Slot on Van Dijk’s Key Role: “He Is One of the Few Leaders in the World of Football” | OneFootball

“We’re Working So Hard” – Slot on Liverpool’s Set-Piece Transformation Plan

Virgil van Dijk Extension Reinforces Liverpool’s Leadership

In a compelling sit-down interview with Jamie Carragher for Sky Sports Premier League, Arne Slot, Liverpool’s current head coach, hailed Virgil van Dijk’s contract extension as “huge news for the club, for the fans, for our players and for our staff.” Slot was visibly buoyed by the announcement, acknowledging both van Dijk’s stature and subtle influence in Melwood.

“He is one of the few leaders there are still in the world of football,” Slot said, citing the Dutch defender’s role not only on matchdays but also behind closed doors during the week. “He’s also smart. Players respect him a lot and he brings a lot of energy into training sessions.”

Slot spoke candidly about the initial surprise he felt during early sessions. “The first training session we did, we were trying to get players free in between the lines, and he found them constantly. That he was that good on the ball was even a surprise to me.”

Trent Alexander-Arnold and Hope for Another Deal

The conversation turned to another Anfield favourite, Trent Alexander-Arnold. When Carragher asked about a potential third big announcement, Slot remained guarded: “We prefer to talk about announcements, not about how things are going in the contract negotiations.” However, he confirmed Trent’s return to training, saying, “He’s training with us again… hopefully he can help us towards the end of the season by achieving what we all hope to achieve.”

Slot clarified his role in these negotiations. “When it comes to the negotiation part, that’s all about Richard [Hughes], FSG, Michael Edwards. I’m happy that I’m not involved in that part.”

Premier League Title Push Requires Relentless Focus

With the Premier League title race nearing its crescendo, Slot acknowledged the intensity of the run-in: “Not only because of the group, because the mentality of the group—they know it isn’t over and it wasn’t over and it isn’t over.” He added, “We are not the team that is at halftime either 2-0 up, 3-0 up or 4 up… mostly we’re either 1-0 down or it’s still nil-nil or 1-1.”

Discussing the pressure, Slot remained grounded in realism: “It’s possible to win multiple games in a row… but it’s also possible even for us to lose a game of football. And that’s what we’ve experienced two weeks ago at Fulham.”

Photo: IMAGO

Set-Piece Improvement Central to Strategy

Liverpool’s struggles with set pieces this season haven’t gone unnoticed. “We are working so hard to get more and more out of our set pieces,” Slot revealed, referencing the West Ham match where van Dijk netted from a corner.

Slot admitted that improvement was overdue: “We saved this moment for a big moment to score a set piece… even Arsenal has shown that the first season when Nicolas Jover worked there, it wasn’t as it is now.”

The head coach linked set-piece prowess directly to title ambitions: “It’s impossible to win a game of football which is top teams against each other… if you lose the battle of set pieces.”