Liverpool manager Arn Slott has responded to Jamie Carragher’s suggestion that his side were a “team of individuals” during Sunday’s disappointing 1-1 draw with Tottenham.
Despite taking the lead with a free kick from Dominik Szoboszlai, Liverpool were caught up in the 90th minute by Tottenham, who sit one point above the relegation zone, suffering a sixth straight defeat.
The draw was a disappointing development for Liverpool, who have won just one of their last four games, and were met with boos. The draw put a damper on their hopes of qualifying for this season’s Champions League.
Carragher, a former Liverpool defender and Sky Sports pundit, told Monday Night Football: “There are a lot of problems with this Liverpool team. Nothing is working up front or in defence. But for me the biggest thing Liverpool have lost is their pressing.”
“Throughout the season I kept asking myself, is this the fault of the manager or the profile of the players?
“Liverpool’s hierarchy will be sitting there thinking, ‘We won the league last season and when we brought in players we thought we had better players than before.’You might argue that in terms of talent, but Liverpool are not a team. They are a team of individuals.
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Asked about Carragher’s comments, Slott hit back that if the players wanted to give up, they would have already done so.
“I agree with a lot of the things that Jamie has said throughout this season, but I don’t particularly agree with him,” Slott told the media.
“As I said after losing 1-1, I don’t think so. We’ve had so many disappointments this season. It wouldn’t have been surprising at all if the players had given up, but they didn’t.
“But what I can show you, and you can see, is that they set up a counter-attack with seven or eight players back inside the 18-yard box, which led to the opposition corner, where we blocked that shot and that corner led to a transition to the other side, where Hugo Ekitike had a big chance.
“A team that gives up, a team of individuals, a team that doesn’t work together doesn’t show that resilience after experiencing the 120th setback of the season.
“That’s an exaggeration, but we had a lot going on. I don’t know why he said that, what he meant by that, or what example he used to say this.
“Again, he’s saying things this season that I agree with. I see similar things. I can’t always say, but I see similar things, but on this I don’t agree with him.”
Slott also added that although he was booed after Tottenham’s draw, he did not feel any frustration from the fans.
“It’s never good for the fans to be frustrated because after you win they don’t get frustrated. When you don’t win they get frustrated and disappointed.
“When I came here, I was told that this club was different, that the fans would support the manager for a long time. If that’s true (the fans are restless), then I don’t feel at all. I must have done a lot of things wrong then. It’s never a good feeling!”
Robertson refuses to be drawn on Liverpool’s future
Andy Robertson’s contract expires this summer
Andy Robertson has refused to answer questions about his future at Anfield ahead of his club’s crucial Champions League last-16 second leg against Galatasaray.
The Scotland international’s move to Tottenham Hotspur collapsed in January and his contract is due to expire this summer.
Asked about his future, Robertson explained that he remains focused on ensuring Liverpool get past Galatasaray after drawing in the first leg last week.
Mr Robertson responded: “I don’t think today is the day to discuss that.”
“I don’t think anyone should be talking about their future 24 hours before a big Champions League game.
“We have a very big game ahead of us and as a member of this team, my full focus is on getting through tomorrow.
“We have had a tough time, but I think we have to be fully focused. There will be time to talk about the future, but today is not the day.”
