1 week ago
7
Arne Slot has been warned he will need to manage the egos of Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike as the Liverpool boss searches for his best attacking approach following a major summer overhaul.
The Reds of course went big on reshaping their attack in the transfer window, having offloaded Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez while signing Ekitike and Isak - the latter for a British record fee.
Since Isak’s addition on deadline day, the duo have largely been battling for a sole starting position up front, although they were paired together for Wednesday’s Champions League tie against Eintracht Frankfurt, which Liverpool won 5-1.
Ekitike scored his sixth goal of the season in that victory, although he may have to wait to be partnered with Isak again, with the former Newcastle star having been withdrawn with a groin problem at half-time in Germany.
Despite the change in approach working for Slot this week, it remains to be seen whether it is a ploy he would stick to in the long-term - especially as it might mean less playing time for Mohamed Salah.
Former Arsenal striker Jeremie Aliadiere has expressed sympathy for Slot as he tries to figure out his best approach, but has warned the Liverpool boss he faces a difficult balancing act with his new strikeforce.
“I feel for Arne Slot having two expensive strikers to keep happy up front, but at the end of the day, Hugo Ekitike deserves to start,” Aliadiere told WhichBookie.
“He began the season so well, and then they went and spent £130m on Isak. Where does he fit? Isak has to get match fit so he has to get some gametime, he’s not going to just sit on the bench all season.
“Let’s not forget that aside from those two players, you’ve got the best player in the league from last season, Mohamed Salah. Slot can’t just start to play in a 4-4-2 formation and tell Salah he needs to play more defensive just to accommodate the two strikers. It’s a tough job to manage that.
This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
“If I were Ekitike, who was the main guy at the start of the season with plenty of goals and contributions, I’d understand Isak needs some gametime, but I’d be annoyed to be stuck on the bench. He was winning them games early in the season. It’s hard to get the balance right, particularly with two big players like Ekitike and Isak. Slot must manage their egos as well.”
Aliadiere added: “I compare this Liverpool side to Paris Saint-Germain when they had Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe. You buy all of these superstars which excite the fans, but does that mean they’re going to gel and work well together?
“The signings are also going to upset Salah. He’s the main guy at Liverpool and they’ve done everything they can to keep him. He’s broken various records and has been the best winger in the league for some time. Bringing in all these new players who want to score goals won’t align with what Salah wants.
“It was the same at PSG. The team sheet looked great, but it didn’t work. At the moment, whatever Liverpool are doing isn’t working and they’re struggling.
“Intelligent players and great players can work together and it’ll take time, but it’s time they don’t have right now. Arsenal and Manchester City are going to keep winning games and if Liverpool can’t get back on track, they’ll be out of the title race within the next five weeks. Slot must find a way to fix things and keep everyone happy.”
English (US) ·