clubs like Liverpool, yet remains keen on staying the course and keeping itself on the right track to the end of the season.
No doubt the Liverpool fans are pleased with the present set-up of the team by Slot. After such a summer of change – with new signings and a fresh managerial approach – the team is playing at top level, and Slot’s ability to integrate players and get results has been impressive.
Hopefully, this strong beginning will stand Slot in good stead for the remainder of the season as he leads Liverpool to greater triumphs in both domestic and European competitions. Indeed, as Salah breaks records yet slots into a cohesive team working together under his leadership, Liverpool seems quite well-positioned to challenge on many fronts this season.
Slot’s reaction to his record-breaking start encapsulates the attitude he brings to Liverpool: quite low-key, team-oriented, and always looking forward to the next challenge. As this journey continues, Liverpool supporters are eager to know what more this partnership between Slot and the club can produce.
