Speaking exclusively with BOYLE Sports , Liverpool hero Vladimir Smicer has given his thoughts on Liverpool's start to the season, including their back-to-back defeats against Crystal Palace and Galatasaray.
The Champions League-winning former midfielder has given his thoughts Arne Slot's new signings, stressing that they need time and that Slot will need time to get them gelling but backs him to do so.
Smicer has also spoken about the evolving role of Moh Salah at the club and whether there is far too much pressure placed on him and Vladimir gives his prediction for Chelsea vs Liverpool on Saturday.
Liverpool
Liverpool’s Losing Streak
After the loss against Crystal Palace, it was another fixture that we knew wasn't going to be an easy game. Galatasaray at home are always a difficult opponent. It's always bad when you concede the first goal because then you're behind and need to push forward. At the moment, it looks like we're not in top form compared to last season.
At the start of last season, we were flying; everything was working. So far this season, as shown in the Galatasaray game, we have a lot of new signings, and I think the players need time to adapt.
It's not like last season; we need to be patient. We need to give the players time to adapt, find their rhythm, and then they will be more dangerous and confident in what we're doing on the pitch.
Unfortunately, we lost the game. It's our second loss in a row, which is not easy to take as a Liverpool fan. We're not used to it, but it happened. It's football. I thought we would be a little bit better on the pitch, of course. You don't want to see Liverpool losing games. But it's part of football.
As I said, last season we were flying at the start, but at the end of the season, we had a period when we lost to PSG and some other games. We were saying it was a pity we weren't in the same form as we were in October and November.
We are not flying at the moment, but we are leading the Premier League, we beat Atletico, there are points that we can be a little concerned about, but that’s football.
Arne Slot
Slot’s Signings Need Time!
It’s definitely hard to match the expectations of last season.
Last season, when Arne Slot arrived, we were wondering about what would happen because Jurgen Klopp was such a strong person; he was the leader, and we lost him. Expectations were not high for Slot, but everything went perfectly. The start was fantastic, and he did a brilliant job. This season is a little bit different because he set his standard really high.
We also had plenty of new signings in the summer, a lot of excitement about the signings. Alexander Isak’s transfer was in the newspapers for two months. There were high expectations, and suddenly, we are not playing as well as last season. So, there are a lot of questions. I just think it's really about the new players needing a little bit more time.
Pressure On Slot?
Time brings more pressure, and I can feel the expectation from people around me that Liverpool must be perfect. The people expect Liverpool to be perfect, and so far, we are not perfect. So far, we have won a lot of games in the last 10 minutes, and we are conceding goals that we shouldn't concede. But this is the beauty of the sport.
Fans thought when you signed Isak, he would be the best in the game, but look at Manchester United, for example, they have been building their team for the last 10 years with new players, and they can't get it right.
It's not easy, but I'm still confident that this is just the start of the season. Just don't panic and give the players time.
Moh Salah
Salah Could Benefit From Benching!
I don't know if there was a medical reason, or maybe he was a little bit tired; we don’t know what was behind the decision, but Liverpool have a really strong squad with a lot of players, and those players need to play.
So, sometimes it can happen that Salah rests for some games. Having said that, after losing against Crystal Palace, you don't want to lose again. Leaving Salah on the bench was a big decision, but he came on in the second half, and we know that all players need to be rotated. You want to prevent injuries.
We were travelling to Istanbul, and maybe Salah was a little bit tired. That's why he didn't start. Sometimes it’s good to have big players on the bench so they can have an impact.
It's a manager's decision; he sees the players on the training ground, how they train, how they feel after games. He knows them perfectly well. So sometimes you need to make big decisions.
I don't know how Salah sees that personally. But of course, it was a change for the fans. But to be honest, I was not surprised. I think even Salah sometimes needs to have some rest and find his rhythm, his touch, his killer instinct again.
You need a hungry Mo Salah, and I think he could be better for it.
Expectations On Salah
I don't think we need to question the class of Mohamed Salah. Of course, he probably wants to score more goals. We would like to see him have more assists and be more important in these first few games. But more important games are still to come.
I think, of course, he's a certain age, and maybe it will take a little bit longer to get him going. I think he still has a lot of good years in front of him. He will still be important this season. He's still a great player, and he will score goals and win games for us again this season.
But that doesn't mean that if it doesn't happen now, it won't happen in the future. Salah has done an unbelievable job for Liverpool, but of course, nobody is living in the past. That's the football world; you need to perform every week.
Some people are putting pressure on him. I still think he's a great asset to our team. He's just signed a new contract. He definitely wants to stay at Liverpool, which is fantastic. He committed his future to Liverpool again; he will hit his stride again, and I'm sure he's got a lot of goals in his left foot still for us.
Prediction: Chelsea vs Liverpool
Prediction: Chelsea vs Liverpool
Chelsea finished really well last season, winning the Club World Cup. The worst thing was that they had only a two- or three-week holiday. They have started slow and need to bounce back. Playing Chelsea at Stamford Bridge is always tough for Liverpool, and after two losses, we need to bounce back.
Our leaders need to be present because we need some points. It's a big game. Sometimes it's easier to play these games when you are away from home due to the pressure.
It's a Premier League classic; I can't wait for the game. I think it will be a draw. We are not in the best form, but I can’t see Liverpool losing three in a row. Let’s go for 2-2.
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