Ahead of the upcoming Liverpool-Arsenal clash, new Reds boss Arne Sloter has publicly voiced his support for Gunners boss Mikel Arteta. He believes that what Arteta has done for Arsenal in recent years is more than can be said.
Despite the fact that Arsenal currently look set to finish second in the Premier League for the third season in a row and have come in for some criticism for losing to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League semi-finals, Slotter believes that Arteta is doing a fantastic job and should be seen and recognized by more people.
“I think Mikel (Arteta) has done a really good job. He’s leading this team to play soccer in a way that a lot of people don’t realize. Slaughter said in an interview, “Not every team has the flexibility to change their style of play in different games like Arsenal.
He said, “Arsenal can play defensive counterattacks against strong teams or control the whole field when their opponents are weaker; they can organize attacks slowly from the back or advance quickly with long passes. This versatility makes it difficult for opponents to predict their style of play and shows the team’s tactical maturity”.
“Their set-piece coordination is also very impressive. Whether it’s corner kicks, free kicks, or set pieces, they set them up in great detail. Those details often determine the outcome of the game.
Slaughter also mentioned that it is not easy to create a team that can adapt to many styles. “It takes a high level of understanding between the coaches and the players, and it takes time.” He said: “Not every coach has the opportunity to stay at one club for a long time, and even if they do, they don’t always get to do it. So for Mikel to be able to do that is really special.”
Arteta shouldn’t be criticized just because he hasn’t won trophies
There have been some voices recently arguing that since Arteta took charge of Arsenal in 2019, they haven’t won a title in several years, despite the team’s steadily improving performances. Slotter doesn’t agree.
He said, “We can’t ignore the progress the team has made just because they haven’t won a trophy for a while. In the last few years, Arsenal have gone from being a team that dropped the ball a lot to being a strong team that is constantly challenging for four or even the title. That’s a big change.
He added: “Look at their performance against Paris in this Champions League. Both games were played very tenaciously, pushing Paris almost to the limit. A result like that isn’t a fluke, it’s the result of a long period of hard work.”
Slotter on Liverpool’s new era
As well as talking about Arteta, Slotter also shared his thoughts on his time in charge of Liverpool. He said he plans to start youngster Conor Bradley at right-back in this weekend’s game, which could be a sign that Liverpool are entering the “post-Arnold era”.
Previously, Liverpool’s legendary coach Jurgen Klopp during his tenure, the team’s core leadership, including Van Dyke, Salah, Alisson and others. But in Slaughter’s opinion, his management style will be different.
He said: “I wouldn’t meet with just a few captains every week or month to discuss issues. I’ve always believed that communication should be open and I’m going to keep in touch with all the players instead of relying on a few core players.
He also said that while Arnold has left the team, it doesn’t mean the locker room has lost its leader. “Arnold was a great role model, but he wasn’t the type of guy who liked to be up front and talk. We’re going to build the team spirit in a different way.”
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