Slot on Burnley Draw: “Not for the First Time, Frustrating.”

Liverpool found themselves, again, unbeaten and yet, again, owners of a single point. There was disappointment across the ground given Liverpool’s utter dominance in nearly all aspects of the match. That disappointment was also vocalized by fans as boos rang out around the park at what many will see as two points frittered away.

Head coach Arne Slot was asked about this and the general play of his charges during his post-match press conference and the word of the day seemed to be “frustrating.” Frustrating, perhaps, because the team had created more than enough on the day with Sports Ilustrated’s model indicating that the Reds created 2.95 xG to Burnley’s .40 xG.

Either way you slice it, Liverpool should have won this match and handily. While we can’t discount that we saw flashes of improved play, especially in the attack, you cannot count any real positive in the result itself.

To that point, Slot agreed and had this to say in response to questions about his takeaway on the day, including a response to fan reaction:

“Yes, in my head it wasn’t a boo, but in my head it was frustration as well. We are Liverpool and we play against Burnley – and we have to give them credit [for] how they defended, cleared balls off the line, all the things you want to see if you are a Burnley manager, players that try to do everything to prevent us from scoring – but if we, as Liverpool, are not disappointed anymore by having a draw at home against Burnley then something is completely wrong. I completely understand the frustration. I can tell you I have the same and the players definitely have the same frustration as the fans have.”

Liverpool find themselves in a difficult spot where, again, generally improved and positive play are undone by the combination of being profligate in front of goal and a bit sloppy at the back. It is, once more, emblematic of the Reds’ season.

I am not personally arguing for a change in management – I think there’s been progress and the Reds have had to contend with some weird luck in terms of injuries and circumstances in match. Slot has not had access to his first choice side for really any point in this season and it feels a bit unfair to expect more when this lineup has required chopping and changing for most of the season. And, of course, all of it happening under the shadow of a team processing immense grief.

But the questions are being asked – not just in the pub but clearly also in the Kop. And while I wouldn’t have counted myself among those ringing boos, I do not begrudge them expressing their frustration.

The circumstances are all here for a manager in the hot seat: lackluster results, a team showing uneven progress, and as of this week, a legendary figure and manager in Xabi Alonso whom the world knew was on the shortlist to succeed the team’s most recent legendary manager now newly available. Which means, for all the positives of a period that has shown no defeats the lack of victories has made Slot’s grip on the role a little more tenuous.

What’s going for him is that it doesn’t look like he’s lost the locker room. And the way the Reds played today, results aside, are another reminder of that.

It feels a bit strange, in a title-defending year and with team still in fourth place, to think of anyone being on the hotseat but if wins don’t start showing up in the ledger, and soon, it’ll be difficult for Slot to resist the calls for his ouster. He’s already lost some measure of the fanbase. If he loses the players over the next few weeks, I don’t see a path back for the Dutchman.

It’s to France, then, and Bournemouth next. Strong showings in both will be necessary with victories all but required, it feels, to calm the boobirds. Strange, again, to be at the point of “win one for the gaffer” but perhaps this is just the carry-over of a strange and unexpected 2025.

Here’s hoping for improved results. If not for Slot, then for the team and fanbase.