Report: Arne Slot Holding Daily Meetings Over Player’s Problem Jurgen Klopp Couldn’t Solve
Darwin Nunez remains a puzzle at Liverpool, with Arne Slot seemingly putting in considerable effort to help the Uruguayan striker find form.
Reports indicate that Arne Slot is holding daily meetings with Nunez to address his tendency to get caught offside frequently. Nunez was flagged offside 33 times during the 2023-24 season, five more times than any other player in the league, despite only starting 22 matches.
It seems that Slot is still not fully convinced by the Uruguayan striker, who has only started one of Liverpool’s seven league games this season. According to the Daily Mail, Slot shares the same concerns that Jurgen Klopp had regarding Nunez, with both managers reportedly frustrated by his off-the-ball performance.
As a result of these concerns, Slot is said to be conducting daily meetings with Nunez, alongside Johnny Heitinga, Aaron Briggs, and Sipke Hulshoff. These meetings focus on improving Nunez’s off-the-ball runs and pressing tactics, using video analysis to help with his development.
The report also mentions that Diogo Jota’s superior off-the-ball work is a key reason Slot has favoured him over Nunez in the early stages of the season.
This pattern was also seen in previous seasons under Jurgen Klopp, where players like Cody Gakpo and Roberto Firmino were sometimes used as false nines instead of Nunez.
It is further suggested that Nunez is a player who thrives on affection and is highly dependent on confidence. Therefore, it could be a challenge for him to elevate his game and displace Jota from the starting lineup, especially while he currently feels like Slot’s second-choice striker.
Nunez recently returned to international duty for Uruguay after his ban was temporarily lifted on appeal. However, his return was disappointing, as Uruguay managed only one point from two World Cup qualifying matches, suffering a 1-0 loss to Peru and drawing 0-0 with Ecuador.
Prior to Nunez’s ban being suspended, Liverpool boss Slot had said that he thought it would be a good thing if Nunez could return for his country. “Ideally for me he would have gone over there,” said Slot before the ban was overturned.
“I don’t think it is a good thing for a player to be suspended. It’s a good thing for a player to go and see his team-mates, get energy and some playing time.”
Darwin Nunez received a five-match international ban following his involvement in a brawl between Uruguay players and Colombia fans during the Copa America.
However, his case was subsequently taken to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which has temporarily lifted the suspension pending further review of the details.
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