A Big Win, But The Bigger Questions Remain

It was an excellent win, and it felt good because it didn’t just look like Liverpool enjoying the ball for the sake of it. We went direct. We played with pace. We carried a bit of threat the moment we got it back, instead of taking three extra touches and letting everyone get set again.

And that’s why it lands with a bit of frustration as well. Because when you see it work, you can’t help thinking: why hasn’t this been a bigger part of the plan more often?

Mo: brilliant example, but “leader” is a stretch

One thing I can’t get on board with is this idea that Mo is some sort of great leader. He’s an elite forward and he sets standards by output and availability, fair enough. He’s a top example in terms of professionalism. But “leader” as in someone dragging the group through storms, being the voice, setting the tone for the whole side? I just don’t see it.

That doesn’t diminish him. Not everyone has to be that type. Liverpool have always had different kinds of influence in a squad: the vocal organiser, the calm head, the one who never drops below a certain level. Mo can be the last of those without us trying to force the label.

You can’t just “reduce wages” on a live contract

The other point that needs saying out loud: wages don’t work like that. If a player is on a contract, you can’t simply decide you’re paying him less because you fancy it. Mo’s on a deal. If he’s 33 with 18 months left, then it’s basic reality time, not wishful thinking time.

The club have only really got the usual options in front of them: keep him and let the contract run down, or look to move him on in the summer if that’s the direction they want. A pay cut isn’t something you impose. It would be a negotiation, and that’s a very different thing.

Direct football worked and that’s the worry

What really stood out was how effective the more direct approach was. Faster counters, earlier passes forward, players running beyond instead of coming to feet every time. It wasn’t complicated. It was just purposeful.

But here’s the concern: will it stick? Because Arne Slot has shown that even when he does tweak things and it works, he’s got a habit of snapping back to his preferred patterns. Maybe that’s conviction. Maybe it’s stubbornness. Time will tell, as always.

For me, it’s a bit too little too late. If we’ve just seen proof that a different approach can lift the side, then it raises uncomfortable questions about the earlier choices. And if a promising season has been blunted by a refusal to adapt, that’s hard to forgive.

Written by chewysuarez7: 1 February 2026