Liverpool Star ‘Very Uncomfortable’ With Arne Slot’s PSG Approach – Ex-PL Defender
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Tottenham Hotspur legend Toby Alderweireld has claimed that Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk looked ‘very uncomfortable’ with Arne Slot’s approach against Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday night.
The Reds travelled to the Parc des Princes to face PSG in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final clash looking for a reaction from a disastrous weekend loss domestically.
Still reeling from a 4-0 thrashing by Manchester City that ended their FA Cup run on Saturday, Slot’s troubles deepened as his side failed to register a single shot on target against the defending European champions.
On the night, the 47-year-old tactician opted for a back three, with Van Dijk at the heart of the defence alongside Joe Gomez and Ibrahim Konate, but the setup proved ineffective as Liverpool conceded twice in a 2-0 defeat.
Alderweireld cast doubt over Slot’s tactical approach at the break and says he could tell that Van Dijk appeared uncomfortable in his role on the pitch.
He suggested the system did not play to the Dutch centre-back’s strengths, with his body language and overall presence hinting at a clear discomfort within that setup.
The former Spurs man was quoted as saying by Dutch daily HLN: “You can feel that Virgil van Dijk feels very uncomfortable with that.”
Alderweireld could well have ended up playing alongside Van Dijk had he moved to Liverpool and he revealed that they approached him too late, as his mind was made up to join Atletico Madrid.
He then had the chance to deny Van Dijk success in the Champions League final, when playing for Tottenham, but his team-mates could not grasp the lifetime opportunity he had urged them to take.
Former Belgium star Marc Degryse also took aim at the tactical setup and overall display, arguing that only Luis Enrique’s side showed any genuine desire to play football.
He admitted he was left puzzled by the Dutch tactician’s calls on the night, suggesting the chosen approach blunted the team’s usual quality and edge.
The 60-year-old added: “Only one team wanted to play football.
“I really don’t understand Slot tonight.
“He has made his team less good than they are.”
With Mohamed Salah set to leave the club this summer, speculation is also mounting over Van Dijk’s future, with Galatasaray keen, having identified the 34-year-old as a dream target.
Liverpool have traditionally done their best work at Anfield in front of the Kop, with a current Leeds United player noting that the crowd act as a 12th man.
The return leg is scheduled for next Tuesday on Merseyside and Slot faces a daunting task if Liverpool are to overturn a two-goal deficit and keep their European hopes alive.
The club currently sit fifth in the Premier League on 49 points, holding England’s final Champions League spot for now, but with Chelsea, Brentford and Everton in close pursuit, that position remains far from secure.
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