Support the badge, not the blueprint

I’ve seen enough little flashes to believe there’s something here under Arne Slot. Not a finished product, not even close, but enough to keep the head and not start reaching for the sack button every time the vibe isn’t perfect.

The style debate does my head in a bit, to be honest. I hate watching teams sit in and counter as much as anyone, but if that’s what Liverpool have to do for a spell to stop the bleeding, so be it. Are we supporting Liverpool Football Club, or are we supporting a preferred pattern of passes?

Every coach gets it wrong sometimes

I’m not pretending Slot’s been flawless. No manager is. The decisions that wind you up are part of the job, and they always look worse when they don’t come off. Hindsight is ruthless in football.

And look, when you’ve just paid huge money for a new lad, the temptation is obvious: chuck him on, see what happens, hope he changes the mood. If it clicks and he scores, we’re all calling it brave. If it doesn’t, it’s “why on earth did he do that?” That’s the game.

Endo, Chiesa, and the familiar manager’s favourites

Managers have their favourites and their pecking order. That’s not me saying it’s right, it’s just reality. I don’t fully get why Endo doesn’t see more minutes, but it also doesn’t shock me.

With Chiesa, I’m torn in a way I recognise from years of watching Liverpool. Some players just feel more dangerous off the bench than they do from the start. There’s a bit of Origi in that, isn’t there? You want to see more of him, you love the effort, but you also know the moment he starts every week the story can change quickly.

Results first, then performances

Given the losses we’ve had, I’m more interested in the results right now. We needed to right the ship. Grinding out wins and draws isn’t glamorous, but it gives you something to build confidence on.

That doesn’t mean the performances have been great. They haven’t. But if you can’t take a bit of joy from a seven-game unbeaten run, you’re choosing misery.

And yes, Slot takes his share of blame. But the players aren’t blameless either. Chances without end product, sloppy passes, not getting back in, and brainless errors at the back. Slot can set the shape, he can tweak the press, he can change the personnel. He can’t do the basics for them.

By all means judge him properly if there’s no improvement and we miss out on top four. Until then, he gets the benefit of the doubt. Slot is one of us until he is not.

Written by RedMob: 5 January 2026