'Very unusual' - Joe Cole calls out Arne Slot for trying to 'fix' Liverpool with new signings despite having won Premier League

Slot’s approach to life at Anfield has come under intense scrutiny following a series of bold selection choices. Despite inheriting a squad that had just reached the pinnacle of English football, the Dutch manager opted for an immediate personnel shake-up rather than a gradual transition.

This aggressive strategy saw four new faces drafted into the starting line-up for the opening game of the campaign: Jeremie Frimpong, Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike and Milos Kerkez. The decision to leave out the core of the team that had secured trophies in his debut season at Anfield sparked debate about whether Slot is unnecessarily disrupting the winning formula. Soon after, the Reds decided to break the British transfer record by bringing in Alexander Isak from Newcastle for £125m, adding another new face to the team's already star-studded attack.

Speaking to Paddy Power, Cole expressed his bewilderment at the lack of stability following a championship-winning season. He suggested that part of the responsibility for a lack of progress in 2025-26 rests with the manager.

"Liverpool traditionally stick with their managers and it's unusual because there have been massive changes at the club. I think Arne Slot has got to take some of the responsibility," Cole said. "When you win the Premier League and start the first game of the next season with four changes in your side, it's a very unusual role to take."

"Because even if you're bringing players in, you have the ability to bed them in because you're Champions, you've got a good team and you don't need to fix much, if anything at all. I thought he was over-exuberant in trying to get all of his players bedded in, rather than just doing it over the first six months. Then you would get more of an evolution rather than a revolution. So, he has to shoulder some of that blame, but so do the players."

Slot's transfer arrivals have all faced significant hurdles and backlash, with players having struggled to adapt to the high-intensity demands of the Anfield club. Injuries and a lack of form from key players have left the Reds trailing their rivals in the hunt for the Premier League title, with the Reds now sixth in the table.

"Isak got injured and also had a difficult summer, and no one expected Wirtz to take six months to settle in," Cole added. "So, I do think that if it is the case that Liverpool don't win anything and Slot doesn't get the Champions League [qualification], they will ask the question. But ultimately, Liverpool tend to stick more than twist with their managers. So, he will be given a little bit more time."

With the race for the top four heating up, the pressure on Slot to deliver results is intensifying. Falling short of Champions League qualification would be a significant blow for a club that reached the pinnacle of English football last season.

The Reds have recorded 48 points from their 29 matches and are three points behind third-placed Manchester United. With nine games remaining, they must win as many as possible to be sure of a top-four finish. Their next test is against Tottenham on Sunday, before they turn their attentions to Galatasaray in the second leg of their Champions League round-of-16 tie.

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