Liverpool beat Ipswich Town 0-2 in the Premier League opening game at Portman Road Stadium to kickstart the Arne Slot era. The Reds struggled with dominance during the first half as the newly promoted side shocked them by imposing physical dominance.
A big credit goes to Ipswich fans for creating an environment that only bolstered their players to bully the Reds. However, Slot used the halftime break to address his team and make tactical changes which included the substitution of Jarell Quansah.
The new Liverpool head coach brought Quansah off for Ibrahima Konate to counter the physicality that Ipswich’s Liam Delap showed. The tactical changes had immediate effects on the game as Liverpool started to dominate more and create consistent attacking threats.
The Reds scored two goals in the second half and had the opportunity to score even more, securing three points. Slot immediately acknowledged the tactical change in the post-match interview which raised a few eyebrows among the fans and pundits.
Slot addressed his post-match statement once again (via The Guardian) to provide clarity on the situation that brought unwanted attention. He said:
“Maybe language was a problem. I said he did not lose every duel but one or two important duels. I don’t think it was ‘hard, hard’ but I raised my voice a bit. I’m not losing it in terms of throwing things through a dressing room but I can be hard and tough on them if I think it’s necessary but I don’t think that works every week. You always look at your team and think ‘What do they need?’ And if you feel they need a bit of this [punches his palm] you are a bit harder on them, sometimes really hard on them, but never in a way that you are losing your mind.”
The Dutchman’s current interview should ease worried Liverpool fans after pundits like Alan Shearer unnecessarily attempted to instigate controversy about Quansah. Slot’s decision to take Quansah off does not diminish the trust his head coach has in the youngster. In fact, Quansah delivered a good performance in the first half, making three clearances, two tackles and one last-man tackle.
Furthermore, the 21-year-old won two out of four ground duels and two out of four aerial duels in 45 minutes. However, Konate’s involvement in the second half stopped Ipswich from taking the direct route towards Delap.
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The situation allowed Liverpool to have more control of the game as Ipswich struggled to implement any other plan. Slot will rotate his defenders according to the opposition and there are games ahead where Quansah is more suited to play.
