The making of Arne Slot and why he is succeeding with Liverpool | OneFootball

Arne Slot has had a dream start to his Liverpool career. By winning eight out of his first 10 Premier League matches, Slot recorded a better start than any previous Liverpool manager. A positive surprise for fans, with the Dutchman exceeding expectations during his first months at Anfield.

So, what is Slot’s football vision? And how have his playing career and previous managerial experience influenced him?

Slot’s playing career

As a player, Slot had an 18-year career in senior football, playing for three Dutch clubs. He started out at PEC Zwolle (FC Zwolle until 2012) where he was an academy graduate. After seven seasons in the First Division (Dutch second tier), he moved to NAC Breda.

There he played in the Eredivisie (Dutch topflight) for five seasons. After two more Eredivisie seasons at Sparta Rotterdam, Slot moved back to PEC. Where he spent another four seasons before retiring in 2013.

Arne Slot’s playing career1

With PEC, Slot won the First Division, and thus promotion to the topflight, twice (2001/02 and 2011/12). During the 2011/12 season, he was awarded the First Division Player of the Year award.

Playing mainly as an attacking midfielder, Slot played 462 professional league matches (Eredivisie: 208 and First Division: 254). Scoring 73 out of his 100 league goals in the Dutch second tier. He never won a cap for the Dutch national team and his European experience was limited to four matches (332 minutes) with NAC. Yet, his lengthy playing career has given him plenty of experience with regards to pressure, injuries and tactics.

Developing a vision

Slot’s experience as a football player has contributed to his football vision. Being neither the strongest nor fastest, Slot had to be tactically smart. ‘I was constantly thinking ahead,’ Slot observed in 2017.2

For years, Slot watched a lot of football, analysing what he saw. He tried to uncover principles that are repeatedly applied and deliver results. Adding useful elements and ideas to his constantly developing vision. By exchanging thoughts with other managers, such as former Liverpool assistant Pepijn Lijnders, he tried to enhance his vision.

Slot’s management career

Immediately after retiring as a player, Slot started as a coach in the PEC Zwolle academy. After one season, he became the assistant manager at SC Cambuur. A position he held for over two years. When Cambuur dismissed Rob Maas in October 2016, Slot got his first taste as a manager after becoming shared interim manager with current Liverpool assistant Sipke Hulshoff (Slot did not have his UEFA Pro License yet). They changed the formation and playing style, which turned results around. After winning eight out of eleven matches, the two interim managers were allowed to finish the season (34 matches, finishing third and reaching the cup semifinal).

He then moved on to become an assistant manager at AZ Alkmaar (two seasons, 81 matches). In his first season after being promoted to manager, Slot’s team was second behind Ajax on goal difference when COVID-19 interrupted the season. Positive results in his second season, did not prevent AZ from dismissing him in December 2020 when rumours emerged, he was negotiating with Feyenoord to become their new manager. His dismissal meant Slot never managed a full season in Alkmaar, despite being statistically the club’s best manager by accruing 2.15 points per league game (34 games). Furthermore, under his management AZ recorded 20 clean sheets (59 percent) in the Eredivisie.

Arne Slot’s managerial career1

Bringing style and success

When Slot moved to Feyenoord in 2021, the club wanted him to play exciting and attacking football with which the fans could identify. Slot succeeded by changing to a physically and tactically demanding playing style that is based on several key points. High intensity (with and without the ball), varied and dynamic movement, and a compact organisation while showing dominant and attacking initiative and creativity.

Despite Feyenoord losing its most prolific player Steven Berghuis (involved in 58 percent of the goals) to Ajax in the summer of 2021, Slot’s management and strategy paid off. During his first season, Feyenoord finished third. They missed out on trophies, but did reach the Conference League final in which they lost (1-0) to José Mourinho’s Roma. Slot’s influence and work were awarded with the Rinus Michels Award (Eredivisie’ best coach).

During the 2022/23 season, Feyenoord won the Eredivisie title. The first since 2017 and only their second since 1999. They also held the longest unbeaten league run in the top seven European leagues. In Slot’s final season at Feyenoord, they won the Dutch cup. While their second-place league finish was statistically their best season under Slot. Accruing the most points (84), scoring the most goals (92) and conceding the least (26).

Defensive stability

An important strength of Slot’s teams seems defensive stability, with a relatively high percentage of clean sheets (like at AZ). At Feyenoord, Slot recorded 42 clean sheets across 101 league matches (42 percent).

Last season under Klopp, Liverpool’s defence was vulnerable. The team conceded 64 goals across 58 matches and recorded 16 clean sheets (28 percent). With subtle changes, like introducing a double-pivot, and introducing many of Slot’s game principles, Liverpool have improved defensively. With the Reds recording 10 clean sheets through Slot’s first 19 matches in charge (53 percent), conceding 12 goals.1

Simplify game elements

Slot believes a manager constantly needs to simplify game elements for players, so they can execute complex elements on the field of play.2 His game principles are very useful for this, because it creates order in a game of chaos consisting of many transition moments. In addition, game principles allow for players to know what to do in each situation irrespective of formation. It also allows for Slot to be flexible when he works with players with different qualities. One of his game principles: ‘if the ball is near the sideline, it needs to go back to the middle of the park’. Players’ creativity allows for different solutions but with one common result: getting the ball back to the field’s centre.

Slot does not believe high crosses to be very effective. With only one in 70 or 80 resulting in a goal.2 He rather sees low and cut back crosses. Furthermore, he likes to press the opponent to create opportunities high up the field. While also forcing them to play away from the centre of the field.

According to former colleagues, Slot operates very democratically, consulting others. Everyone knows where they stand with his rule-based and principled approach. He is a brilliant communicator and believes improving the interaction and communication amongst players is an important task for managers.2

Relatively little experience

Despite his vision and successes, Liverpool took a gamble by paying €9 million for Slot. Which made him the sixth most expensive manager transfer at the time. After all, he has relatively limited topflight experience.

Of Liverpool’s last six managers, Slot is the only one with no previous management experience in the Big Five leagues.1 In fact, Slot had only managed 206 matches (240 if you include Cambuur). Which is 65 percent less than the 589 matches Klopp had managed at Mainz and Dortmund.

It is the second lowest amongst the last six Liverpool coaches. Only Brendan Rodgers oversaw less senior side matches (150) before being appointed Liverpool manager. However, the Northern Irishman had far more managerial experience (18 years) than Slot. Including 10 years at Reading.

Ability to rebuild

Despite his relatively limited experience, Slot does have a lot of characteristics that could make him the ideal long term Liverpool manager. He recorded positive results at previous clubs and was praised for his teams’ playing style. Attacking, dynamic, but with defensive security. Furthermore, due to his game principles it should be easier to integrate new players if important players leave. At Feyenoord, he won the league in his second season. Despite only four of the starting XI during the Conference League final remaining at the club.1

Slot will hope to retain integral players like Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold, whose contracts have not yet been renewed. Replacing them will be far more difficult than replacing a Luis Sinisterra or Tyrell Malacia at Feyenoord though. Even if there are more funds available. However, if Liverpool must, it seems Slot’s management style and vision allow him to rebuild a successful team.

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