Liverpool head coach Arne Slot explains the reason behind the lack of rotation within the squad, despite the hectic schedule. Slot has enjoyed an incredible debut season with Liverpool, securing the 20th Premier League title without spending much until now.
Liverpool only signed Federico Chiesa in a bargain deal from Juventus during the summer window and avoided spending in January. The Kopites are expecting a major transfer window during the summer of 2025 despite the club’s remarkable Premier League achievement.
As the Reds enjoyed a solid start to the season, they suffered a similar fate, which haunted them last season. Liverpool drastically dropped their momentum during the second half of the season, suffering elimination from all of the cup competitions.
The Reds lost the Carabao Cup final against Newcastle United after crashing out of the Champions League Round of 16. Last season, Liverpool’s misery involved inconsistent performances along with an injury crisis, but this season, they suffered from persistent fatigue.
Speaking to Men in Blazers (via YouTube), Slot explained the reason behind his lack of rotation at Liverpool despite fatigue. He said:
“I am not a big fan of rotating the team every single game by five, six or seven positions, because I think that doesn’t help you to get the right automatisms, so key players are important and vital. This is the second year this team is playing together, so that definitely helps us improve. But sometimes it’s good to inject some new energy as well, some new players also. You have to find the balance. Last season we made the choice to keep everyone, the new manager was maybe the new energy at that time. We will see where we are going next season.”
Slot’s reasoning for the lack of rotation is valid, and the Premier League victory is good evidence. However, Liverpool have drastically dropped their form during the second half of the season, which is also an undeniable truth.
Fans have hoped to see players like Harvey Elliott and Chiesa receive more game time after their optimistic cameos. However, the duo have struggled to get the reward for their impressive impacts despite the struggling performance of some players.
Rest assured, the summer transfer window will provide Slot a chance to sign players that he desires for the club. At the same time, many players will depart as it is mutually beneficial for them to leave instead of staying on the bench. Maybe Slot could make a couple of changes in rotation next season to balance fatigue with automatism.
