Liverpool's decline
Before leading Liverpool, Arne Slot had never lost 3 consecutive matches as head coach, and had never suffered two consecutive defeats in the domestic arena.
It was his ability to inspire a winning culture during his time leading SC Cambuur, AZ Alkmaar and Feyenoord - combined with sharp tactical thinking and calm personality - that convinced Liverpool's leadership that Slot was the right person to succeed Jurgen Klopp.
That decision quickly showed its correctness. Slot has lost just two of his first 34 Premier League games, before helping Liverpool win the title a month earlier in his first season in charge.
With a record transfer budget of £450 million last summer, many expect Liverpool to continue to progress even more strongly. However, despite winning all 7 opening matches, the Merseyside team rarely showed the confidence and power of a true champion this season. A series of recent disappointing results has left them 7 points behind leaders Arsenal.
When Liverpool were caught out by their opponents
Of course, the responsibility for Liverpool's decline cannot be blamed entirely on Slot. With the exception of midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai and rookie Hugo Ekitike, most of the players have played below their usual form this season.
However, the person under the biggest pressure is always the head coach. Even Slot has to admit that he is having difficulty helping his players regain the cohesion and rhythm of the game in recent weeks.
"I have said many times, the teams all have their own strategies when facing us. It was a very effective tactic, and we have not found a solution yet," Slot said when asked about the reason for Liverpool's decline.
The Dutch strategist's frankness and vision were once considered a plus point in the "Red Brigade" championship season. However, his publicly pointing out the team's weaknesses was judged by some to be unwise during the crisis period.
At many points this season - including the 1-2 defeat to Manchester United - Slot has highlighted the way opponents use long balls and set pieces to make things difficult for Liverpool.
According to data from Opta, Liverpool have faced 571 long balls, the most in the Premier League this season. This shows that opponents are proactively exploiting the weaknesses in the Reds' ability to defend the ball in the second half and in the air. And so far, Slot has not found a truly effective solution.
In terms of attack, Liverpool showed a lack of sharpness in set pieces. This is quite surprising in the context that most of The Kop's opponents have retreated deep to minimize the risk from the living ball.
Comparison shows that Arsenal have scored 11 goals from set-pieces in the Premier League this season, while Liverpool have only scored 2 goals. That difference clearly reflects the ability to organize and take advantage of dead ball opportunities between the two teams competing for the throne.
Arne Slot's football philosophy needs to be adjusted
As time went on, people felt that the Premier League's development in terms of physical strength and practicality was becoming a major obstacle for Liverpool players. Especially Florian Wirtz, Liverpool's £100 million signing, who has yet to score or assist in the tournament. And moreover, that goes against Slot's football philosophy.
"He's always been a person who loves attacking football. As an attacking midfielder, he has a very good tactical vision. That is clearly shown in his coaching career. Slot always focuses on every small detail and always thinks deeply about the game" - Henk Ten Cate, former Slot coach at NAC Breda shared earlier this year.
AZ Alkmaar technical director Max Huiberts has also praised Slot's strong belief in direct, smooth and controlling attack. He said the Dutchman "has a very concrete view of how a team should play attractive attacking football".
However, being too loyal to a single philosophy can sometimes become a double-edged sword. The history of English football has witnessed many typical examples. Ange Postecoglou was sacked by Nottingham Forest earlier this month for failing to effectively implement high-speed pressing at City Ground.
Meanwhile, Manchester United's Ruben Amorim has been repeatedly criticized for being steadfast in his 3-back formation, before reaping some positive results recently.
Top coaches always know how to adapt and develop over time. For Slot, some tactical adjustments may be necessary if he is to help Liverpool overcome the current difficult period. They need to regain their winning identity in a harsh Premier League environment.
