Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah gave Arne Slot's Liverpool a 2-0 win over Brentford; Jamie Carragher: "That was almost like a Man City performance in that the game felt over when the second goal went in. There wasn't any jeopardy in the game"
Monday 26 August 2024 13:30, UK
Jamie Carragher believes Liverpool won't be as much of a "rollercoaster" under Arne Slot as they were under Jurgen Klopp but insists the more controlled approach might not be a bad thing.
The Reds followed up their 2-0 win over Ipswich on the opening weekend with victory by the same scoreline over Brentford in Slot's first Premier League home game in charge on Sunday.
Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah grabbed the goals to make it two wins from two and Sky Sports pundit Carragher likened their measured display, in contrast to their full-throttle approach under Klopp, to a Manchester City performance.
"I thought the atmosphere was strange considering it was the first home game of the season," Carragher said on Sky Sports.
"Is that something to do with the style of play being different in that it won't be as end-to-end?
"Last season was a rollercoaster ride for supporters; late goals, coming from behind. It felt like every game was like a cup final. Liverpool needed more games like this last season.
"That was almost like a Man City performance in that the game felt over when the second goal went in. There wasn't any jeopardy in the game.
"Arne Slot's Liverpool aren't going to be as exciting as Jurgen Klopp's - that's impossible. I'm interesting to see how that will affect the atmosphere as the months go on because it did feel strange today.
"But it still might prove to be as successful if not more successful than last season. If Liverpool win more games like this today, 2-0, comfortable, then it'll put them in a great position."
Carragher also praised the side's winning start to the campaign and insisted it is exactly what Slot needed as he follows on from the glittering Klopp era.
"Slot will be pleased, he said. "There is no doubt there would have been lots of questions asked had Liverpool not got off to a good start.
"Those questions of Jurgen Klopp and these group of players - who have won everything - league titles, European cups, domestic cup competitions.
"You want to put that narrative to bed as quickly as you possibly can, [and show] that these players are bedding in and listening and learning from this new manager and buying into his methods going forward.
"So it does help, having this good start that Arne Slot has had. But the first really big game of his tenure comes next week against Manchester United.
"You think of what that game did to Liverpool's title chances, there should be a lot of motivation from his players to put that right."
Liverpool's winning start to the season comes to a backdrop of inactivity in the transfer market, with the club yet to make a permanent signing since Slot's appointment.
Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp warned the club against panic-buying in the final days of the transfer window and urged them to focus on targeting rising stars as they did with Salah.
"You look at the first signing of Mohamed Salah. I don't think, at the time, anyone was expecting anything like he'd become.
"He was at Chelsea then went to Fiorentina and did well in Italy. They looked at him and thought, 'There is something in this guy, he could be a real star for us.'
"That should be the objective of the club now: find the next Mohamed Salah. How do you find the next player who is going to light this place up?
"It isn't easy but that's why you have Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes. I know Richard, he's a complete football man. He's got an encyclopaedic knowledge on players, the games, he knows everything about the game. There's going to be pressure on him, but don't rush.
"There's no point bringing in a band aid. You want someone to come in and make the team better, not someone who is going to be another number because he wants to work with the top players here."
Carragher agreed, adding: "Liverpool became successful by being clinical in the transfer market. It wasn't by spending the money and taking a chance on things, it was when everything was right and it ticked every box.
"I think they're in that same position and I would like them bring in a holding midfielder but also a Nathan Ake type, a [Josko] Gvardiol, a [Riccardo] Calafiori who has gone to Arsenal - that type of left-sided centre-back who could do a job at left-back.
"But if not, I would not want them to waste money."
Sky Sports' Nick Wright:
"That's a Klopp goal," said Carragher on co-commentary after Luis Diaz buried Liverpool's breakaway opener following a blistering counter-attack.
Those devastating moments of directness are deeply ingrained in these Liverpool players but there was evidence of their changing approach under new head coach Arne Slot.
The emphasis is on control. Liverpool dominated Brentford. For the most part, though, their approach play was patient. Sometimes, the passing and moving was mesmerising.
Their passing numbers told a tale. In addition to having 63 per cent possession in the game, Liverpool completed 92 per cent of their passes - their highest success rate in a Premier League game since Opta started taking records in 2003/04.
Alexis Mac Allister admitted the players will need time to adapt. "Sometimes we should be patient but instead we are quite direct," he told Sky Sports. But the new era is here, and the signs of Slot's approach taking hold are already clear to see.
