Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has set high standards for his team and insists that mediocrity is not an option – for him or his players.
The Dutchman has had an almost perfect start to his tenure at Anfield, with seven wins in eight matches, the only blemish being a loss to Nottingham Forest.
This run of form has propelled Liverpool to the top of the Premier League.
If they secure victory against Champions League debutants Bologna, Slot will become the first manager in the club’s history to win eight of his first nine games.
Despite his smooth transition following the departure of Jurgen Klopp – which has silenced many skeptics – the 46-year-old sees room for improvement.
He pointed to several aspects of Liverpool’s 2-1 victory over Wolves on Saturday that left him dissatisfied.
Slot said: “It’s exactly what you say.
“We haven’t conceded anything [in] the last 15 minutes [against Wolves].
“Hardly [at all] in the second half, I think they only had two shots in the whole second half.
“But in promising situations we lost the ball before it got to a chance and we lost the ball a few times really easy before it even got to a promising situation.
“I think we as a team, if you have that much quality, we cannot accept mediocrity.
“You have to ask from yourself every second of the day [and] every second of the game the highest standards that this shirt brings.
“We as a staff have to set those standards very clear and that 15 minutes where we lost the ball so many times in promising positions, or moments that could lead to promising positions, is maybe ‘not acceptable’ is the word to use.”
He added: “I think Bologna showed last season and this season again that they are a real difficult team to beat because everybody is telling me they only won once, but I‘ll tell everyone they only lost once.
“That means it‘s a difficult team to beat and we as Liverpool know how difficult it can be to play against a team that‘s man-marking all over the pitch, which is what Bologna does, and what Atalanta did here last season.
“To face an Italian team at Champions League level, we know how difficult it was to face an Italian team on Europa League level, so we don‘t underestimate them at all.
“That‘s also not what they deserve for the way they played last season and even this season.”
“Yeah, I got the same question just a second ago and I said I was privileged enough to work at Feyenoord, where Champions League nights last season were also really, really special.
“People tell me it’s going to be even more special over here tomorrow.
“So, what I expect from our players… they have missed out on the Champions League for a year, so when they step out on the pitch tomorrow, I want to see this, I want to feel this, that they feel like, ‘Oh, we missed this for a season and now a club of these standards, we have to be ready.’
“And I am hoping and expecting the same from our fans, they have missed out on the Champions League for a season, and I’m hoping they feel this desire to show to Europe again, ‘You missed us because of this.’
“That combination should lead to hopefully a very special night for everyone that is involved in Liverpool.”
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