Slot lucky it’s only Spurs

 After another disappointing defeat in Istanbul, Liverpool are fortunate to be facing a Tottenham team in complete disarray.

“It’s Tottenham, lads!”

Arne Slot might want to borrow Alex Ferguson’s famously disparaging introduction when Spurs arrive at Anfield on Sunday.

Only the Liverpool boss would have to tweak it to meet the current situation.

“You’re lucky it’s only Tottenham” might be more appropriate after his team’s dismal defeat to Galatasaray.

“Hell,” as the Turkish club’s stadium has become known, did not freeze over, but Liverpool did as the home crowd couldn’t resist reminding them.

“You are alone in Sami Yen hell,” they were told by a banner mocking the Reds’ famous anthem.

And this was just as limp a performance as Liverpool mustered in the same arena in the group phase in September.

Back then it was the Turkish side’s speed on the counter; this time, it was the Reds’ familiar failing at set-pieces.

The result didn’t matter then, but it does now.

It may not require one of Anfield’s famed European nights, but they will need a significant improvement to go through.

Galatasaray are a dangerous side and few would bet against them scoring at Anfield.

In Victor Osimhen, they have one of Europe’s top strikers and you can’t help but ask, ‘What’s a player like you doing in a place like this?’

His goals, pace, power and all-around game made him a hero in Naples, and he’s soon achieved the same status in Istanbul.

And he knows how to exploit Liverpool’s centre-back Achilles heel.

Virgil Van Dijk is no longer imperious, while Ibrahima Konate had one of his nightmares.

Galatasaray are more than a one-man team. They lead the Turkish league and thrashed Juventus 5-2 in the playoffs.

But they did show their vulnerability away from home just hanging on against a spirited 10-man Juve comeback.

Unlike Arsenal and Manchester City, Liverpool can now win only two trophies: the Champions League and the FA Cup.

And in the latter, they have to go to City in the quarter-final. If they survive in Europe, they will meet either Chelsea or PSG.

With Jekyll & Hyde form in the league, a Champions League spot is far from certain, leaving Slot under increasing pressure.

Still, not qualifying is unthinkable after becoming champions by 10 points last season.

Winning the FA Cup saved his compatriot Erik ten Hag’s job but is unlikely to do the same for Slot if Liverpool finish outside the top five.

Winning Old Big Ears for a seventh time surely would, but that is looking unlikely.

On current form, Kopites wouldn’t relish taking on Arsenal, Real Madrid, Bayern or even Bodo-Glimt!

Some recent performances have been downright disconcerting for the fans.

For the first half of the season, the cause of poor form was thought to be too many changes, for which the recruitment department copped most of the blame.

But since then, and with some improvement from the new boys, it has been the manager who is on the receiving end.

For not getting a consistent tune out of a champion side bolstered by £440 million’s worth of talent.

Yet despite overspending, they have managed to look over-stretched.

Injuries have played a major part, and right-back has seemingly been a jinxed position with Conor Bradley a huge miss.

And with niggles in almost every position, Slot has never had a settled side.

Alexander Isak – does anyone remember him? – looks like a write-off for the season.

And from the glimpses we’ve seen, no one has a clue how, where or when he’ll blend in once he is fit.

The more you see of Hugo Ekitike, who was yet again the main threat in midweek, the more the £125m Swede looks like unnecessary expenditure.

And, sadly, the more we see of Mo Salah, the sharper the downward trajectory becomes.

His body language suggests he accepts that he’s a fading force, but it’s not just this season; the decline began almost a year ago.

After March, he scored just four goals with one assist in 13 games, perhaps making FSG wonder whether he was worth a new contract.

But since the turn of the year, it is Slot who is bearing the brunt of the criticism.

And this despite equalling Kenny Dalglish with 62 wins in his first 100 games in charge.

The low point was being played off the park by Forest, until an uptick in the second half. But it was still larceny to win with the last kick.

The way he spoke in Istanbul betrayed a man who is feeling the strain

“I don’t think it’s possible that so many things can go against us as they have in the last two games [against Galatasaray],” he said.

He will be given until the end of the season, but if he has nothing to show for it, his position will be hard to defend.

The elephant in the dugout is Xabi Alonso, who many had as favourite for the job before he stayed another season at Bayer Leverkusen.

Failure at Real Madrid will not have dented his reputation that much, and he’s still available.

As a former player with an otherwise outstanding CV as a coach, he is the obvious candidate.

He would be a popular choice and, if offered, he’d jump at it.

As for Spurs, it’s hard to know where to start.

As he’s survived 48 hours since losing his fourth match in four, Igor Tudor will probably be in the opposing dugout.

Just how he goes about his team talk after committing one of the most cowardly acts we’ve seen from a coach, only he knows.

Subbing his keeper Antonin Kinsky after 17 minutes was sheer, blind panic and selfish, too – protecting himself with no thought of what it might do to the player or his teammates.

And he didn’t even have the decency to console him as he left the field in a 5-2 defeat at Atletico.

Both Kinsky’s errors were with his feet, not his hands, and the slippery surface was a factor, too.

In the unlikely event of his being named on the bench, he can be assured of a cheer from the Kop, famous for its backing of visiting keepers who deserve it.

Spurs could be missing at least nine players; their morale is on the floor and they’re in real danger of the drop now.

If Liverpool can’t hammer a team in this state, then Slot might just do the decent thing. Something that seems beyond Tudor. - FMT

 The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.