One of the most common queries directed at Arne Slot as the new Premier League season got underway was about rotation. He was honest when he said that there wasn’t much of a cause to change his starting lineup at Feyenoord—fewer league matches, one less domestic cup to manage, and greater challenges to go farther in the European tournament. Slot’s team played in just 48 games during his final season in the Eredivisie, which included winning the KNVB Cup, the Johan Cruyff Shield, and the Dutch season opener.
A few weeks later, the new Liverpool manager has demonstrated a deft hand at changing his lineup without, thus far, noticeably lowering the caliber of play; although the performance against West Ham was a little stuttering with nine changes, the victory against Wolves was also stuttering with a normal starting XI in place.
Aside from the League Cup, Slot has said that he would rather make a few changes, leave most of his starters in place, and allow others to develop and challenge for spots two or three at a time. Maybe the first person to make a claim was Cody Gakpo; more recently, Curtis Jones has done the same.
It would not be surprising to see both of them join the team when they play Bologna in the Champions League this midweek. This is a continuation of the process on the softer end of the sliding rotation scale and also provides some insight into what this year’s competition offers or doesn’t give.
That is the essence of competition and risk-taking: you have to play every game at your absolute best or face the consequences. The top players in the talent pool will only widen the gap with the rest in the new format, and a domestic title contender like Liverpool can have further advantages later in the season. This is not to say that teams and players won’t perform well in European competition or that they don’t want to win.
However, the Premier League standings, which the Reds lead at the moment, are secondary. First up is Europe, where they have a great opportunity to establish a foundation that will put them well within reach of the knockout stage—yes, even though the league section’s conclusion isn’t until January.
Eight or nine points might be sufficient for a playoff position, according to Uefa’s own calculations, and ten would almost definitely be. Although teams like Liverpool may naturally be aiming for top-eight finishes and will thus not have a playoff match to deal with before the final 16, it already feels like a little difference.
Think about this: the rotation permitted and the lack of true intensity in some Champions League games between now and the new year will more than allow for those extra minutes to be overcome for a side that misses out on eighth or above. This is especially true when you factor in the fact that the top few—should Liverpool be considered likely to finish below more than, say, 14 of these other clubs?—will play the last sides clinching a postseason berth.
Put another way, they would more than make up for it if they had to play one of the legs against…young boys? Instead of rotating out Mohamed Salah or Virgil van Dijk against Girona or PSV. Brest? Maybe Celtic?
The added benefit is that Slot can decide which Premier League matches specific players should be rested from ahead of time, keeping important players fresh for those home matches.
The Champions League this year is unpredictable, but with more games, the strongest clubs have a greater chance of winning, and there’s a good likelihood that none of the eight teams that started the competition are significantly stronger than Liverpool. Real Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen, two of their toughest opponents, are both at home. And Uefa is only fooling themselves if they sincerely believe they will witness a genuine “Liverpool vs. Real Madrid” match, complete with European magic, history, excitement, tension, and a fierce, unstoppable must-win game.
In the fifth game of eight, both sides may have already crossed the legendary 10-point threshold, which ensures a certain amount of advancement.
There’s no danger, no strain, no cause to jeopardize futures and physical condition with the kind of excessive passion and desire that two recent club finals have naturally produced.
In particular, not four days prior to the Manchester City match.
However, all eight of the matches are involved. Gamers are able to relax. Liverpool can make sure they are best-prepared for every weekend league game in turn if Bologna and Leipzig are defeated similarly to Milan, with minor adjustments and no drama. This will increase their chances of maintaining their position at or around the top of the domestic table for an extended period of time.
All of this doesn’t make Slot’s current position any less difficult: he still needs to balance players’ demands for game time, figure out how to defeat Bologna, and provide the desired outcomes. However, he has done so far largely, and if things keep going in this direction, more Champions League games might really help Liverpool in
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