Virgil van Dijk took matters into his own hands after Liverpool's four-game losing streak. The captain revealed this week that he called a team meeting with his teammates, notably without manager Arne Slot present. While the squad had already conducted an evaluation with the Dutch coach, Van Dijk felt it wasn't enough. He wanted to speak with the players privately, hoping they would open up more without the manager in the room.
'Completely Unhappy'
Slot has now responded to his captain's initiative. "What Virgil and I did was what we had to do," he stated. "None of the players should accept a defeat against United. Especially not after three consecutive losses. I was completely unhappy with that."
He views Van Dijk addressing the players as a positive step. "It wouldn't be good if they only heard from me," he explained. "We have five players who captain their national teams. Virgil wasn't the only one who had something to say. They have a lot of experience and can have a good conversation."
"I always encourage them to engage in dialogue," the coach continued. This can include small chats during training, in the sauna, or by the pool. "But the fact that we have a leader in the team, with the respect of the group, is very good," Slot said about Van Dijk.
Tactics
However, the defender shouldn't interfere with the team's playing style. "They sense what's happening on the pitch. But tactics are my domain," Slot asserted. "I also don't think Virgil explained to them how they should play from now on."
The discussion seems to have had a positive effect. On Wednesday, Liverpool secured a dominant 5-1 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League. The Premier League clash against Brentford is scheduled for Friday evening.
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