That would be a valid observation if the down turn in performances and intensity hadn’t started before the summer.
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It’s undeniable at this point. We had Jota, Diaz, Nunez, Trent then and still we started becoming slower and the first time I really noticed an alarming dropoff in running output was against Wolves at Anfield. How could a professional football team, never mind a Premier League title chasing team that has been out of CL, done with League cup and FA cup STILL be so gassed by the 65th minute?!
Even before tactics, that lack of fitness is a damning indictment in my eyes.
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I broke the Wirtz news on here…Have I done it again with Slot 
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I was looking for an old post of mine (about Slots’ virtually non-existent rotation), you all didn’t believe me. (Only @Nikola agreed)
Even back then, I was bothered by how little he utilized the squad. That’s how it started; he burned them out.
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I didn’t quote his full interview in my post above, but that’s what he said to that topic, in the same interview:
“I stay in touch with some of the guys there, I have a lot of good friends there. It’s a very difficult time for them, a difficult season, with circumstances that people probably aren’t taking into account too much,” explained Kelleher.
"But it’s probably been a bit easier for me, being away from it, and not being in such close proximity to it every day.
"From an individual aspect, for me to leave and play first-team football was obviously right, never mind the tragedy that happened. "
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I can’t but shake the feeling that Klopp would have done an infinitely better job of rallying the team together following Jota’s death, even if it was destroying him inside as well. He’s just that kind of a person.
I don’t think Slot is anywhere near his level of man-management or relating to players on a personal level, and if it is a mitigating factor in how this season has gone then imho Slot is still culpable for it by failing to address the effect it’s had better.
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Just as long as you are right,Walshy!
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Agree with others,my take on Jota is that Klopp being the warm guy he certainly appears would likely handled this better than it was by Slot.
I emphasise that I don’t know either of them but Klopp always looks involved, whereas Slot looks a bit aloof,but we are all individuals!
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If he just doesn’t have the skills/traits though, is that his fault? Very hard to just learn that level of natural empathy and human intuition.
So for me it’s equally a failing of those above him. Not seeing and identifying this aspect that was failing the squad/club and bringing in the necessary help and support. Hughes working remotely for large parts wouldn’t help here. So equally, who’s allowed that?
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Aren’t Edwards and Hughes mates? There’s your answer.
Whilst Slot does not have the man management, public persona, likability or emotional connection to the City, fans and players compared to Klopp, I think we leave Jota speculation alone.
Whilst we want him sacked he deserves some slack on this one.
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Arne’s lack of rotation though is only one factor, and perhaps not the biggest issue here (maybe more of a symptom)
Yes, there’s “of course” only one valid answer here… 
For me personally, it already started to bother me at that time how everyone was used, or rather, how the squad was treated. That this can’t be the only reason for the disastrous development should be beyond question.
The “relaxed Dutch way of Life”, Jota, etc., all play a role imo.
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It may not be the biggest issue (which for me are tactics and fitness preparation). But it’s a close third. and when allied with low fitness it’s a recipe for injuries and burnout.
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It’s all over the various outlets now
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I only looked this up because some people here keep claiming that we all thought Slot was so great in his first season, etc., but that wasn’t the case.
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Literally exactly what we needed at 6. He would have definitely gotten his chance to shine under Klopp but Slot is blind to his squad. Makes sense as his substitutions this season have also been blindly picking players and putting them where they are sub-optimal
It seems like he generally doesn’t value homegrown players. He’s certainly working hard to get rid of them or minimize their use. Perhaps the ones we have/had aren’t good enough. But then, in my opinion, we should do everything we can to improve that and show more interest, since it’s essential for a sensible squad composition that they complement the team.
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But early on you would expect limited rotation while a manager is still drilling his players on what he is wanting them to do and particularly if those squad options are not likely to fit that.
Even this season you could make an argument based on the need to cover injuries, and the poor performances that minimising change to try to stabilize things was OK.
I don’t think that a lack of rotation is really causing the injuries we’ve seen this season or the poor performances.
The concern I have with any lack of rotation under Arne is more the indirect impact - where it raises question marks around his handling players outside of the core group. I do wonder if the high turn over of players at his earlier clubs has either hidden this issue, or perhaps meant it isn’t something he has had to worry about before (in a similar way to how Jurgen was faced with the question of how he would fare having to rebuild a squad that is ageing as we would not be selling key players as routinely as Dortmund or Mainz did).
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It’s a very selfish way of management. Our use of academy players has fallen off a cliff under Slot. No young player will want to sign with us if this continues. And they’re crucial for the overall financial situation of any club because the limited minutes (at a fraction of the cost) they give you give the big stars invaluable rest.
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