Arne Slot demands Liverpool change to 'quieten noise' over his future - 'Very bad cocktail'

Arne Slot

Arne Slot has challenged his Liverpool players to realise the "simple" change that can make a success of a difficult season - but admits that may not enough to quieten the speculation over his future.

Slot found his position come under more scrutiny at the weekend when a 3-2 loss at Bournemouth saw the Reds drop down to sixth place and outside the Champions League qualification berths.

With former Liverpool favourite Xabi Alonsoback on the managerial market having been sacked by Real Madrid earlier this month,

Slot's detractors have been calling for a change in the dugout despite the Dutchman retaining the full backing of the Anfield hierarchy.

And ahead of his team's final Champions League opening stage match at home to Qarabag on Wednesday

The Reds boss accepts the constant chatter over his role is an inevitable consequence of Liverpool's poor defence of their Premier League crown.

Slot

“I think it's going to be really difficult to quiet the outside noise with the position we are in in the league,"

"Even if we win a few games, every loss or every disappointing result will start the noise coming back again.

“That's what you can expect if you started the season as we did at a certain moment with so many losses.”

“So it's impossible to shut down the noise at a club like this if you are not competing for the league."

While victory on Wednesday will confirm a top-eight Champions League berth and direct progress to the last 16,

Liverpool's domestic woes were encapsulated at Bournemouthwhen they were unable to capitalise on territorial dominance while leaking three avoidable goals concluding in a dramatic late home winner from a set-piece.

And Slot is in no doubt the Reds are falling short in two key areas of the pitch.

“For me it's so simple," he said. "In between the boxes we are a very, very, very, very good team. The way we play out from the back, the way we bring the ball towards promising positions, the box entries we have.

"Against Bournemouth so, so, so many times we were in positions where I would like my players to be in but killing those moments, bringing it from promising positions towards chances and if we have the chances then be clinical and finish it off, that is something where we have to improve.

"And in the other box, other teams arrive there three, four times a game, but too many times if they arrive it leads to chances and sometimes to goals.

"There is a complete disbalance in how many times we arrive in promising positions and how many times other teams arrive there.

“But there is not a disbalance in the goals that are scored and that's a very bad cocktail we are having.

"If we can improve in both boxes, we can do very special things this season. If we can only improve in one box, then it's going to be probably an acceptable season, but not more than that.

“And if we can't improve in both boxes, it's going to be a lot of noise throughout the whole season."

When asked what would be acceptable for his team this season, Slot said: "When you are Liverpool, the aim is to win the league.

“We’ve only done this twice in the last 30 years. The aim is to be competitive in every single competition we are in.

“That’s always the aim but the reality is that in the last three years, we’ve won one League Cupand one Premier League title.

"What is acceptable? I have my opinion but I’m not going to share that. The outside world has an opinion. As we all know, a lot has been said about the £450million (spent in summer) but people tend to forget the (near) £300m we bought in.

"So, I have my own opinion about what is acceptable but I’m not going to share that. I can say if we improve in both boxes,

“I think we are able to win something this season. If we only improve in one box, it is going to be really difficult to win something this season.”

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