Following Liverpool's 0-0 draw at home against Fulham in Premier League Matchday 4, Liverpool manager Arne Slot attended a press conference to address questions from the media.

Arne, hello. How would you assess the team's performance today? What do you think was most lacking for the team?

I think what was lacking from the team was clear. Since I arrived, this is the first time the team has faced such significant obstacles in creating chances, scoring goals, and breaking through the stalemate in attack. That's the main reason. We didn't create the number of chances we expected, we didn't score, and ultimately we could only take one point.

How much do you think fatigue from Wednesday's match against Atlético Madrid affected today's performance? Was it a decisive factor?

It would be the easiest excuse for me, for you, and for everyone else to blame physical fatigue, because the players certainly are tired. But what's undeniable is that the team clearly lacked energy on the pitch. That can't be denied. I think this was the most challenging scheduling period we've faced—just over 60 hours since the last intense match. However, such situations occur multiple times during a long season. Sometimes we may have an extra rest day, but sometimes the schedule is just as tight as it was today. We must adapt positively to these objective circumstances. In such matches, we need to find a way to win. Sometimes through set pieces, sometimes through long shots from the edge of the penalty area, and sometimes through the brilliance of key attacking players. But today we couldn't produce any of those. Our attacking performance was noticeably less sharp than in previous matches.

You tried a different midfield combination today. However, during the match, it seemed too easy for Fulham to break through your midfield defense, and the team often lost control of the game. Is this a concern?

Today, particularly in the first half, our high press was consistently a beat late, and that was a clear problem. The second half saw significant improvement in this regard—we maintained better shape and structure. While we didn't score, the rhythm and control we had in the second half was noticeably better than the first half, and it was more reassuring to watch from the bench. We weren't perfect in these areas and faced some difficulties at times, but I don't think we gave the opposition any clear-cut scoring opportunities defensively. Aside from a dangerous moment from a goalkeeper's error, Fulham had few real chances throughout the match. With that in mind, I thought our defense was quite solid, and keeping a clean sheet was the foundation for earning a point. Our best chances throughout the match mostly came from set pieces—like the shot that hit the crossbar and Alex Isak's chance in the second half. But in a difficult match where the whole team isn't at its best, our attacking performance lacked clarity and decisiveness, and we couldn't score the goal needed to break through the stalemate.

Arne, what's the current situation for Wataru Endo at the club? He didn't get any playing time tonight.

Wataru Endo missed much of preseason and I don't think he's at his best yet, though he's performing very well in training. The issue is that there are many players competing for his position. He's facing intense internal competition at midfield, and right now I'm giving playing time to players like Trey Nyoni, Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister, and Dominic Soboslai. These are my current starting and rotation options. But I must emphasize that Wataru Endo is definitely a player I rate highly, and his time to play will certainly come.

Bradley Barcola started on the right wing against Atlético Madrid on Wednesday and played on the left wing today until Cody Gakpo came on as a substitute. Can you explain the thinking behind these tactical adjustments with the wing positions?

I think this has been discussed many times. We have four outstanding wingers. If you looked at them before the season started, you might feel they're more comfortable playing on the left than the right, because they've played on the left more frequently in the past. But in reality, all four wingers can play on the right and create threats on the left as well. The specific positioning depends entirely on the opponent's defensive characteristics, which areas we can do more damage in, the team's different tactical demands defensively, and pre-match analysis and intuition. Bradley Barcola and the other three wingers have experience playing on both wings in actual matches, and because these four wingers share many similarities in their individual characteristics and positional preferences, we'll continue this rotation throughout the season.

Today was also his Premier League debut as a starter.

Regarding Bradley Barcola, since he had limited playing time in preseason, we're gradually helping him build his fitness and stamina reserves. The positive today is that he played more minutes than in the Atlético Madrid match three days ago. He had a good scoring opportunity at the far post, but unfortunately his shot was blocked by the opponent, though his positioning and timing were excellent. We all know he has immense potential and a higher ceiling, but the most important thing right now is to continue giving him consistent playing time and help build his confidence. He will make a significant contribution to the team in the future.

Arne, since 2022 Liverpool has only won four matches at Anfield. While many of those were before you arrived, do you sense that perhaps due to the immense expectations and pressure at home, the players sometimes feel that playing at Anfield is a psychological burden compared to playing away?

I don't feel that way at all, and neither did the players three days ago when we faced Atlético Madrid at home. Is it just because we didn't win today? I don't think so. I definitely prefer playing at home, and we shouldn't look for objective excuses outside the pitch. To solve the problem, we need to look for reasons within the pitch, within ourselves. We know that as long as the entire team fights with full effort on the pitch, the Anfield fans will definitely support us wholeheartedly. There's no doubt about that.

AI翻訳。

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