Ahead of the Champions League clash with Paris Saint-Germain, Dominik Szoboszlai was asked how Liverpool were going to go from survival mode to mounting a memorable comeback against the Ligue 1 giants.
He had a one-word reply.
“Anfield.”
The Anfield factor, when harnessed properly, is a bit of a cheat code. It doesn’t level the playing field. It swings the game in Liverpool’s favour. And that’s what the players and the manager were banking on this week.
Arne Slot referenced it in a number of pre-match interviews. Considering it was such a big focus ahead of kick-off, the former Feyenoord boss did nothing to really lean into it. He didn’t make it a factor in the game.
Instead of sending his team out to get at the visitors from minute one, he allowed PSG to control the first half. Luis Enrique’s men had more shots (eight to four) and more possession (62%).
The hosts were sluggish and that was to be expected, in all honesty. Slot opted to name an unfit Alexander Isak in his starting XI knowing full well he only had 45 minutes, at best, in his legs.
They decided to use a Champions League quarter-final second leg to get their No9 up to speed. That wasn’t the only strange decision on the night as Liverpool lined up with Hugo Ekitike on their right-hand side, Alexis Mac Allister was deployed as an attacking midfielder and Dominik Szoboszlai, key to the press a lot of the time, was used on the left-side of a double pivot.
Liverpool needed a thunderous start to the game to really capitalise on the Anfield factor. The showing was tepid at best. The visitors didn’t need to nullify the crowd, Slot did that himself.
And while things picked up after the break for a 20 minute spell, it wasn’t quite the onslaught it should’ve been from minute one.
Slot often talks about it but his actions have proven he doesn’t really get it. Anfield feeds off emotion. When Nike announced the kit partnership with the Reds in 2020, there was a marketing video that started off with “Welcome to the Republic of Liverpool, this is where miracles come for their big night out and impossible gets a clip around the ear.”
The message at the time was loud and clear. If something can’t be done, it’d happen at Anfield. Jurgen Klopp knew the importance of having Anfield on side and it’s one of the reasons he leant into the doubters into believers angle.
Anfield was on side and the players provided them with something they could get behind. It fed the crowd and in turn, the crowd acted as the 12th man. Slot, on the other hand, relied on Anfield but offered nothing in return.
You can dispute whether or not he’s managed to get the best out of the squad he’s been given, but I’m not sure you can dispute that he’s simply not managed to get the best out of Anfield.
Without the crowd, the squad is exposed. When there’s more scrutiny on the players, the manager’s inability to highlight their strengths and hide their weaknesses is there for all to see.
Anfield feeds off frenzy and chaos. Slot embraces the opposite of that. And that’s one of the reasons his stint as manager of Liverpool is likely to be brief.
David Ornstein disputes that right now, recently saying: “All of our information is that FSG, the ownership, the sporting hierarchy at Liverpool - they intend to stick with Arne Slot. From the conversations I've had - even if there's no Champions League football - that's the intention.”
But the club aren’t going to come out and say otherwise right now, are they? The fact of the matter is, Slot is heading into the final 12 months of his contract, as is the man who hired him. Richard Hughes is being courted by clubs in Saudi Arabia and could well depart before his contract is up.
That would weaken Slot’s standing at the club.
Missing out on Champions League football would also weaken his hand and right now, the pressure is on. Slot’s failed to get the best out of big money signings, he’s managed to limit what the likes of Mohamed Salah can do and he’s letting the Anfield factor dissipate. Failure to claim a top five finish would likely be the final nail in the coffin.
Right now, the next game from now until the end of the season is the biggest one for the Reds. It just so happens that the next game is a Merseyside derby and the Toffees can move to within two points of their neighbours with a win.
The pressure is on the Dutchman.
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