Why Some Fans Aren’t Buying Into Slot

There’s criticism after a defeat, and then there’s that deeper feeling that something just isn’t right. That’s where some Liverpool supporters are with Arne Slot. Not a wobble. Not a “give it time” niggle. More like a proper doubt about whether he’s got what this league demands, and whether the squad even believes in it.

The blunt version is this: the football looks too slow. Not slow as in controlled and patient, but slow as in easy to play against. When you watch the Premier League week in, week out, you can’t escape the basic truth: pace and intensity are non-negotiable. If you’re second to the second ball, if your transitions are delayed by even half a second, you get punished. And the frustration here is that Slot is being accused of not really grasping that physical, frantic edge that English football lives on.

Speed, intensity and the reality of this league

It’s not about wanting chaos for the sake of it. Liverpool under Klopp were at their best when the tempo was set early and the opponent was forced to play at our speed. That’s the comparison people keep reaching for, because it’s the most recent reference point of what “Liverpool” felt like: front-foot, aggressive, willing runners everywhere.

So when a manager is perceived to be leaning into a slower rhythm, it’s always going to jar. You can see why it winds people up too, because it can feel like we’re choosing to make life harder. The league doesn’t give you space, and it definitely doesn’t let you stroll through games and turn it on later.

The big worry: do the players believe?

More than any shape on a tactics board, the claim that really stings is that the players don’t look convinced. Supporters can forgive a lot if they see a team running itself into the ground for the manager and for each other. When that edge disappears, fans start asking uncomfortable questions.

The comparison being made is stark: a group that once looked devoted under Klopp now looks like it wouldn’t “run through walls” in the same way. That might be harsh, and it’s hard to measure from the stands or the sofa, but it speaks to a fear that buy-in is missing. And without buy-in, everything else collapses.

Edwards, Hughes and the politics of backing your own call

There’s another layer to it as well: the club leadership. If Edwards and Hughes have backed Slot, then of course they’ll back him publicly, because it’s their decision too. That’s normal in football. But the point being made here is that eventually self-preservation kicks in. If results and performances don’t match the plan, the manager is usually the one who takes the hit first.

None of this needs to turn into fan-on-fan sniping either. Throwaway labels like “Carra worshippers” don’t really help anyone and just drag the conversation away from the football. Disagree, fine. But at least argue the point without turning it personal.

Written by Bazzinga: 14 January 2026