Liverpool manager Arne Slot began his introductory press conference at Anfield this month with a promise of continuity, believing his tactical similarities with Jurgen Klopp were a factor in his hiring.
But as Slot offered a first public glimpse at his new-look Liverpool side in a friendly against Real Betis on Friday, Reds star Harvey Elliott joined the chorus of Liverpool players highlighting the Dutch manager's "completely different" approach.
"It’s very hard," Elliott told Liverpool.com about the transition to Slot's management. "You know, it's a completely different style of play, completely different style of tactics but, you know, that’s what happens in football. You need to adapt, you need to learn it."
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Elliott was among the most uprooted players in Slot's debut outing, abandoning his typical centre midfielder or right wing positions to form an unorthodox forward pairing with Dominik Szoboszlai . The Hungarian looked more comfortable with the arrangement, linking up with Mohamed Salah to score Liverpool's lone goal of the match in the 34th minute, and appeared largely rejuvenated after a sluggish end to the 2023-24 season.
While it's unlikely fans will see Elliott leading the line in a competitive match for Liverpool this season, both he and Szoboszlai often rotated as false nines, assuming a more familiar attacking midfield role that allowed Salah and left forward Fabio Carvalho to remain high up the pitch. Elliott lacked a high-profile, goal-scoring contribution but looked sharp through 64 minutes, making way for Ben Doak in a massive spree of Liverpool substitutions.
"We don't have a nine at the moment, and we have two number tens who can play that position," Slot said after Friday's match about the pairing of Elliott and Szoboszlai. "We will play during the season with a number nine."
Elliott isn't alone in vocalizing his growing pains with Slot's system. Center-back starlet Jarell Quansah , who earned a sizable role with the first team after a breakout 2023 U,S. Summer Tour, noted after Friday's game there are "so many new messages we're trying to cram in," while Szoboszlai also highlighted the new boss' "different" style of play.
Despite this flurry of new instructions, Liverpool turned in a stellar performance against a Betis squad that played five starters from last season's La Liga finale. The Reds controlled 63 percent of total possession and looked composed in a more deliberate attacking buildup, and Elliott has been pleased with the outcomes under his new manager despite the adjustment.
"With the gaffer now, I feel like he's got every detail right so far," Elliott continued to Liverpool.com. "He's driving it into us in training sessions and off the pitch as well. You know, I'm in meetings all the time to look at the small details and we are certainly going to help us so we just need to keep going and keep trusting what he’s saying."
The Reds began their brief stint in Philadelphia with an open practice on Sunday, building up to a Wednesday evening clash with Arsenal at Lincoln Financial Field. Liverpool then plays their final match stateside on August 3 in Columbia, South Carolina against Manchester United .
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