Add thelocalreport.in As A Trusted Source
Arne Slott Checking the teamsheet. Not even his own. Liverpool’s Carabao Cup exit from Crystal Palace – and the decision to make 10 slot changes, rest their regular players and fill their bench with rookies – brought different questions about their selection options; Following their inability to find their best 11, their second line team looked inadequate, with the boys losing to the men.
But Slott looked at Chelsea, took notice liverpool Defeat at Stamford Bridge condemned Substitute Estevao WillianThere are two obvious counterarguments. It is hardly an original observation that Chelsea have accumulated a large number of players in recent years, but it has led to more criticism than praise. And Liverpool’s own bench’s celebration at the start of the season at the time of the substitution made dramatic late interventions of their ownOne of them, Federico Chiesa, is a Euro 2020 winner who came to Anfield with a lot of pedigree.
On Wednesday, Slott turns his sights on Wales The team that Pep Guardiola chose in Swansea“I saw [Manchester] City’s line-up and I don’t think they had a starter from the weekend, but it felt as if – if you look at their line-up – that they played with their 11 starters,” he said. “Really? Because it included 18-year-old Divine Mukusa, who has yet to play a minute in the Premier League. And it didn’t include any of the guys who would top the list of Guardiola’s favorite 11 starters: Erling Haaland, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Rodri, Ruben Dias, Bernardo Silva.
If Slote was mistaken when he argued he would have chosen a similar bench against Palace as he did against West Ham in the Carabao Cup Last season – when, instead of rookies, it included Mohamed Salah, Luis Diaz, Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis McAllister, Andy Robertson, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate – the manager’s concerns are greater with six defeats in seven games.
But the main thing is the size and depth of their squad. The defense for the slot for renouncing the Carabao Cup was that it is limited to 15 or 16 senior first-team players. Ryan Gravenberch is likely to return from the injured squad of six against Aston Villa on Saturday. The slot seemed to suggest alexander isaacAlison Baker, Curtis Jones and Jeremy Frimpong will be missing, while Giovanni Leoni is out for the season.
And yet, while Liverpool were unquestionably unlucky against the Italian defender Suffered such a serious injury in his debut matchA manager who spent a record £450 million in the summer will receive less sympathy. That budget was going to prepare him for all situations. Slot opted to be cautious against Palace, reasoning that the last time he picked a player he thought was ready but who was not, Isak was injured against Eintracht Frankfurt. Yet it is worth reiterating that the main reason for Isak not having a proper pre-season and never being in peak physical condition for Liverpool is Isak himself. The Swede has yet to complete 90 minutes in club football this season, while Marc Guhi, who has taken a different approach in times of uncertainty, has done so 14 times and played 89 minutes in his 15th match.
Liverpool have a particularly tough week ahead – Villa, Real Madrid and City – but they faced similar ones last season. They faced Chelsea, RB Leipzig and Arsenal in a three-game spell, then Real, City and Newcastle in another. Yet now, they may look tired and disheveled, their squad stretched and too small.
But the thing to note is that this is the result of their decisions. Slote admitted in September that Liverpool could face problems if they suffered six injuries. Now he has six. But he said a month ago: “We have 20 or 21 players, whereas some of the other teams we are competing with are at 24, 25 or 26. But that’s the choice we make.” And this was reflected in Liverpool’s summer business. “That’s why we can spend a bit more on one player rather than bringing in three players and that’s probably the difference between the clubs,” he said.
This may be an oversimplification, but instead of Isak, Liverpool could buy two players worth £60m; Two at £50m each, replacing Florian Wirtz. That’s exactly what Arsenal did. They acquired Victor Gyokarese, Noni Madueke, Eberechi Eze and Martin Zubimendi, none for less than £48m, none for more than £70m. By common consensus, Arsenal now have the deepest and most balanced squad.
The city also provides a relevant comparison. Jack Grealish is a £100million discrepancy in his record. Guardiola is very likely to buy players in the £40m-£65m bracket. Donnarumma is cheaper than that, even though his wages are substantial, and the City manager has spent around £350m in 2025 on all but 11 players. And, in turn, that’s because, amid the injuries, City realized they had left themselves with a very small squad last season. But a more even spread of resources among the squad means Guardiola can field £340m in the starting 11 in the Carabao Cup. The slot price is lower than Isaac.
They show contradictory viewpoints. Liverpool tried to get the best 11, which they don’t have as long as they struggle to achieve. Arsenal and City went for more strength in depth. And so, like so much at Anfield now, it comes back to Isak and Wirtz, thanks to Liverpool’s expensive recruitment drive.