The Dutchman’s brand of football may not be as heavy metal as that of his predecessor, but he’s made the Reds more solid at the back while also retaining most of Jurgen Klopp’s principles in attack.
The Liverpool squad seem to be responding well to his methods and it remains to be seen what they do across competitions as they find themselves at the top of the Premier League standings.
Slot has thus far provided answers to everything that’s come his way – barring Nottingham Forest’s visit to Anfield last month – and has certainly looked the part on the touchline at Anfield.
And three main decisions have helped shape what has been a historic start to the 2024-25 campaign for the Reds.
Deploying Ryan Gravenberch as a number-six
Liverpool's Ryan Gravenberch gestures during the Premier League match between Crystal Palace FC and Liverpool FC at Selhurst Park on October 05, 20...
Undoubtedly his best decision as Liverpool manager so far, Slot’s decision to use Ryan Gravenberch as a number six has proved to be a masterstroke.
The 22-year-old endured a rather lukewarm spell at the club since joining from Bayern Munich in the summer of 2023, but Slot’s arrival has breathed new life into a player who threatened to fade away after showing signs of promise.
Gravenberch has combined his technical ability and physicality with incredible elegance and has been fantastic alongside Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister in midfield.
Liverpool failed with their pursuit of Martin Zubimendi and could’ve easily dipped into the market for an alternative, but Slot decided to give Gravenberch a chance and the player has taken it with both arms.
Liverpool’s measured approach in the transfer market
The Reds spent a lot of time trying to sign Zubimendi and only got Federico Chiesa through the door at Anfield in the last week of the summer transfer window.
The Italian was the only player who came through the door at Anfield, which was viewed by many people across footballing circles as an abject failure.
However, Slot was confident enough to stick to his guns and back the players at his disposal, which is a sign that he actually believes he inherited a fantastic squad from Klopp.
Liverpool refrained from splashing the cash in the summer transfer window and although it’s still early doors, it’s looking increasingly like they made the right call.
Persisting with Luis Diaz
Liverpool's Luis Diaz gestures during the Premier League match between Crystal Palace FC and Liverpool FC at Selhurst Park on October 05, 2024 in L...
Joel Matip and Thiago Alcantara’s departures at the end of the previous season meant Liverpool needed reinforcements in midfield and defence, leaving their attack as their strongest suit.
With Mohamed Salah, Diogo Jota, Darwin Nunez, Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz, the Reds’ frontline seemed fantastic on paper.
However, during the 2023-24 campaign, only Salah produced the goods regularly, with the others dealing with injuries and inconsistency.
Since the start of the season, Slot has stuck to his guns and backed Diaz, who showed his class in pre-season and has seemingly carried on in the same vein.
Gakpo enjoyed a fantastic campaign at Euro 2024 with the Netherlands and looked likely to nail down the left-wing spot at Liverpool under his compatriot, but it is the Colombian who made the biggest impact so far with five goals across all competitions.
Diaz’s early season form is another win for Slot, with the 27-year-old finally starting to show the consistency Liverpool fans have long craved for.
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