Arne Slot: Why Style of Play Matters Beyond Results

Arne Slot has raised eyebrows with a comment about how managers shouldn’t only be judged on results, but “the style of play should also be very important.” Upon the announcement of Jurgen Klopp‘s departure, Roberto de Zerbi was among the candidates touted to become the next Liverpool manager. At the time, he was impressing at Brighton where he helped develop the likes of Moises Caicedo and Leandro Trossard. However, he left the club at the end of the 2023/24 campaign after finishing 11th, five places lower than the previous season and with 14 points fewer. His exploits on the south coast made him a desirable coach, though, and a month later he joined Olympique de Marseille on a three-year deal. Slot said: “I regard him as one of the best managers in the world, because in my opinion, that should not always be judged on the amount of trophies you win, it should also be judged on the fact of how you let your team play.” In his first campaign at Marseille, De Zerbi finished second to Paris Saint-Germain, 19 points behind the champions, but he brought an exciting brand of football to the Stade Velodrome. This year, they are on course for a similar Ligue 1 finish and have nine points from six matches so far in the Champions League. “I think he is already working at a very big club because Marseille is a very big club, [both] at the moment and history-wise as well,” Liverpool’s head coach added. “I’m not the one that is hiring coaches but if I was one, he would definitely be very high on a list if I worked at a big club because I always like to watch his teams. “He is working in France now, so I follow the English league, of course, a little bit more, so when he was at Brighton I saw his teams playing more, but it’s also what he wants. “He’s a very good manager. It’s not always fair to judge managers only on what they win; the style of play should also be very important as well, in my opinion, and the development of players. “And that’s what you see with him, that players always develop very well, and then sometimes when he leaves, these players are not as good anymore as they were with him and that usually tells me how good a manager you are.” The fact that Slot says here that “the style of play should also be very important” to how a manager is judged has raised eyebrows, given Liverpool’s frustrating performances in recent weeks. Having lost nine of 12 games in October and November, the Reds have since gone on an unbeaten run of 12. However, this has included six draws, including home games against all three newly-promoted sides. Going unbeaten has come with a sacrifice, though, as Slot shuts up shop and Liverpool play within themselves out of fear of being undone on the break. Several times against Burnley, there were audible sighs from the crowd as the Reds slowed down counter-attacks and failed to capitalise. Control over chaos has been Slot’s mantra, but chaos can be a good thing in the right areas of the pitch. The other area he praises De Zerbi is in player development, not something the Dutchman can really claim to have excelled on Merseyside. Of course, the first half of last season saw Liverpool put together some fantastic displays with Salah playing arguably the best football of his career, but the only player who has continued that form into this campaign is Dominik Szoboszlai. If Slot believes style of play and player development are key areas in which to judge managers, he needs to improve himself, and quickly.