There’s a point in the criticism of Arne Slot’s approach, but I don’t think the whole “we’ve got no pace” line really holds up. You can argue all day about style and risk and control, but pace in the squad isn’t the issue in itself. The way we use it is.
We’ve got runners, even if it doesn’t always look like it
For a start, there are players in this group who can shift. Dominik Szoboszlai is properly quick once he opens up. Jeremie Frimpong, if we’re talking about him in the mix, is obviously built for flying down a flank. Florian Wirtz isn’t “burner” fast in a straight line, but over five to ten yards he’s sharp, and that matters when you’re trying to nick half-spaces or turn a full-back.
Even the ones who don’t get labelled as rapid can move. Ryan Gravenberch and Cody Gakpo are quicker than they look, especially when they’re running into space rather than stood still with a defender tight to them. And if you’ve got a forward who times runs well, you don’t need him to be the 100-metre champion. A yard gained with movement is still a yard.
The type of pace that scares defenders is a different thing
Where I do understand the concern is the specific kind of pace that changes a match. The “nightmare” forward who’s always on the shoulder, always threatening in behind, and makes back lines drop five yards just in case. If Mohamed Salah isn’t quite at his absolute peak speed anymore, you notice it in those moments when the ball is there to be raced onto.
And if you’re losing players whose game is built around stretching the pitch, then yeah, the squad can look like it’s missing that one brutal outlet. It’s not just speed on paper. It’s speed used aggressively and repeatedly.
Fast football is mostly decision-making
Truth is, you don’t need a front three full of sprinters to play quick, direct football. You need quick decisions. You need the first pass forward when it’s on. You need the runs to start early, not after three safe touches. You need midfielders brave enough to play through pressure instead of around it.
If the instructions are to slow it down, reset, and keep everything in front of you, you can have pace all over the pitch and still look like you’re running in treacle. That’s the frustration. Liverpool at our best have always been about tempo and intent, not just raw speed.
One thing that often gets missed in these debates is “playing fast” versus “being fast”. Playing fast is about spacing and triggers: where the wide players stand, whether the full-backs go early, and whether the number eight takes risks with the first-time ball. Get those right and even an average-paced side can look electric.
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