Dismantle all doubts
It is only a matter of time before Anfield wins the Premier League title. That is a success that few people predicted before the season started. After the departure of coach Jurgen Klopp in the summer, along with a somewhat quiet transfer window, not many people expected Liverpool to compete for the top spot. Klopp's mark has not faded, the transition will take a long time.
It must be admitted that the appearance of new coach Arne Slot at that time could not revive the gloomy atmosphere in Merseyside. The 46-year-old has never worked in England before. His coaching experience is mostly associated with Dutch football.
Although Slot has achieved some outstanding results, there is still a level gap between the two tournaments representing each country. The Premier League is fierce and demanding much more than the Eredivisie. Everything was new, but what Slot showed everyone was surprising.
Slot inherited a squad that was very close to winning the Premier League last season and made a few changes, most notably Ryan Gravenberch playing in the number 6 position - an area once considered a weak point in the squad, as well as turning Liverpool into a team with more possession. Since then, Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister have become two of the four players with the most minutes played for the club this season, along with the experienced duo Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah.
Under Slot, they still maintained Jurgen Klopp's intensity, but approached the game more patiently to control and adapt. Slot's system retains its high-altitude pressing identity, but no longer accepts the risk of attacking, instead focusing on holding the ball first. Their chances of creating are reduced, but in return, the winning streak will be maintained.
With a tight schedule, every team is struggling, only Liverpool have responded better, at least when compared to the two most promising candidates, Arsenal and Man City, showing reasonable squad depth and rotation strategy.
Register in history
In the past, not many coaches won the championship in their first season in English football. Only 6 have done that in the Premier League era. The first was Man United legend Alex Ferguson in 1992-1993.
Jose Mourinho set this record at Chelsea in the 2004-2005 season. Carlo Ancelotti repeated in the 2009-10 season, Antonio Conte added his name to the list thanks to the title in the 2016-17 season. All three of the above coaches have led Chelsea.
The others were Manuel Pellegrini at Manchester City in 2013-14 and Claudio Ranieri with a miracle with Leicester City in 2015-2016.
If we consider the strictest standards, only counting coaches who first caught up with English football, there have been only 4 people who have done it since the national championship was established in 1888. Slot will be the fifth person to win the championship in his first season leading a top-level team in the foggy country.
Jan Everse - a former Dutch international - who knew Slot well when he was a colleague at PEC Zwolle, shared with The Athletic: "Arne was not too famous when he arrived in England. I told 3-4 English journalists at that time that I was sure Slot was a better manager than Klopp. They looked at me like I was a fool. But look now. Look at Manchester City, they bought players for hundreds of millions of pounds. Look at the players Chelsea have bought. All other teams bought and sold. Liverpool did not spend much. Now, we all know, they will finish the season as champions."
Liverpool's success under Arne Slot is not only a testament to the Dutch strategist's talent, but also shows the club's impressive adaptability. After an emotional and successful Klopp era, The Kop has transitioned seamlessly and even more strongly.
As Liverpool prepare to lift their English championship for the 20th time in history, fans may start dreaming of a new period of dominance. With a talented manager, a balanced squad and an attractive football philosophy, Liverpool have all the necessary elements to maintain success for many years to come.
