Hang on. We don’t know the reasoning. There’s no need to jump to conclusions.
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Unless it turns out that he’s injured until next January, I can’t work out anything rational behind this move.
As much as I’ve complained about Slot’s treatment of Chiesa, I don’t think that this is the case here.
It makes no sense for him to trust a 17 year old more than a seasoned Italian international of unquestionable quality, unless the latter is still building up his fitness.
Slot probably wants to keep Chiesa on an 1 game per week basis and have him at 100% for the more important league games. Finishing in the top 8 is what matters most in the league phase anyway, and it may provide ample opportunities to give minutes to Ngumoha.
Whatever the case, I seriously doubt that there wasn’t a sit-down with Chiesa, detailing the plan and the reasons behind it.
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One idea. He wants two players per position and sees Salah and Frimpong for RW, Isak and Ekitike for CF and Gakpo and Ngumoha for LW.
If we’d got Guehi there would have been an extra non homegrown place and Leoni would have missed out.
Maybe you’re right and Arne’s a horrible person, or maybe there are solid footballing reasons for the decision.
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Remember talking about attacking depth and whether Chiesa was finally seen as a genuine option… Not a good sign, is it.
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I do think the rationale is that it makes more sense to have Chiesa play more minutes in the league.
With games coming thick and fast. Most of the early stage CL games are just what they are. Fillers.
Chiesa comes in fresh as an attacking option against teams after Liverpool play their mid week CL games.
Rather genius that.
Chiesa can easily be brought back in January to play the latter stage games later. Especially after we register a homegrown player in Guehi.
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It depends. We dont know what Arne’s plans are for him in terms of playing time in the league and domestic cups. He might shoulder more responsibility in those.
We can assume that Rio’s selection for European games is at least in part developmental.
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The sad reality of modern football is half the games we’re going to have in this group stage will be a lower standard than wel’ll get in the league and the margin for error in terms of results is way higher. if you’re looking to pick and choose your spots to get Rio some exposure a comparatively less important game vs someone like Marseille is going to be one of the best opportunities we have for that, certainly better than a league game.
But the simpler explanation is he had 1 spot for 2 players and thought Rio was the better option right now for the LW. I would have thought the fan base would have been more receptive to the rise of a talent good enough for a manager to be making these sorts of decisions 
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Spurs didn’t have room to register Tel either, a player seen as a wonderkid who cost them £30m.
It happens.
I think there would have been equal backlash if we’d included Chiesa and left out Rio, then Chiesa goes and gets himself injured for a couple of months (it would hardly be a surprise) and left us short.
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Some good arguments made here. I’m not saying that Slot is a bad person btw., it’s just that everytime someone misses out, it seems to be Chiesa. We’ll see if he gets more playing time in the league, hopefully that will be the case.
But in any case, I don’t buy the idea that at his early stage of development, Rio is already a better player than Chiesa.
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Maybe it’s just as simple as he sees Rio as the better option in terms of what he needs and reliability of fitness.
In pre-season they talked about not buying anyone who would block his path. Maybe they just think the kid is something really special and are taking the view that getting him game time is more important than worrying about whether a bit-part squad player is going to get the hump.
Nothing against Chiesa but he’s done little in the last 12 months to suggest he’s a vital cog in the red machine.
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You used the words “arrogance”, “disdain”, and “disgracious”.
It feels well beyond simple disagreement with a football decision tbh. I understand that Chiesa is well-liked, but it seems like Slot gets it in the neck for not being Papa Klopp. 
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I was thinking much the same as you if I am honest.
A couple of Arne Slot’s best qualities as a coach are communication, and being honest and forthright, almost to the point of being blunt. A good Dutch bloke.
I would be shocked if this decision had not been discussed with Fede, and he acquiesced, though unhappy with it, because he is such a “team first” guy. Since he’s been at Liverpool, Chiesa has only struck me as a good person, and quality teammate. He may not like it, but will go along with what the gaffer thinks is best, because that is who he is…team first.
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Enough is enough.
#SlotOut
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Yeah Amorim may be free soon and if we can’t wait that long then Some-one is at the wheel, Toomany Hags and the Special One are all available.
As long as I’m not proven otherwise, it seems to me that he treats Chiesa with disrespect, undeservedly so. And I find this disgracious.
But I don’t condemn Slot as a whole package, of course not. I’m now well past mourning Klopp’s departure. Especially with nr. 20 coming our way last May, thank you very much.
It’s just that I can’t really figure out so far why he’s treating this player like that. As you speak about Klopp, that’s something the great man wouldn’t have done, at least not without a proper explanation to come with it.
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It’s a massive leap from needing to leave someone out, to ‘arrogance and disdain’. There is absolutely no evidence of Slot treating anyone with Disdain.
The fact of the matter is that he had to leave someone out under the homegrown rules. Had Guehi signed, then Leoni probably misses out.
If he picks Chiesa, then someone else - probably Rio - is being treated with ‘arrogance and disdain’.
It’s probably the right decision as there is likely to be a game or too here that we’ll want to rotate for, and he might have in mind to give Rio 90mins unlike the PL.
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I think its inconceivable that Slot hasn’t given him one.
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He’ll surely be asked about it at the next pre-match conference, and then we’ll see.