It is not an average build-up to the Community Shield between Liverpool and the winner of the FA Cup. Although the Reds are set to display their new brand with Arne Slot, the atmosphere at Anfield is still marred with emotional sorrow in the shadow of the tragic death of Diogo Jota in a deadly car crash earlier this summer.
Key Takeaways
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Loss of Diogo Jota
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Darwin Núñez Future
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Squad Depth in Defence – Several players can cover centre-back, and Joe Gomez will return soon from injury.
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Crystal Palace Threat
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Young Players – Rio and Trey Nyoni are being introduced slowly to avoid too much pressure.
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Early-Season Test – Slot sees this match as a good challenge to prepare for the season ahead.
Arne Slot Reflects on the Loss of Diogo Jota
While talking to the press, Arne Slot started by commenting on the tragedy that rocked the club.
To begin with, the tragedy affected us, he said in a sober way. However, it is important to clarify that this is not our greatest suffering, this is the feeling of the wife of Diogo, his children and his parents.
The manager has hailed the emotional farewells given to Jota in Preston, as they toured Asia, and so many other locations. He focused on the personality and the smile of the player that remained an indelible impression on all the people in Liverpool. The feeling of those times, Slot confesses, has not been easy to handle by the team as they move towards a big match.
Transfer Talk: Darwin Núñez’s Possible Departure
Arne Slot on Darwin’s Future and Potential Replacements
And moving onto transfer news, Slot has confirmed that there is a “actual possibility” that Darwin Nuances will leave Liverpool during this summer, although nothing is agreed at the time. Rumours have associated Reds with a move on Newcastle Alexander Isak, though Slot shielded himself against naming targets.
Rather he set his sights instead on the positives, especially the fact that it will soon see the arrival of Hugo, a signing that he feels will add more depth to the attacking side of the squad. Slots suggests that the team is not lacking tools to adjust even in case of a departure of Darwin.
Squad Depth and Centre-Back Options
Injury Update on Joe Gomez
A switch to defensive note, Slot reminded reporters of the fact that Ryan, Andy Robertson and Wataru Endo could play at the centre-back. Joe Gomez should also be back shortly after he picked up a minor injury, in a positive update given by him as well.
Liverpool’s Centre-Back Options:
| Player | Primary Position | Availability/Status |
|---|---|---|
| Ryan | Centre-back | Fit and available |
| Andy Robertson | Left-back / CB | Fit and available |
| Wataru Endo | Midfielder / CB | Fit and available |
| Joe Gomez | Centre-back | Minor injury, returning soon |
That is why, despite this depth, Slot does not feel the need to rush in the acquisition of another centre-back prior to the transfer deadline.
According to him, we have options, and that is key in the case the season will be long.
Chasing the First Trophy of the Season
The Challenge of Facing Crystal Palace
Focusing onto the Community Shield, Slot admitted he was well aware of the task in front of him.
Early in season, said he, chances are not usually given so soon to win a trophy.
The match between Liverpool and Crystal Palace last time was not at all easy and the Eagles have been found to be tough in the recent matches. They did really quite well especially in their semi-finals and finals and therefore the Reds cannot afford to undermine them.
Lessons from Wembley
Comparing Palace to Newcastle’s Playing Style
Those thoughts were touching on the final game of last season against Newcastle and Slot observed some of the similarities in the opposition on Sunday.
“Their set pieces are very dangerous on both sides, their throw-ins are long and they have big aerial threats,” he clarified.
Add to this Palace disciplined defence and the final may well be a tense and low-scoring game.
The match may as well ride on one goal, as Slot forecasted.
Rising Young Talent at Anfield
Managing Expectations for Rio and Trey Nyoni
The senior squad was not the only topic on the agenda; as Slot also spoke about the buzz around two of the brightest young stars at Liverpool 17-year-old Rio and Trey Nyoni.
He has extolled their maturity and technical capability, but at the same time warned that it is easy to overstrain them at the expense of imposing too much pressure prematurely.
It is at this stage, that it is about the minutes, assisting them to adapt, and simply allowing them to develop without placing added expectations on them he explained.
Preparing for a Tough Season Opener
Crystal Palace’s Threats in Attack
As the press conference was moving towards the end Slot once again reverted to the forthcoming fixture. He described Crystal Palace as:
A combination of malignant counter-attacks, properly rehearsed sets and the capacity to play a more direct sort of football to Mateta.
He also noted the personal ability of the Palace’s attackers too, which can be disastrous considering that a moment of lapse in concentration can prove to be costly.
This will be a very hard test, said Slot, but this is just the sort of measure we have to take to test ourselves before we start the season.”
