Into The Belly Of The Beast
Here we are again Reds. Another international break is in the books. Another scheduling speed bump that serves to derail any sort of momentum the lads have built up over the last month or so has come and gone. In this particular situation, that certainly seems like the case. The Reds are top of the league and racking up 9 wins out of 10 in all competitions heading into a big match with Chelsea. With the exception of the blip against Nottingham Forest, it serves as the absolute perfect start to the Arne Slot era at Anfield.
READ MORE: Welcome To The Premier League, Arne by John Carl Bolido
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Of course there is a semblance of nuance to be applied to this excellent start. Any keen observer would notice the favorable set of teams the Reds faced early on this season. With the exception of playing away to Manchester United and AC Milan in the Champions League, it has been clubs that the Reds are largely expected to beat. Granted, the Reds could’ve easily gotten complacent and played down to the level of their opposition at times. So let’s give credit where it’s due.
Now The Real Work Begins
The October 20th contest against Chelsea marks the beginning of an intimidating gauntlet of games. Included in this run are the likes of Real Madrid, Manchester City, Arsenal, and Bayer Leverkusen. These represent opposition that belong in Liverpool’s weight class, and will be the benchmark when it comes to judging the effectiveness of Slot’s new approach.
Throughout the Jurgen Klopp-era, Liverpool have produced memorable moments against elite opposition. Those memories will remain etched in club lore for eons to come. While he definitely won’t mention it, this stretch of games will present Slot with the chance to measure himself against the very best. At this point, we’re familiar with how he approaches games with meticulous preparation and supreme tactical nous, but a massive victory against a Manchester City or Real Madrid can be what truly makes the world recognize that Liverpool indeed have a top class manager on their hands.
Realistic Expectations
Despite the Reds’ near-perfect start, it’s reasonable to expect them to hit a rough patch at some point. It’s simply the reality of a long and arduous football season, the key for Arne Slot’s men is still finding ways to grind out results despite tough opposition. Given the caliber of the clubs throughout Liverpool’s next stretch of games, I think there has to be some acceptance that a slip up or unfavorable result can be on the cards, especially given the context of this being the gaffer’s first season with this group of players, although you certainly wouldn’t think so looking at the previous run of games.
Best Case Scenario?
This is Liverpool’s stretch of games going into the NEXT international break:
-Chelsea home
-RB Leipzig away
-Arsenal away
-Brighton away
-Brighton home
-Leverkusen home
-Aston Villa at home.
That murderer’s row is followed by back-to-back matchups against Real Madrid and Manchester City at home shortly after returning from the break.
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Obviously, the Reds boast a solid squad. They’re still brimming with elite talent that can realistically guarantee the club trophies, season after season. If the club goes unbeaten during this stretch, I think the talks of a title challenge can be taken seriously. That is a supremely tough ask obviously, not even taking into account the possibility of injuries or fatigue, but these lads have managed to deliver memorable moments for us over the years that it wouldn’t be out of character for them to do so again. Into the belly of the beast once more for our mighty Reds!
