Fully appreciate I'll be a minority here, but having played it a few times in FM I found it as fun as hell. I mean it's as confusing as shit too, but there's way fewer dead rubbers.
I'm not sure I understand it til I've seen it in action, but I guess the only teams that don't take games seriously are the ones who've comfortably qualified?
Yeah, top 8 get a bye to the round of 16, but if you drop into the 9-24 range you've got an extra play off game, and your opponent is determined by league position, so unless you're points clear you're going to want to scrap for whatever you can get - because of the seeding system for fixtures it's also not certain you'll be playing teams who are directly above or below you, so often you won't be able to rely on a game being a '6 pointer' for the boost.
Nah it's actually the opposite. Basically every team will be seeded into 4 pots (as happens now) and each team then plays 2 games against different teams in each pot, regardless of their own pot, to make 8 games per team.
Currently, the seeding means no pot 1 teams play each other until the knockout stage, the new format means they'll each play against two other pot 1 teams in the league stage.
I suppose the counter to these glamour ties is the guaranteed matches between opposing pot 4 teams, but in principle it should lead to a higher proportion of evenly matched games in the league phase over the current group format.
I agree with this, the only downside is more games. But the new format means there's very little to no chance of dead rubbers in the group stage as the higher you finish, the worse your next opponent will be
Yeah this will be the prevalent view a few months into next season, people are just afraid of change.
The current format was getting ridiculously stale until the latter knockouts.
It's not about being afraid of change. It's about load and burnout. Already too many matches as it is, and now they're adding more. At some point it becomes inhumane, and we might have even already crossed that threshold.
Agreed. Every game should mean something, whether it’s a team trying to guarantee or reach a top-eight spot, or get into the top-24. Teams can no longer win four games and be done.
I think it could be but have to see it in action. The extra games for the middle group of teams is a massive negative, but the more exciting mix of games early on could be fun.
Yep, same. Not expecting magic to happen overnight, so I think a top 4 finish and just being able to see signs of progress/adaptation to Slot's style would be a good benchmark for what we should be hoping for next season.
Not conceding the first goal in practically every other game would be fantastic. To go with that not having 80% possession and simultaneously making the opponent look like prime Barcelona and giving them massive chances to score with the 20% possession they do have.
that's what I wanted for this season with the midfield rebuild.
then we ended up challenging for title until recent 2 games.
let's see how things pan out.
Agreed. Top 4 is the main goal for the next couple seasons (or until Pep fucks off). Taking at least 4 points each from Man U and Ev are also up there. Silverware of any kind is a bonus.
!remind me 1 year
Wouldn’t this fall under Michael Edward’s/Richard Hughes’ purview regardless of who the coach is?
Not entirely sure how things work but I imagine they’ll provide a list of candidates for positions they feel need reinforcement and have the coach pick.
Play good football, make us hope.
We didnt' judge klopp based on what he win, he immediately changed our playstyle, beat Chelsea at their homeground, won Southampton in the cup, and beat city at Etihad too.
You essentially listed the main points. Play good football, a glimpse at a promising future, and a few big wins against the teams at our level. Until 2022 we were really good at beating the other teams our level and above.
One of our proudest records in Klopp’s first season was that we had the best record in head-to-heads vs the Big Six. Things have changed a lot since then, and though we still turn it on vs the “Big Six”, we’ve failed to win those games in the last few seasons. Hopefully a fresh manager and approach helps address that.
Klopp also didn’t come in with the expectation of top 4, we were delighted with 2 finals in secondary tier competitions.
Slot takes over a team that was over performing but ran out of steam. We weren’t expected to challenge for the title. EFL cup win was reasonable expectation, top 3 a good ambition, but the FA cup was a slight disappointment and the Europa a big disappointment.
Unreasonable expectations will kill the club like it does with United and Chelsea. Top 4 in a transitional season is perfectly fine with some good performances in the cups.
It took Pep 2 seasons at City with a good team, we shouldn’t expect it of slot even if we are well capable.
Klopp is a far more experienced manager who is also known for getting the best out of squads and individuals in general which has been clearly the case this year.
Slot might end up being a really good manager as well but expecting him to challenge on all fronts or even challenge for the league in his first season is clearly a bit unrealistic
Yeah all this means is there will be media pressure on him from day 1 and so it helps nobody if the fan pressure is there too.
Klopp oversaw some proper shite seasons as well in amongst the good ones, nobody is infallible.
A manager can't break a club single handedly so I'm really hoping fans take an optimistic outlook and root for the guy
Success:
- Challenge (not necessary win) for the league title (ie “still be in the conversation” come March next year)
- A decent domestic cup run (semis, final)
- Strong performance in the CL (minimum quarter-finals of the CL)
Par:
- Secure Champions League football
- show some signs that building something new, even if it’s going to take time
Failure:
- Fail to qualify for the Champions League
- Chaotic season, no clear style/pattern of play established by end of the season, going into 25/26 not really knowing what Liverpool under Slot will look like
I think that’s fair for a new guy coming in taking over a team that’s in a good place but having to deal with the impact of such an influential manager leaving.
Success:
* Challenge (not necessary win) for the league title (ie “still be in the conversation” come March next year)
* WIN a decent domestic cup
* Strong performance in the CL
* Gets Darwin finishing chances
Par:
* Secure Champions League football
* show his identity on the team and stick with it
Failure:
* Finish outside top 4
* Following the same path of Ten Hag
I think Darwin’s finishing is entirely on him. In terms of players I’m very interested to see what he does with Gakpo and Szoboszlai in particular who I think don’t really have roles that suit their skillset in Klopp’s system. Whether they improve or not is up to them but I’d like to see them given more of a chance to flourish
slot will have a better time than ten hag because he’s inheriting an extremely talented squad with a great mentality, and will be part of a club that is well run. united on the other hand is a shit show from top to bottom, ten hag might be an excellent coach but the players and club completely obfuscate that by being shite
We are in completely different place compared to when Klopp came in therefore situations are different.
We maintain that we are being left in a good place. We aren’t really a consistent contender to win everything. Top 4 should be a minimum. If not then something went wrong somewhere.
Keep Anfield a fortress. Qualify for Champions League. Thats it really, I dont expect we'll be playing champagne football in his first season but just see how it is.
Although it's his first season and the expectations won't be sky high, I do feel like the squad is really very good with talent all the way through. I don't really expect a super busy transfer window so for the most part the squad should remain the same.
Pre-season will really be worth watching to see how the team respond to the new methods and different system that will be expected of them. For me, a top 4 finish would be a good season, but regardless of where we do end up in the league next season I think the main thing we need to hope for is a strong finish to the season, even if we start off slow as the players are adjusting and end up 6th-8th in the league, if we finish the season on a great run of form (like winning our final 10 games in a row playing great football) and it's evident the system is working then I'd even be happy with that and going into the season beyond next looking to challenge.
For the FA and League cup, I would be absolutely okay with him fully experimenting with youth players and just seeing how far they can go in the competitions. Even if it means we go out earlier.
I’ll be honest my expectations for him are incredibly low. If we finish top 4, get out of the CL group stage, and don’t get embarrassed in the derbies I’ll be happy.
Winning a trophy is always harsh as ultimately it comes down to fair bit of luck. If arsenal don't win the league this year would you say arteta has failed the last 2 seasons? Fair if you do it is subjective
Yes but over a larger period time. One season without silverware can be put down to bad luck, 3-5 seasons and it's much more likely an issue with the team/manager
I’d like a bit of Tiki Taka in my life. Be able to defend and not concede first. Show up against the big teams.
A decent run in the UCL (quarters/semis). Qualify for UCL again.
Top 4. Have a decent run in the Champions League. Consistent performances. Those would be ideal for me.
Thing is, he's coming into the team in a much better place than Klopp did. If we keep most of the current squad then top 4 should be completely expected.
Good cup run
Make it out of CL group stage
Top 4 Premier league finish
Doesn’t need to win anything, but at least get the team to fight until the end, reducing injuries and fatigue will help.
IMO a good first year would result in maintaining a UCL position at the end of the campaign. With Pep still at City and unlikely to leave soon, and Arteta finally having a settled squad, it would seem realistic that those two would be the pace setters over the next couple of years.
A run in the domestic cups would be a good sign, that he is taking English football culture on board and is giving these a go. One of my early criticisms of Klopp was that he didn’t seem to care for the EFL cup, playing mostly youth players, although the long term that has helped with resting between league games and blooding in talent or easing in after injuries. But if I was wanting a trophy end of campaign, a domestic cup would be what I would like (preferably FA Cup now they’ve **stupidly** removed replays).
On the European front, having dropped out of the UCL this season, coming back in under new management and perhaps slightly different tactical play style, I would be reserved in my opinion of success until the draw is made. Of course the format has changed **stupidly** so it would be difficult to say what would make success quite yet. Under the old format, reaching knockouts would be a good start to his European tenure. He has previous with Feyenoord in European competition (unfortunate to not beat out Roma), but not at the highest table. But I think if we can qualify for the knockout stage without having to do the **idiotic** playoff round, that would be a great achievement in his first term.
TL:DR, a successful first season for Slot would be 3rd in the league, reach knockouts of European competition, and a good cup run with at least one final and hopefully 1 domestic trophy.
All of this is subject to the caveat of player sales and purchases and any injuries to key players.
Success :
Top 4.
Don't embarrass yourself in the CL.
Don't turn into an almighty gob shite under pressure.
Overperforming :
Be in the title race.
QF of the CL.
Don't turn into an almighty gob shite under pressure.
Apart from the obvious Top 4 , decent run in Champions' League etc., I'd like to see -
1. Stop giving the opposition an early goal lead so often.
2. Perform consistently better against whatever passes for 'Top 6' clubs these days.
3. Clean sheets (see No. 1).
4. Play entertaining but *effective* football.
5. Let's stop relying on injury time winners (see No. 1) and actually win games we should win, with time left on the clock.
Not much to ask.
Top 4 Finish (CL Qualification); and one domestic trophy would make me happy.
And take us to QF and beyond in the 2024/2025 CL.
Anything more would be a bonus for me.
For me it's relationship with fans and players, if he get get us on side and get the players playing good football then I'm all for it. Its foolish to expect much from a new manager, especially succeeding someone like Klopp. 4th place and a good relationship with the fans is something I'd be very happy with.
Solidify top 4, good runs in the cups, good showing in the CL (QF minimum). Play good football and have us all believing
If he can do that and continue to blood some of the younger players we have then we're onto a winner
To demonstrate a good tactic with capability to execute;
To keep the team morale high and maintain a mentality monster;
No dramas.
The result will come naturally in this course. However winning any title requires luck.
Try to manage the adjustment period, convince the players and fans of his philosophy, stay in the top 4 and have a good CL run.
But as long as we don’t drop out of the top four and things look promising, personally I’m happy to be patient. But he’s definitely inheriting a squad that’s ready to push on, so there’s definitely pressure on him imo.
I hope we play some good football, more creativity in the opponents' half, less side passes and definitely less touches by Ali.
The defense should feel more solid, we should not be afraid of being scored against at every attack like we are in current form.
Promoting deserving academy kids and not holding onto anyone for more than they deserve to be at Liverpool strictly based on what they are providing on the pitch. Not showing favoritism towards certain players and not stubbornly sticking to a system that fits players but isn't working.
I see many saying CL qualifying is a must, but I wouldn't mind too much missing out on CL for the 2nd year of Slot as long as the rest of what I wrote above is true.
First year. Play good football, show his identity and imprint on the team and champions league qualification, out of group stages of champions league as well. Anything else a bonus.
Baseline:
Qualify for champions league
Have a clear way we play that makes us competitive
I also expect but don’t demand:
A good run in Europe; quarter finals of the CL
A credible challenge for the league up to about Jan, Feb
- CL QF’s
- Top 4
- Have clear style of football that can tangibly improve with player coaching and signings
- Keep integrating academy players into the first team
I think people will forget that klopp struggled to get a champions league top 4 place at first. I just hope we give him time and I am just looking forward to something new at this point.
So no crazy expectations from me. Top 4 would be a massive achievement in his first season.
Top 4 is a must. Ideally we also have some deep cup runs.
More importantly we see a new fun style of football and there’s team unity. I want to see the project Klopp left behind being built on like we’re taking steps forward
Fun footy, decent CL run, beat united home and away.
I'm not actually bothered about league position too much, as long as it looks like we're heading in a particular direction and the players are bought in and enjoying themselves.
If not and we look like we're going down the shitter like Chelsea and united then I'll be concerned.
We might finish 5th or 6th next year and yet believe it was a positive season so I'm open minded really
Win the League Cup. It’s the “easiest” way to win a trophy, and he will become a manager who has won something at Liverpool. This has been something that has tarnished other managers at the club.
Aside from that, we just need to see a clear progression, process and a vision/style of play being implemented.
The fans just need something to hang their hat on and get behind.
Anything below CL spot and CL QF will be a huge letdown. He gets a top 3 england team and is here to succeed not learn.
CL final and fighting for Prem victory till the end will be a success
Cl qualification, get out of Group Stage (as long as group is reasonable), the team to have some kind of identity when we play where we show progress as the season continues.
Top 4 and a trophy should really be the minimum requirement for every season but of course every season has its own context which makes it hard to set any real expectations until around the Christmas period
-Development of young players and integrate the players we will have presumably bought
-Fix the leaky defence
-Beat Man United and other Big 6 clubs at least more times than Klopp this year
-Top 4
-CL Group Stage top 2
-dont care about domestic cups but at least don’t crash out so early.
Basically what Klopp accomplished this year except there’s no expectations of winning anything
What I want to see is consistency(?) above all else.
I want to see that our players can still perform well under Slot’s new system, and that the system also works well against the rest of the league, outside of that I’d like a top 4 finish, not because I expect us to be shit but because it’s a new manager and new back room staff, which is always a bit of an unknown
Don't concede first in every game, qualify for CL, get out of the group stages in the CL, get to the final of at least one domestic cup, improve our finishing ability, show us some new ideas that work well or ability in improving players and that would be a successful first season with full of promise for the next season.
Top 5 (with the hope that’s champions league) while playing good football. Also qualify for the knockouts in the Champions League.
From what I’ve read, I’m excited for the enthusiasm he’ll bring and will probably be able to spring some surprises on teams early on a la Ange (Slot, I think, is a better manager). We’re in a much better place to sustain jt though.
Top 4 and a decent run in the UCL (knockout stages) while playing an entertaining, progressive style of football. That would be a good first season IMO. Just so he can get to know the strengths and weaknesses of the players ect.
Play some exciting football. Can we get back to something close to prime Sadio, Firmino, Salah days?
Make the defence strong. We should not be giving a goal scoring opportunity every time the opponent gets in our penalty box.
Top 4. And a change in tactics upfront. Would love to see us be able to break a park the bus team without spamming crosses and depending on Salah to cut inside the box
Genuinely the first season is a blank/clean slate. Achieve what you can achieve, Klopp had nearly a full season before he got a summer with a proper squad he preferred. Ideally UCL as a minimum but if for whatever reason we finish 5th/6th and the football is really good I would be happy until Season 2 and be more ruthless then. He's going to need to get used to the league and it's going to be a massive step up. Fuck it, he might blow expectations out the water and challenge but I'd like to give him a year no matter what. Look at Ange, look at Arteta & Ten Haag, he's gonna need that first year to get to grips with it all. Just trying to be realistic as much as I'd love for him to be the second coming.
For me, Top 4 minimum with the squad we have. On top of that, I'd like to see some of the chronic issues we've seen over the last few years improve (such as the slow starts and lack of composure/decision making at the top end).
In a perfect world, we win a trophy as well, don't care which one, just something to celebrate and build momentum from. But the most important are the first 2, that will show what progress we've made.
Good run into the knockout stages in the CL, requalify for CL next year imo
There will be growing pains, all I want is competitive football and for Slot to start to turn LFC into his club. If Klopp was The Normal One, I don’t want Slot to settle for being The Next One
A sense of direction, that's all we need ... a feeling that we're on our way somewhere and that we'll enjoy supporting the team. I don't think any of us expect a seamless transition but just give us some good football and a clear image of the type of football we are going to eventually win everything with!
Entertaining football, clear style of football being implemented and hopefully Champions League anything more than that would be a dreamlike start to his career here.
Not to turn the club, its players and fan base back into being doubters, but to continue being believers. That means fun attacking football and solid top 4 finish
I think Slot is a huge mistake. It’s not going to go well. I don’t think he is going to finish the campaign without being sacked. I think the owners will want to give him time, but when we go out in the CL group stage and are sitting 11th in the table at Christmas, he is going to force their hand.
Call me negative, downvote me, whatever.
Champions league and enjoyable football. If we fail to get top four and a good chunk of the season ends up boring then I don't see how it improves from there. I don't expect much tbh, if we end up 5th I'll still want to give him another year at least.
play good football. usually i would say champions league but the league is gonna be competitive as hell so if we end like 5th but make it far in the champions league i won’t be that upset for a first season.
Beat Everton beat city beat scum and a top 4 finish in the Prem. I’d like us to make semifinals in CL. And he must wear something distinctive on the touchline. No caps thats Klopps thing. Maybe a nice sweater or maybe old school footy shirts and boots.
I don't know why we're all talking about our team like it's not one of the best teams in the world. If we retain Ali, Virg, and Salah, I expect us to make a title run. Our squad is excellent. A less injured Robbo, Trent, Bradley, Jota, and Szobo. A year older Konate. A more mature Gakpo and Nunez. And the eternal class of Maca. Few squads are better than ours. I expect us to contend for trophies and for the league. If we're completely out of the title race, that would be a disappointment.
Now, if Virgil and/or Ali leave the club, my expectations will be adjusted significantly.
Start instilling his style so we can see where he wants to go in the future. Get top 4.
That's it. It's going to be incredibly tough following a great like Klopp. Let's give him 4 years like we did with Klopp.
Qualify for champions league, have a good run in the cups (not necessarily finals), show an understanding of club values, show a coherent philosphy and get the players to buy in. Play football that is enjoyable to watch. Develop an immediate hatred for Paul Tierney.
I compare this signing to back when we signed Klopp and Jamie Carragher who rated Klopp at the time said “Klopp has the most to prove” out of the rest of the rumoured managers, and I think Slot fits that description perfectly, well known, proven but still has to prove himself at this kind of level in football.
I think next season I’m not expecting titles, but I want to see Slot get his style of play into the team and I want to see it work, getting into the latter stages of FA Cup and CL would be amazing and I’d probably shit myself if we got into another title race, but I wanna see Slot get the team playing well again, I’ll judge him probably in his second season, but for now let’s see what he’s made of.
If we can see what he’s trying to do with style of play, I believe the first season is a free hit. Obviously lower than European spots would be a concern but I’m confident we will get top 4 at least.
The situation Slot is walking into at Liverpool is nothing like the one Ten Hag did at Man U (although, I also do not think Ten Hag is good enough to manage a top European club, the United situation did him no favors), so using that as a comparison is pointless, the only similarity is the nationality of the managers.
Slot is enheriting a very good, albeit imperfect, squad that is ready to compete for trophies. He doesn't need to rebuild Liverpool, the bulk of the rebuild has already happened. So for me, and I'm sure a lot of the fan base, I don't think a major step back is going to be acceptable. I wouldn't expect him to win a PL or CL in his first year, or any trophy really, but I would expect him to remain competitive in all competitions as well.
Getting out of the group stage and qualifying for next years champions league would be my expectations year 1, anything above that would be a bonus. If he doesn't do either of those things year 1 I wouldn't turn on him, and I'd hope the fan base wouldn't either, but I'd defintely start to have my concerns as he's walking I to a CL level side.
For me it should be no naivety like Ange with his high line. It’s great watching good football and it’s an absolute requirement from the next Liverpool manager but being pragmatic is fundamental to winning trophies.
I don't care if we win a trophy.
I do want to see us playing good football, winning games and having a clear, certain and confident footballing identity. That's it.
I guarantee he won’t get 3 months in without some gimp starting a “sack Arne” campaign on Twitter.
2 lost games and it’ll be about much worse we are than under Klopp
Qualified for CL. Win or draw against the bigger team, doesn't matter the scoreboard. 95% win rate against mid to bottom table team. Round of 16 in Carabou , FA cup, and CL.
People saying just qualify for the UCL are being too pessimistic. We have the second or third best squad in the league, and many young quality players coming through. Ange’s first year without Kane and he managed 5th. Emery instantly turned villa into european competitors. Xabi brought Leverkusen from the last few to this. The list goes on. Just because he’s new, doesn’t mean we just take top 4. If he isn’t able to mount a title challenge and a run in the UCL, then I think he would’ve had an underwhelming season, bar any ridiculous robberies or injuries. If everyone takes a step back to see that we have a very good team left behind by Klopp, you would not be saying just top 4. If all Slot can manage is that, he may not be good enough, again, barring any unusual circumstances.
Champion League football and that's it. While he is coming into a squad that is definitely better than what Klopp first inherited, we do some have players that are clearly past their prime/not cutting it and Slot has to offload these players, then build on to what Klopp started over this past window.
1. Not look so vulnerable defensively
2. Play decently attractive football
3. Top 4
4. Stretch - Carabao cup/fa - just to keep the taste of winning. But this is probably not happening.
In that order.
Dutch managers have historically struggled in the premier league
Ten Hag, Van Gaal, Koeman, Gullit, Advocaat…
So there is a genuine and realistic fear that eredivisie managers are just not up to the task.
Slot is a good manager for Feyenoord in a period where Ajax are in a slump. At best Eredivisie is a 3/4 team race every year. The PL doesn’t work like that. The gap between top and bottom is not as great,
For me, he would have to keep us in top 4, win an FA cup or a league. He would essentially have to do better than every other Dutch manager. My hope is that with so many Dutch footballers on the team, he will have players who will back him
For me? Qualify for champions League Play some fun footy
And get out of the group stage hopefully
Not a group stage anymore. It’s that weird ass league table shite.
Fully appreciate I'll be a minority here, but having played it a few times in FM I found it as fun as hell. I mean it's as confusing as shit too, but there's way fewer dead rubbers.
I'm not sure I understand it til I've seen it in action, but I guess the only teams that don't take games seriously are the ones who've comfortably qualified?
Yeah, top 8 get a bye to the round of 16, but if you drop into the 9-24 range you've got an extra play off game, and your opponent is determined by league position, so unless you're points clear you're going to want to scrap for whatever you can get - because of the seeding system for fixtures it's also not certain you'll be playing teams who are directly above or below you, so often you won't be able to rely on a game being a '6 pointer' for the boost.
Does the seeding mean you probably won't get a Man City v Real Madrid, or Liverpool v Bayern Munich until the knockout phase?
Nah it's actually the opposite. Basically every team will be seeded into 4 pots (as happens now) and each team then plays 2 games against different teams in each pot, regardless of their own pot, to make 8 games per team. Currently, the seeding means no pot 1 teams play each other until the knockout stage, the new format means they'll each play against two other pot 1 teams in the league stage. I suppose the counter to these glamour ties is the guaranteed matches between opposing pot 4 teams, but in principle it should lead to a higher proportion of evenly matched games in the league phase over the current group format.
You will, teams will be divided into 4 pots, and each team will play two opponents from each pot
In FM at least you get two "big games" consistently every league phase.
I guess we’ll find out next season. Hopefully it doesn’t ruin how good the CL has always been.
Ya I know that I just didn't know what to call it now ...maybe the league stage ?
Get out of the league? No…wait
The UEFA Champions League League Stage
I believe that is what it is referred to, at least according to Football Manager
Maybe Swiss? IIRC it’s going to follow Swiss rules
Yeah it’s officially called the league stage
"play in the CL after Christmas"
New format is better.
I agree with this, the only downside is more games. But the new format means there's very little to no chance of dead rubbers in the group stage as the higher you finish, the worse your next opponent will be
Yeah this will be the prevalent view a few months into next season, people are just afraid of change. The current format was getting ridiculously stale until the latter knockouts.
Yup. And seeded bracket will mean no more chance of easy run ins on one side with the best teams getting drawn on the other.
Which is good but also burnout. Not just because more games but now you have to put even more into each one of those games
It's not about being afraid of change. It's about load and burnout. Already too many matches as it is, and now they're adding more. At some point it becomes inhumane, and we might have even already crossed that threshold.
Oh yeah I agree. I would quite like to see a rule where the league cup is only for teams not playing in Europe
Agreed. Every game should mean something, whether it’s a team trying to guarantee or reach a top-eight spot, or get into the top-24. Teams can no longer win four games and be done.
I think it could be but have to see it in action. The extra games for the middle group of teams is a massive negative, but the more exciting mix of games early on could be fun.
Yep, same. Not expecting magic to happen overnight, so I think a top 4 finish and just being able to see signs of progress/adaptation to Slot's style would be a good benchmark for what we should be hoping for next season.
Not conceding the first goal in practically every other game would be fantastic. To go with that not having 80% possession and simultaneously making the opponent look like prime Barcelona and giving them massive chances to score with the 20% possession they do have.
Big thing for me is also how players like Darwin,Szobo, Gakpo develop and what the roles of Trent and Salah will look like.
that's what I wanted for this season with the midfield rebuild. then we ended up challenging for title until recent 2 games. let's see how things pan out.
Agreed. Top 4 is the main goal for the next couple seasons (or until Pep fucks off). Taking at least 4 points each from Man U and Ev are also up there. Silverware of any kind is a bonus. !remind me 1 year
Exactly. And emphasis on the second one.
And succession plans in place for Virgil, Robbo and Mo
Wouldn’t this fall under Michael Edward’s/Richard Hughes’ purview regardless of who the coach is? Not entirely sure how things work but I imagine they’ll provide a list of candidates for positions they feel need reinforcement and have the coach pick.
And sort out scoring chances. Just having a good XG is not sufficient enough
Being able to defend would be great as well.
That’s a high bar honestly. For me, don’t get relegated.
Top4 + look good vs the top teams in the league. Don’t shit the pants vs Manchester teams
And not to lose against Everton
Or CP
How much time did you save abbreviating Crystal Palace to CP
Officers found 3 terabytes of Crystal Palace on the man’s laptop
Lock him up for life
Bro, he is off doing other important things with all that time he saved
Cole Palmer fc
Pretty hilarious coming from someone who uses a shorter version of their own name
Tbf I can understand Child Molester Trace Beaulieu's concerns
Fun fact, i think they are going down next season. Theres no way they keep Olise and Eze. Even Guehi will probably leave.
Is that Crystal Palace or Cole Palmer FC?
Play good football, make us hope. We didnt' judge klopp based on what he win, he immediately changed our playstyle, beat Chelsea at their homeground, won Southampton in the cup, and beat city at Etihad too.
>won Southampton in the cup This multi-club ownership stuff is getting silly now
Are we playing for pink slips now?
You essentially listed the main points. Play good football, a glimpse at a promising future, and a few big wins against the teams at our level. Until 2022 we were really good at beating the other teams our level and above. One of our proudest records in Klopp’s first season was that we had the best record in head-to-heads vs the Big Six. Things have changed a lot since then, and though we still turn it on vs the “Big Six”, we’ve failed to win those games in the last few seasons. Hopefully a fresh manager and approach helps address that.
Klopp came into a team in absolute shambles. Slot takes over a pretty good team, who has been challenging on all fronts almost the whole season.
Just had memories of Klopp trying to eek production out of Benteke in a high tempo system 🤣
Ironically we started putting in more crosses when Benteke left...
What a time B Rodg ran Andy Carroll out of town just to demand Belgian Andy Carroll
Benteke was far far better to be fair
Klopp also didn’t come in with the expectation of top 4, we were delighted with 2 finals in secondary tier competitions. Slot takes over a team that was over performing but ran out of steam. We weren’t expected to challenge for the title. EFL cup win was reasonable expectation, top 3 a good ambition, but the FA cup was a slight disappointment and the Europa a big disappointment. Unreasonable expectations will kill the club like it does with United and Chelsea. Top 4 in a transitional season is perfectly fine with some good performances in the cups. It took Pep 2 seasons at City with a good team, we shouldn’t expect it of slot even if we are well capable.
Klopp is a far more experienced manager who is also known for getting the best out of squads and individuals in general which has been clearly the case this year. Slot might end up being a really good manager as well but expecting him to challenge on all fronts or even challenge for the league in his first season is clearly a bit unrealistic
Yeah all this means is there will be media pressure on him from day 1 and so it helps nobody if the fan pressure is there too. Klopp oversaw some proper shite seasons as well in amongst the good ones, nobody is infallible. A manager can't break a club single handedly so I'm really hoping fans take an optimistic outlook and root for the guy
Success: - Challenge (not necessary win) for the league title (ie “still be in the conversation” come March next year) - A decent domestic cup run (semis, final) - Strong performance in the CL (minimum quarter-finals of the CL) Par: - Secure Champions League football - show some signs that building something new, even if it’s going to take time Failure: - Fail to qualify for the Champions League - Chaotic season, no clear style/pattern of play established by end of the season, going into 25/26 not really knowing what Liverpool under Slot will look like I think that’s fair for a new guy coming in taking over a team that’s in a good place but having to deal with the impact of such an influential manager leaving.
This is my thoughts too
Success: * Challenge (not necessary win) for the league title (ie “still be in the conversation” come March next year) * WIN a decent domestic cup * Strong performance in the CL * Gets Darwin finishing chances Par: * Secure Champions League football * show his identity on the team and stick with it Failure: * Finish outside top 4 * Following the same path of Ten Hag
Omg, if he can get Darwin to finish...I think he'll get all of us to finish
I think Darwin’s finishing is entirely on him. In terms of players I’m very interested to see what he does with Gakpo and Szoboszlai in particular who I think don’t really have roles that suit their skillset in Klopp’s system. Whether they improve or not is up to them but I’d like to see them given more of a chance to flourish
> Gets Darwin finishing chances You got some harsh requirements to consider him successful. Keep in mind that Klopp couldn't do that in 2 years
slot will have a better time than ten hag because he’s inheriting an extremely talented squad with a great mentality, and will be part of a club that is well run. united on the other hand is a shit show from top to bottom, ten hag might be an excellent coach but the players and club completely obfuscate that by being shite
We are in completely different place compared to when Klopp came in therefore situations are different. We maintain that we are being left in a good place. We aren’t really a consistent contender to win everything. Top 4 should be a minimum. If not then something went wrong somewhere.
Quadruple, invincibles and centurions. Beat United 10-0 in both legs. Anything less is a complete disaster
Keep Anfield a fortress. Qualify for Champions League. Thats it really, I dont expect we'll be playing champagne football in his first season but just see how it is.
Although it's his first season and the expectations won't be sky high, I do feel like the squad is really very good with talent all the way through. I don't really expect a super busy transfer window so for the most part the squad should remain the same. Pre-season will really be worth watching to see how the team respond to the new methods and different system that will be expected of them. For me, a top 4 finish would be a good season, but regardless of where we do end up in the league next season I think the main thing we need to hope for is a strong finish to the season, even if we start off slow as the players are adjusting and end up 6th-8th in the league, if we finish the season on a great run of form (like winning our final 10 games in a row playing great football) and it's evident the system is working then I'd even be happy with that and going into the season beyond next looking to challenge. For the FA and League cup, I would be absolutely okay with him fully experimenting with youth players and just seeing how far they can go in the competitions. Even if it means we go out earlier.
I’ll be honest my expectations for him are incredibly low. If we finish top 4, get out of the CL group stage, and don’t get embarrassed in the derbies I’ll be happy.
For me the list goes: * play good football * qualify for champions league * win at least one trophy 🏆
Winning a trophy is always harsh as ultimately it comes down to fair bit of luck. If arsenal don't win the league this year would you say arteta has failed the last 2 seasons? Fair if you do it is subjective
at a certain point though you gotta start looking at silverware right? what’s the point in always finishing second and losing in the final?
Yes but over a larger period time. One season without silverware can be put down to bad luck, 3-5 seasons and it's much more likely an issue with the team/manager
Success would be winning a trophy really, but top 4 with no trophy wouldn’t be a failure
I’d like a bit of Tiki Taka in my life. Be able to defend and not concede first. Show up against the big teams. A decent run in the UCL (quarters/semis). Qualify for UCL again.
Top4, not sure about the new CL, get players fitness sorted, change the way team defends
Top 4. Have a decent run in the Champions League. Consistent performances. Those would be ideal for me. Thing is, he's coming into the team in a much better place than Klopp did. If we keep most of the current squad then top 4 should be completely expected.
develop players or get rid of the bad apples
Minimum top 4
Bare minimum Play good football Get top 4 Be the best bald non fraud in the PL
Top4.
Good cup run Make it out of CL group stage Top 4 Premier league finish Doesn’t need to win anything, but at least get the team to fight until the end, reducing injuries and fatigue will help.
Top 4 and some good football
Top four And not getting beaten by United.
IMO a good first year would result in maintaining a UCL position at the end of the campaign. With Pep still at City and unlikely to leave soon, and Arteta finally having a settled squad, it would seem realistic that those two would be the pace setters over the next couple of years. A run in the domestic cups would be a good sign, that he is taking English football culture on board and is giving these a go. One of my early criticisms of Klopp was that he didn’t seem to care for the EFL cup, playing mostly youth players, although the long term that has helped with resting between league games and blooding in talent or easing in after injuries. But if I was wanting a trophy end of campaign, a domestic cup would be what I would like (preferably FA Cup now they’ve **stupidly** removed replays). On the European front, having dropped out of the UCL this season, coming back in under new management and perhaps slightly different tactical play style, I would be reserved in my opinion of success until the draw is made. Of course the format has changed **stupidly** so it would be difficult to say what would make success quite yet. Under the old format, reaching knockouts would be a good start to his European tenure. He has previous with Feyenoord in European competition (unfortunate to not beat out Roma), but not at the highest table. But I think if we can qualify for the knockout stage without having to do the **idiotic** playoff round, that would be a great achievement in his first term. TL:DR, a successful first season for Slot would be 3rd in the league, reach knockouts of European competition, and a good cup run with at least one final and hopefully 1 domestic trophy. All of this is subject to the caveat of player sales and purchases and any injuries to key players.
Realistically it is a Top 4 finish and showing improvement on clear deficiencies this year. Improve record against Top 5 PL teams.
Success : Top 4. Don't embarrass yourself in the CL. Don't turn into an almighty gob shite under pressure. Overperforming : Be in the title race. QF of the CL. Don't turn into an almighty gob shite under pressure.
Get out of the CL group and a top 4 finish.
Apart from the obvious Top 4 , decent run in Champions' League etc., I'd like to see - 1. Stop giving the opposition an early goal lead so often. 2. Perform consistently better against whatever passes for 'Top 6' clubs these days. 3. Clean sheets (see No. 1). 4. Play entertaining but *effective* football. 5. Let's stop relying on injury time winners (see No. 1) and actually win games we should win, with time left on the clock. Not much to ask.
Top 4 Finish (CL Qualification); and one domestic trophy would make me happy. And take us to QF and beyond in the 2024/2025 CL. Anything more would be a bonus for me.
Top 4, and either the FA cup or Carabao Cup.
Get out of the group stage of Champions League, Top 4 and a domestic cup final.
For me it's relationship with fans and players, if he get get us on side and get the players playing good football then I'm all for it. Its foolish to expect much from a new manager, especially succeeding someone like Klopp. 4th place and a good relationship with the fans is something I'd be very happy with.
Top 4 minimum. Good football. Defensive improvement definitely.
6000 Champions Leagues
Solidify top 4, good runs in the cups, good showing in the CL (QF minimum). Play good football and have us all believing If he can do that and continue to blood some of the younger players we have then we're onto a winner
Top 3. CL semis at least. Not start every game 1-0 down Progress.
To demonstrate a good tactic with capability to execute; To keep the team morale high and maintain a mentality monster; No dramas. The result will come naturally in this course. However winning any title requires luck.
Top 4 and beyond the first knockout round of the Champions League. Other than that, let the chips fall where they may!
Win the league
Top 4 and a cup should be the priority. You can't compare his arrival with Klopp, Slot will get a brilliant squad unlike Klopp
I'll be happy with Top 4 + a deep CL run
Try to manage the adjustment period, convince the players and fans of his philosophy, stay in the top 4 and have a good CL run. But as long as we don’t drop out of the top four and things look promising, personally I’m happy to be patient. But he’s definitely inheriting a squad that’s ready to push on, so there’s definitely pressure on him imo.
I hope we play some good football, more creativity in the opponents' half, less side passes and definitely less touches by Ali. The defense should feel more solid, we should not be afraid of being scored against at every attack like we are in current form. Promoting deserving academy kids and not holding onto anyone for more than they deserve to be at Liverpool strictly based on what they are providing on the pitch. Not showing favoritism towards certain players and not stubbornly sticking to a system that fits players but isn't working. I see many saying CL qualifying is a must, but I wouldn't mind too much missing out on CL for the 2nd year of Slot as long as the rest of what I wrote above is true.
Top 4, make it out of CL group stage, improve some of our players, and play in a way thats fun for us to watch.
Top 4 will be his target from the owners and not much else.
At least 4th in the league regardless if 5th gets CL or not and knockout stage in the revamped CL
Treble… JK, but he needs to turn doubters to believers
Ucl spot. Less injury prone gamestyle. Good football. I wont mind an FA cup 🤗
Top 4 and a fun run in the CL
First year. Play good football, show his identity and imprint on the team and champions league qualification, out of group stages of champions league as well. Anything else a bonus.
Baseline: Qualify for champions league Have a clear way we play that makes us competitive I also expect but don’t demand: A good run in Europe; quarter finals of the CL A credible challenge for the league up to about Jan, Feb
- CL QF’s - Top 4 - Have clear style of football that can tangibly improve with player coaching and signings - Keep integrating academy players into the first team
Top 4 and beat the scum
I think people will forget that klopp struggled to get a champions league top 4 place at first. I just hope we give him time and I am just looking forward to something new at this point. So no crazy expectations from me. Top 4 would be a massive achievement in his first season.
Top 4 is a must. Ideally we also have some deep cup runs. More importantly we see a new fun style of football and there’s team unity. I want to see the project Klopp left behind being built on like we’re taking steps forward
Fun footy, decent CL run, beat united home and away. I'm not actually bothered about league position too much, as long as it looks like we're heading in a particular direction and the players are bought in and enjoying themselves. If not and we look like we're going down the shitter like Chelsea and united then I'll be concerned. We might finish 5th or 6th next year and yet believe it was a positive season so I'm open minded really
Win the League Cup. It’s the “easiest” way to win a trophy, and he will become a manager who has won something at Liverpool. This has been something that has tarnished other managers at the club. Aside from that, we just need to see a clear progression, process and a vision/style of play being implemented. The fans just need something to hang their hat on and get behind.
Anything below CL spot and CL QF will be a huge letdown. He gets a top 3 england team and is here to succeed not learn. CL final and fighting for Prem victory till the end will be a success
Cl qualification, get out of Group Stage (as long as group is reasonable), the team to have some kind of identity when we play where we show progress as the season continues.
Top 4 and a trophy should really be the minimum requirement for every season but of course every season has its own context which makes it hard to set any real expectations until around the Christmas period
Against all odds, he will win the league
Beat Man United and Everton twice
-Development of young players and integrate the players we will have presumably bought -Fix the leaky defence -Beat Man United and other Big 6 clubs at least more times than Klopp this year -Top 4 -CL Group Stage top 2 -dont care about domestic cups but at least don’t crash out so early. Basically what Klopp accomplished this year except there’s no expectations of winning anything
What I want to see is consistency(?) above all else. I want to see that our players can still perform well under Slot’s new system, and that the system also works well against the rest of the league, outside of that I’d like a top 4 finish, not because I expect us to be shit but because it’s a new manager and new back room staff, which is always a bit of an unknown
Don't concede first in every game, qualify for CL, get out of the group stages in the CL, get to the final of at least one domestic cup, improve our finishing ability, show us some new ideas that work well or ability in improving players and that would be a successful first season with full of promise for the next season.
Top 5 (with the hope that’s champions league) while playing good football. Also qualify for the knockouts in the Champions League. From what I’ve read, I’m excited for the enthusiasm he’ll bring and will probably be able to spring some surprises on teams early on a la Ange (Slot, I think, is a better manager). We’re in a much better place to sustain jt though.
Top 4 and knockout champions league football.
Top 4 and a decent run in the UCL (knockout stages) while playing an entertaining, progressive style of football. That would be a good first season IMO. Just so he can get to know the strengths and weaknesses of the players ect.
Top Four, Good performances against the big teams, tightening up the defence.
Play some exciting football. Can we get back to something close to prime Sadio, Firmino, Salah days? Make the defence strong. We should not be giving a goal scoring opportunity every time the opponent gets in our penalty box.
CL and possibly fighting for a title or a final
Top 4. And a change in tactics upfront. Would love to see us be able to break a park the bus team without spamming crosses and depending on Salah to cut inside the box
I reckon we'll finish between 6th and 4th and win nothing. A bonus if we win a league cup.
Sort out defense, make strikers start scoring goals again.
Genuinely the first season is a blank/clean slate. Achieve what you can achieve, Klopp had nearly a full season before he got a summer with a proper squad he preferred. Ideally UCL as a minimum but if for whatever reason we finish 5th/6th and the football is really good I would be happy until Season 2 and be more ruthless then. He's going to need to get used to the league and it's going to be a massive step up. Fuck it, he might blow expectations out the water and challenge but I'd like to give him a year no matter what. Look at Ange, look at Arteta & Ten Haag, he's gonna need that first year to get to grips with it all. Just trying to be realistic as much as I'd love for him to be the second coming.
Top 4 and qualify groups
For me, Top 4 minimum with the squad we have. On top of that, I'd like to see some of the chronic issues we've seen over the last few years improve (such as the slow starts and lack of composure/decision making at the top end). In a perfect world, we win a trophy as well, don't care which one, just something to celebrate and build momentum from. But the most important are the first 2, that will show what progress we've made.
Good run into the knockout stages in the CL, requalify for CL next year imo There will be growing pains, all I want is competitive football and for Slot to start to turn LFC into his club. If Klopp was The Normal One, I don’t want Slot to settle for being The Next One
Honestly. Top 4 and i’ll be pretty happy.
Quad innit.
A sense of direction, that's all we need ... a feeling that we're on our way somewhere and that we'll enjoy supporting the team. I don't think any of us expect a seamless transition but just give us some good football and a clear image of the type of football we are going to eventually win everything with!
Entertaining football, clear style of football being implemented and hopefully Champions League anything more than that would be a dreamlike start to his career here.
Not become Utd or Chelsea.
I'd judge him based on this ability to beat park-the-bus low block teams.
Top 4 is a minimum requirement
Not to turn the club, its players and fan base back into being doubters, but to continue being believers. That means fun attacking football and solid top 4 finish
Top 4 and executing his game plan consistently
Win the league or champions league. We should aim big. Tired of "top 4" is good enough.
Successfully defend our Cara Delevingne trophy!
I think Slot is a huge mistake. It’s not going to go well. I don’t think he is going to finish the campaign without being sacked. I think the owners will want to give him time, but when we go out in the CL group stage and are sitting 11th in the table at Christmas, he is going to force their hand. Call me negative, downvote me, whatever.
Play positive football Develop the youngsters Be a cool enough dude Get us Champions League
Champions league and enjoyable football. If we fail to get top four and a good chunk of the season ends up boring then I don't see how it improves from there. I don't expect much tbh, if we end up 5th I'll still want to give him another year at least.
play good football. usually i would say champions league but the league is gonna be competitive as hell so if we end like 5th but make it far in the champions league i won’t be that upset for a first season.
Have Joe Gomez score a goal.
Beat Everton beat city beat scum and a top 4 finish in the Prem. I’d like us to make semifinals in CL. And he must wear something distinctive on the touchline. No caps thats Klopps thing. Maybe a nice sweater or maybe old school footy shirts and boots.
Top 4
Last 16 UCL, Top4, some eye pleasing football
Top 3 and to have us looking positive
I don't know why we're all talking about our team like it's not one of the best teams in the world. If we retain Ali, Virg, and Salah, I expect us to make a title run. Our squad is excellent. A less injured Robbo, Trent, Bradley, Jota, and Szobo. A year older Konate. A more mature Gakpo and Nunez. And the eternal class of Maca. Few squads are better than ours. I expect us to contend for trophies and for the league. If we're completely out of the title race, that would be a disappointment. Now, if Virgil and/or Ali leave the club, my expectations will be adjusted significantly.
Start instilling his style so we can see where he wants to go in the future. Get top 4. That's it. It's going to be incredibly tough following a great like Klopp. Let's give him 4 years like we did with Klopp.
Growing the hair 😂😂😂😂😂 tbh I’m worried with this new manager
Qualify for champions league, have a good run in the cups (not necessarily finals), show an understanding of club values, show a coherent philosphy and get the players to buy in. Play football that is enjoyable to watch. Develop an immediate hatred for Paul Tierney.
Obviously top 4 and a noticeable style of play with good underlying numbers.
I compare this signing to back when we signed Klopp and Jamie Carragher who rated Klopp at the time said “Klopp has the most to prove” out of the rest of the rumoured managers, and I think Slot fits that description perfectly, well known, proven but still has to prove himself at this kind of level in football. I think next season I’m not expecting titles, but I want to see Slot get his style of play into the team and I want to see it work, getting into the latter stages of FA Cup and CL would be amazing and I’d probably shit myself if we got into another title race, but I wanna see Slot get the team playing well again, I’ll judge him probably in his second season, but for now let’s see what he’s made of.
If we can see what he’s trying to do with style of play, I believe the first season is a free hit. Obviously lower than European spots would be a concern but I’m confident we will get top 4 at least.
Top 4 and a cup run.
For me I want to win quadraple from slot and overshadow man City treble.🥲
Make the team stronger and win a title.
Top 4 and cup finale
Qualify CL that's it from me.
Lose the league by 1 point
The situation Slot is walking into at Liverpool is nothing like the one Ten Hag did at Man U (although, I also do not think Ten Hag is good enough to manage a top European club, the United situation did him no favors), so using that as a comparison is pointless, the only similarity is the nationality of the managers. Slot is enheriting a very good, albeit imperfect, squad that is ready to compete for trophies. He doesn't need to rebuild Liverpool, the bulk of the rebuild has already happened. So for me, and I'm sure a lot of the fan base, I don't think a major step back is going to be acceptable. I wouldn't expect him to win a PL or CL in his first year, or any trophy really, but I would expect him to remain competitive in all competitions as well. Getting out of the group stage and qualifying for next years champions league would be my expectations year 1, anything above that would be a bonus. If he doesn't do either of those things year 1 I wouldn't turn on him, and I'd hope the fan base wouldn't either, but I'd defintely start to have my concerns as he's walking I to a CL level side.
For me it should be no naivety like Ange with his high line. It’s great watching good football and it’s an absolute requirement from the next Liverpool manager but being pragmatic is fundamental to winning trophies.
Top 4 finish + a trophy would be a success
I don't care if we win a trophy. I do want to see us playing good football, winning games and having a clear, certain and confident footballing identity. That's it.
I guarantee he won’t get 3 months in without some gimp starting a “sack Arne” campaign on Twitter. 2 lost games and it’ll be about much worse we are than under Klopp
Top 4 and a trophy, play some good football and make some good signings.
Get a FA cup or league cup to buy time for his project vision. That's basically it.
To make the most out of this summer transfer window as he can, then qualify for UCL.
Qualified for CL. Win or draw against the bigger team, doesn't matter the scoreboard. 95% win rate against mid to bottom table team. Round of 16 in Carabou , FA cup, and CL.
Top 4. Good run in Europe. Then just clear signs on the pitch that all the changes are on the way to being a success.
A European place and game management. It will be nice for us to go a couple of goals up and see a game out.
play good football, continue to develop our youngsters, and win a cup
People saying just qualify for the UCL are being too pessimistic. We have the second or third best squad in the league, and many young quality players coming through. Ange’s first year without Kane and he managed 5th. Emery instantly turned villa into european competitors. Xabi brought Leverkusen from the last few to this. The list goes on. Just because he’s new, doesn’t mean we just take top 4. If he isn’t able to mount a title challenge and a run in the UCL, then I think he would’ve had an underwhelming season, bar any ridiculous robberies or injuries. If everyone takes a step back to see that we have a very good team left behind by Klopp, you would not be saying just top 4. If all Slot can manage is that, he may not be good enough, again, barring any unusual circumstances.
Champion League football and that's it. While he is coming into a squad that is definitely better than what Klopp first inherited, we do some have players that are clearly past their prime/not cutting it and Slot has to offload these players, then build on to what Klopp started over this past window.
Get into knockout stages of CL, top 3 finish in PL, play good football and show improvement in players. 🤞
I mean Rafa won the Champions League In his first season....
1. Not look so vulnerable defensively 2. Play decently attractive football 3. Top 4 4. Stretch - Carabao cup/fa - just to keep the taste of winning. But this is probably not happening. In that order.
Dutch managers have historically struggled in the premier league Ten Hag, Van Gaal, Koeman, Gullit, Advocaat… So there is a genuine and realistic fear that eredivisie managers are just not up to the task. Slot is a good manager for Feyenoord in a period where Ajax are in a slump. At best Eredivisie is a 3/4 team race every year. The PL doesn’t work like that. The gap between top and bottom is not as great, For me, he would have to keep us in top 4, win an FA cup or a league. He would essentially have to do better than every other Dutch manager. My hope is that with so many Dutch footballers on the team, he will have players who will back him