Arne Slot 'survival' claim speaks volumes with Liverpool futures now on the line
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Arne Slot believes Liverpool are now in 'survival mode' and who or what makes it out of this season remains very much open for debateArne Slot probably didn't appreciate the many ways in which his comments could be construed. But that doesn't make them any less accurate.Speaking deep inside the Parc des Princes on Wednesday shortly after Liverpool's painful defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, Slot proffered: "We were in survival mode for large parts of the game but maybe also in the period of the season we are in, we are in survival mode."In terms of remaining alive in their Champions League quarter-final tie, the plug hasn't been pulled quite yet on the Reds after they managed to hold on to a 2-0 reverse having been outplayed for the majority of the game by the vibrant holders.Indeed, futures of Slot, several of his players and the hopes of the Reds retaining their place in the Champions League next season are all on the line.
Survival.Certainly, what made Wednesday unusual is that Slot, a coach who prides himself on sending out a team to win every game, this time clearly had the emphasis on ensuring Liverpool weren't beaten or, at the very least, made the return leg at Anfield next Tuesday more than just a box-ticking exercise for PSG.There's no shame in losing to the best team in Europe. After all, many opponents did that when the Reds were at the pinnacle just a few years ago.But it was alarming that, having bemoaned a destructive style of play from rivals for much of the campaign, when faced with an opponent that was willing to play an expansive game, Liverpool's decision to follow the Arsenal lead was tantamount to admitting they aren't good enough to compete against the very best.Of course, football isn't quite so black and white.
In the last six games, Liverpool have failed to score in three of them while netting just once in two of the other three.The outlier is the Champions League 4-0 romp against Galatasaray in which the Reds had 16 shots on target - in the other five combined the tally was 20, with none coming on Wednesday.That win over Galatasaray saw Slot's side wipe out a first-leg deficit to progress. But only twice - against Auxerre in the UEFA Cup in 1991 and, more memorably, Barcelona in the Champions League in 2019 - have Liverpool successfully overturned arrears of more than one goal from 16 previous attempts.For that to happen next Tuesday, Anfield will need to be at its most hostile, although that in recent times has been more likely to be directed at the faltering home team than the opposition.While Liverpool are still to visit Hill Dickinson Stadium, Old Trafford and Villa Park in the Premier League, perhaps Anfield will be the most difficult venue to convince they can still snaffle a Champions League qualification berth.Slot openly called for the backing from the Liverpool fanbase he believes can make a positive difference not only next week but on Saturday evening when, with PSG being given a weekend off by the French authorities to rest and recuperate, the Reds entertain Fulham amid the backdrop of supporter protests regards planned ticket price increases.PSG boss Luis Enrique highlighted how the Parc des Princes crowd had a major impact on his team's performance, pointing to a connection between the fans and players that has rarely been replicated for Liverpool this season.It helps, of course, when you keep on winning.