Arne Slot already transforming Liverpool star after 'very hard' transition

This summer promises to be a significant learning curve for just about everybody connected with Liverpool. Seismic changes have occurred in both the management team and front office since the Reds last took to the field for a competitive match.

New sporting director Richard Hughes is learning what it is like to be in charge of completing transfers for a massive football club. The scrutiny from the fanbase can be unforgiving, though a signing or two will inevitably quieten the dissenting voices on social media.

At first team level, Arne Slot has taken on the not insignificant challenge of replacing Jurgen Klopp . The Liverpool players have to impress the new head coach while also taking on board his instructions for how he wants his version of the Reds to play. Midfielder Harvey Elliott has spoken to liverpool.com and explained about the ‘very hard’ transition to Slot.

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"It’s very hard," he said. "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."

This was true for Elliott more than most in the 1-0 friendly win over Real Betis . Both he and Dominik Szoboszlai played as 10s in a sort of 4-4-2 formation without strikers. While understandably not at his best, Elliott had two shots, including an Opta-defined big chance, the joint-most of any player in the match. In a game in which Liverpool had just nine shots, the 21-year-old also created a chance, teeing up Fabio Carvalho for the first effort of the contest.

Despite being challenged by being asked to play an unfamiliar position, Elliott has been impressed by Slot. "With the gaffer now, I feel like he's got every detail right so far," he told us. "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."

Elliott’s comments were made before the 2-1 win against Arsenal on Wednesday. He was man of the match, setting up both Liverpool goals. It may have only been a friendly but he has only had one competitive match for the Reds in which he provided at least two assists. His new boss praised him after the match but not without saying there was room for improvement.

“He had two great assists, but what I believe is that the team created these assists for him as well,” Slot said (via liverpoolfc.com ), later adding: “If I am a bit hard on him, I think there were two or three other situations where he could have done better.” It’s clear the Dutchman will demand very high standards, but based on what Elliott delivered against Arsenal, it’s definitely going to be worth it.

Liverpool.com says: It sounds like Slot is a tough man to impress. With the ability Elliott has, he shouldn't have too much difficulty in earning further praise from his new boss, especially having been present for the birth of the transition.