Liverpool legend explains why questioning Arne Slot right now makes no sense
Liverpool’s season continues to be judged through an increasingly emotional lens, but a familiar voice has stepped in to bring perspective back to the conversation.
Speaking on the No Tippy Tappy Football Podcast, Phil Thompson addressed the growing scrutiny around Arne Slot and made it clear that criticism should not automatically lead to calls for change.
The former defender said: “I’m more than pleased [with Slot]. I get really disappointed at the moment with some of our fanbase,” before questioning how quickly the mood has shifted.
For a side that lifted the Premier League title only months ago, the speed of that shift is striking.
Phil Thompson backs Arne Slot after Liverpool criticism
Thompson highlighted how recently we were celebrating, reminding listeners: “Just six months ago, we had the parade of all parades of the league trophy.”
He pushed back strongly against the narrative that success was inherited, adding: “People were saying, ‘It’s Jurgen Klopp’s side’, but no, he’s still got to do it. We won it in a canter.”
That context matters when evaluating a season that has been shaped by change, disruption and moments of frustration rather than collapse.
The club legend did acknowledge concerns around performances, particularly after the Burnley draw, echoing wider discussion about tempo and edge.
However, he drew a clear line between analysis and overreaction, saying: “I think it’s far too soon to be questioning the manager and the team when it was a settled team he had from Jurgen Klopp.”
That balance between critique and perspective is something Liverpool have wrestled with throughout this campaign.
Thompson highlights human side of Liverpool season
One part of Thompson’s comments stood out for its humanity rather than tactics.
Referencing the tragic death of Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva, he said: “They’re young men. How did they have to deal with that after it?”
He added: “We remember Diogo after 20 minutes in each game. We have No.20 in the car park, his locker space – there’s a reminder so much.”
Those moments sit alongside league tables, performances and statistics, but they also shape dressing rooms and people.
Liverpool may currently sit fourth in the Premier League and outside the top eight in the Champions League on Wednesday morning, but Thompson’s point is that context matters.
Criticism can exist, and it has, including from the former defender himself after Burnley, but that does not mean the foundations are broken.
Jamie Carragher has also accused Slot of playing with the handbrake on too much of late, but again – this doesn’t all have to point to a sacking.
For now, the message from one of our own is simple: patience, perspective and memory are required just as much as tactical debate.
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The post Liverpool legend explains why questioning Arne Slot right now makes no sense appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.