I assume what happened to Jota in the summer and its repercussions to the preseason training. It really doesn’t look like there was any work done and, in that respect, both the club and Slot have a very valid point.
That said, the lack of preseason doesn’t explain why the decline started months before, or his poor management of the squad, or how he has completely floundered when he faced adversity for the first time in his career.
The new coach could get to know our Hungarian players better I suppose, and maybe give Gomez and Chiesa a few tips. But it sounds a bit under par to prepare for an even more pressured season coming up.
You make a very good point.
Isn’t that true for any job he’d take? If he went to Chelsea, surely he’d have the same issues. Slot would have the same problem with bedding in any new signings or implementing any needed tactical adjustments.
I’m not sure how that really changes the calculus.
It is true yes - I just think from an Alonso perspective if he starts with the kids on pre season tour and things still go badly once the new season gets into full swing, then he’s the one that’s fucked.
His smart move would be to ignore Chelsea totally, turn the mobile up to loudest setting and wait to see if the call comes before Xmas 
In addition, both Hughes and Edwards are on the last year of their contracts. Chelsea doesn’t have that issue. Plus Chelsea has a lot more players that aren’t going to the world cup than we do.
And they don’t have a manager. And I’ve heard from some Chelsea peeps here in London that if they get a chance with Xabi, they’ve apparently learnt their meddling lessons and plan to give him free reign to shape the club as he pleases.
That’s dangerous!
Sacking him and getting Alonso would be too obvious, that’s the problem, while Eddy and his friend Hughes need to show they’re the bestest and smartest in the room. Also they’re off in a year so they don’t give a shit.
Scenario 4. We get a new trainer who galvanizes the whole thing and we have a successful season. I’ll define success as progress being made and hope returning. I wouldn’t demand this or that trophy just yet, but instead success would be to at least be in the fight with a good shout.
And scenario 5 is please?
We muddle through next season the same as this until Slot is out of contract and put the club up for sale 
managerlless but with 2yrs worth of new recruitment.
If he goes to Chelsea, then surely we have to then believe that he was the one that turned Liverpool down?
He’s not stupid, he’s an ex-playing-legend. Starting off managing in the summer of 2026 would be some challenge, considering we’re needing a good bunch of players to come in at first team place. Nevermind the short timeframe access with the players that should, no doubt start if still at the club.
Our probable points total for this season would have finished 9th in the last two campaigns. Just finishing in Champions League places shouldn’t be considered good enough, we are there because of the incompetence of Chelsea and individual quality of Szoboszlai.
This isn’t the 00s and early 10s. We are established as a top-end club once again, this kind of decline needs to be stamped out immediately.
Just want to comment about Slot talking about summer plans, and how we are interpreting that to mean it doesn’t sound like someone who is on the way out.
I’d like to add a caveat:
It doesn’t sound like someone who knows he is on the way out.
Therefore I fully expect Slot to be carrying on with his work as usual, which at this stage, and even long before now, will include making plans for summer.
But it doesn’t mean he is going to be here!
One more thought I had on the Slot situation is that the decision makers may genuinely be weighing their options. Let’s imagine it is a 50-50 call for them, stay or go, this summer.
By allowing one or two positive noises to come out about Slot staying on, it could be a way of testing the water.
If fans are not on board, they will know they are potentially giving Slot a mountain to climb, so in all likelihood the decision to part company will be solidified.
Note, that’s if it is borderline.
My take (could be completely wrong) is that it is not borderline, not even close at this stage. I expect Slot to be mutually consented asap, hopefully once CL football is in the bag.
Even if Slot is talking like a man who will be here for the duration, why wouldn’t he? It just means he hasn’t been told. So plans for the future are being created, but - just like for any other employee at any other place - even if you have been planning for a future in your workplace, if you are sacked it’s all over, regardless of what you were planning.
Articles over the last 6 months or so from Joyce, Pearce and Northcroft say these are the mitigating circumstances:
There might be more but those are what I remember off the top of my head.
Scenario 5 - Virgil takes the reign at player/manager
Back in time solution, worked well for Kenny and everyone else
It’s not realistic, but I would back it !
He takes full control at contract completing around about summer 2027 
Well exactly.
The season has been shite. Everyone is overtly aware of that and it doesn’t need the manager or “sources within the club” talking publicly about the possibility of what that may mean for his future.
Right now all that matters is the 3 more points needed for CL football. Then the season can be consigned to the history books and we start to look forward.
There’s a chance this is part of the set up for the narrative of “we were committed to Arne but he wanted to move on and so we’ve parted ways by mutual consent.”
However the more likely outcome appears to be they are backing him. I don’t know what their reasoning is behind it but it’s very unlikely to be because they think it’s just a blip, aren’t really arsed about us anymore or are blind to how poor performances have been. These are people who make huge decisions based on data and not gut feel or emotions. If they want to keep him there must be some rationale behind it.
There was probably data supporting keeping the Red Sox manager in place too. I don’t know what data they could be looking at that suggests Slot will deliver better results four months from now, but if so I hope they are either right, or they will have their recent error in Boston in mind.