Football Ramble Mailbag: How should we judge Arne Slot’s second season?
Jan 27, 2026
A lively debate about Arne Slot’s middling second season and whether patience or pressure is fair. They fret over Xabi Alonso’s looming availability as a real threat. There’s a long detour into ‘vibes’ managers and who embodies good or bad vibes. Listeners get a roundup of aesthetically pleasing players who underachieved and whether Harry Wilson could step up to a bigger club.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Context Shapes Managerial Judgement
- Arne Slot's season would read as average at best if it were his first because the defeats and integration issues outweigh patience.
- Liverpool's prior title and institutional patience give him credit other new managers wouldn't receive.
Transfers And Player Issues Cloud Evaluation
- Diogo Jota's situation and huge summer spending complicate assessments of Slot's performance.
- Player age and the need to manage older stars like Salah and Van Dijk add pressure to Slot's job.
Hiring Signals Expectation Of Patience
- Liverpool likely hired Slot for potential and continuity, so firing him quickly would reflect poorly on recruitment.
- The club's investment implies they expect time to bed in a relatively inexperienced top-level coach.