'I think': David James says Arne Slot has got something exactly right during his first few months at Liverpool
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After a difficult weekend, Tuesday’s win over AC Milan has brought the good vibes back at Liverpool.
The Reds suffered a shock defeat to Nottingham Forest last weekend in what was the first blow of the new regime.
Liverpool will still have to put that right on Saturday as Bournemouth come to Anfield, but the nature of the victory in Milan has restored confidence in Arne Slot.
In truth, it is unlikely to have gone anywhere, anyway. Results like the one against Forest will never be accepted at Liverpool, but they may have to be anticipated to some degree this season.
So far, though, Slot’s manner, approach and his team’s results on the pitch have suggested that they will still be few and far between.
And as Slot approaches another game this weekend, former Liverpool goalkeeper David James has praised something the head coach has done during his time with the club so far.
David James praises Arne Slot decision
It was a real shame to see Liverpool’s perfect start to the season spoiled against Forest last time out in the Premier League.
However, a defeat was bound to come at some stage. What was perhaps always going to be more telling was how Liverpool responded to it.
Hopefully we can say the same thing after Saturday’s game, but the win against Milan gave huge hope that the Forest loss was merely a blip.
In the meantime, there has still been no resolution to the soon-to-end contracts of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah.
READ MORE: Jamie Carragher names his all-time Liverpool XI including two of Arne Slot’s current squad
But despite things rumbling on there, James has praised the way that Slot has come into the club and approached a tricky situation.
“It would have been easy for Slot to go in and offer these guys new deals right away,” the former ‘keeper told the Daily Star.
“But he's waited, which I think is the right thing to do for a new manager.
“For the players, they've seen what Slot is bringing on the pitch and off it, and they will be thinking that they want to be part of it.”
What’s the latest on trio’s new contracts?
While it’s fair enough that James has praised Slot for holding off a little on his star trio’s new deals, we’re not really sure that the Dutchman actually has much say in it all.
Surely any manager at all would want all of Van Dijk, Alexander-Arnold to stay for as long as possible.
All three have started each of Slot’s five games in charge so far, with Van Dijk not missing a single minute and Salah not far behind him.
Instead, it’s far more likely that the decision over whether to hand them new contracts will come right from the top, from the Liverpool owners.
With no movement at all yet, fans may be starting to get worried. But it has been reported that the October international break could be when things ramp up. Let’s hope so. In the meantime, let’s hope more praise comes Slot’s way after a win on Saturday.
