Colombian journalist Andres Marocco has questioned Liverpool manager Arne Slot’s team selection for the matches against Nottingham Forest and AC Milan. Marocco believes Slot should have used Luis Diaz differently in the two matches, suggesting the winger may not have liked the Dutchman’s strategy.
Former Feyenoord manager Slot took on the massive challenge of replacing club icon Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool this summer. The coach enjoyed a bright start to life as Liverpool’s manager, taking the team to three consecutive victories in the Premier League, including a thumping 3-0 win over Manchester United. However, the Reds’ 100% record did not last for long, with Nottingham Forest shattering it with a 1-0 victory at Anfield last weekend. Luckily, the defeat against Nottingham did not leave a lasting impression, as Liverpool bounced back with a 3-0 win in their mid-week UEFA Champions League opener against AC Milan.
Andres Marocco Questions Liverpool Team Selection
In the Premier League clash against Nottingham, Slot started Colombia international Diaz, pairing him up with Mohamed Salah and Diogo Jota in attack. The left-winger hit the woodwork once before coming off in the 61st minute. In the UEFA Champions League meeting with Milan at San Siro, Slot left Diaz on the bench. He brought him on in the 68th minute — a minute after the Merseysiders scored their third goal.
Marocco was critical of Slot’s decision to bench Diaz in the clash against Milan, claiming it could have had an impact on his mindset. Speaking on ESPN’s F90, he said (via Sport Witness):
“What happened today [Tuesday] was strange. Professor Slot, wasn’t it better to have put Lucho on as a substitute in the game against Nottingham Forest and today as a starter?
“One would think, away from home, that you need to think about the counterattack. And for the counterattack, [you need] Lucho. It’s the first game Slot didn’t start him. That’s when you say, do I need the Champions League match? That’s where you hope that Lucho’s head is fine. It’s not easy.”
Diaz has been an important member of the team since joining from FC Porto in January 2022. He has so far played 103 games for the Anfield outfit in all competitions, scoring 27 times and providing 14 assists.
