Liverpool head coach Arne Slot expressed dissatisfaction with his team’s performance despite securing a 1-0 victory over Girona, extending their perfect start to the Champions League with six consecutive wins.
Mohamed Salah’s 63rd-minute penalty, marking his 50th goal in the competition, proved to be the difference. However, Slot was particularly troubled by the first half and the overall performance.
“I’m really pleased with all the results, especially the five games and the way we played,” Slot said. “But I am far from pleased about the performance tonight.”
When asked to elaborate on his concerns, Slot responded, “A lot. Especially two things.”
“If you play against a team who has such a good idea about football and know how to bring the ball out from the back like some other teams we faced recently, like [Manchester] City or Real Madrid then you have to be so intense if you want to make it difficult for them.
“But if every time you are waiting a few seconds and then if you do press, you are so easily out-played as this team can cause you problems and this is what they showed during the whole Champions League campaign, except for PSV Eindhoven away.
“I almost feel sorry for them because they deserve so much more in this campaign than the three points they have now.
“And every time we lost the ball we were not aggressive enough, almost every time they just went all the way to our goal.
“We had hardly any control in the game, maybe the second half was better—I’m trying to be positive.”
The low intensity meant goalkeeper Alisson Becker had a busier night than he would have expected after returning from two months out with a hamstring injury.
He made five saves in the first half to help extend the club’s run without conceding for close to nine hours and Slot was indebted to the Brazil international.
“We have an incredible goalkeeper. I said as a joke, maybe the players wanted to see how fit he was to give him so much work,” he added.
“He showed he is probably one of the best—in my opinion the best goalkeeper—in the world.
“Let’s hope he can continue to keep bringing these performances and hope more he can stay fit.”
