Mikel Arteta has played down Arne Slot’s impact at Liverpool. The Arsenal boss doesn’t sound all that impressed with his counterpart.
Liverpool face another massive test on Sunday as they travel to the Emirates. Though, it won’t quite be the best Arsenal side.
They’re battling several injuries, and the suspension of William Saliba, which arguably makes them underdogs on their own ground. Liverpool, certainly, will fancy their chances of winning a major scalp.
The Reds have been fantastic this season, after all. 11 wins from 12 in all competitions and sitting pretty at the top of the Premier League.
Not bad for Arne Slot’s first few months in charge – but it sounds as though Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta feels it’s not a big surprise that Liverpool are doing well. Slot inherited a hell of a squad, you see.
Mikel Arteta on Arne Slot
Arteta does make it clear that Slot has had an influence on Liverpool. This isn’t a case of the Arsenal boss believing the Dutchman hasn’t done anything at Anfield.
“Yes, [he’s been] very good,” he told a press conference on Friday. “They’re obviously in a really good moment, they’re on a great run and you can see the touch that he’s given to a team that was already very strong, but you can see his fingerprints on that team.”
He makes one thing clear, though – he was ‘given’ a team that was very strong. It’s something he goes onto reiterate after being asked if Liverpool’s start has surprised him.
“No [I’m not surprise], because obviously the team that they have, the infrastructure they already have and the individuals that they have and because he’s a really a good manager,” said Arteta.
“He has inherited a team that is already very successful and he’s giving it his touch to maintain that and to evolve that probably he believes it’s the right way to do it.
“Obviously, from the beginning, when you look at that squad, you think they’re going to be right in the mix.”
Slot did inherit a very good squad, there’s no question there. Liverpool finished third last season and looked like contenders at times.
But even as fans, we’re surprised at this start. This is literally the best start Liverpool have ever had in all competitions. And Slot has done it without any real additions to his squad.
The only summer signing was Federico Chiesa and he’s started one EFL Cup game.
To take someone else’s squad and repurpose it like this is remarkable. Arteta, we should remember, didn’t move Arsenal on at all in his first league season, finishing 8th, much as they had done before.
It was only once he spent £100m that Arsenal jumped to 5th. Another £150m then got them to 2nd, followed by £200m that helped them retain that position.
The near-£100m spent last summer is yet to show a result.
So it does feel a little insulting to say that 11 wins from 12 isn’t a surprise because ‘Liverpool were already good’. Moving a team forward after £10m spent and more first-teamers leaving than arriving is magnificent work.
