Liverpool's new head coach Arne Slot was simply making the call he felt was right to try and win the game, but he inadvertently sent out something of a message. By hauling off Jarell Quansah at half-time , a change he later confirmed was purely for tactical reasons , he let Anfield know that he intends to set some exacting standards.
You can debate the merits of hooking Quansah , still such a young player, and one thing that's clear is that Slot will now need to show his credentials as a man-manager in order to lift the spirits of the hugely promising talent. But the result speaks for itself, with Liverpool transformed after the break against Ipswich.
Slot was matter-of-fact after the match. He calmly explained that Liverpool needed to win more duels, and while Quansah was not solely at fault, he believed that Ibrahima Konate could help better control that area of the field.
Of course, Jurgen Klopp was not immune to an early substitution during his time at the helm. He infamously replaced Dejan Lovren after half an hour against Spurs at Wembley, following a true horror-show performance up against Harry Kane.
But this was Slot's first-ever game, and Quansah had not been especially poor. Rightly or wrongly, the optics are that Liverpool has appointed a bit of a taskmaster.
That's why the first impressions of the Liverpool staff speak volumes. While plenty of members of the backroom staff are also new, plenty more have spanned multiple eras at the club, and they have noticed a different side to Slot.
The Times reports that staff have spotted a "warmth" to Slot behind the scenes. He is undoubtedly a serious operator, and takes a very active role in leading training sessions, but he has already been building bonds as well.
An example with Trent Alexander-Arnold is highlighted. Liverpool shared the relevant clip on its social channels: Slot challenged the full-back to score from the tightest of angles, well behind the goal, teasing that it was "impossible".
Naturally, Alexander-Arnold delivered the goods, the only surprise being that it took him two attempts. "Nothing's impossible", he told his new head coach, while another of the coaches — seemingly Alex Inglethorpe, whose time with the Liverpool academy began way back in 2012 — let Slot know that these are the skills the vice-captain was taught at the club long before the Dutchman's arrival.
That's just one isolated moment. But it seems there's more to Slot than first meets the eye, and those at the AXA Training Centre have seen a side that was not immediately clear from the brutal Quansah incident.
Liverpool.com says: There's a lot to like about a no-nonsense manager who calls things how he sees them, as long as it does not come at the expense of player buy-in. It's promising that he has been building relationships already.
He might need to make an extra effort with Quansah, who cut a forlorn figure on the bench in the second half. But the most important thing is that Liverpool got off to a winning start.
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