Arne Slot has explained his vastly unpopular decision to substitute Rio Ngumoha during Liverpool’s 1-1 draw against Chelsea at Anfield on Saturday.
When the 17-year-old – who’d been one of his team’s standout players in a fractured team performance – was taken off midway through the second half, the head coach was met with a deafening chorus of boos as thousands of home fans made their feelings quite clear.
The Dutchman was inevitably asked about that substitution when he spoke to TNT Sports after the match, and he claimed that the teenage winger had asked to be taken off.
When it was put to Slot that there were boos from ‘some of the Anfield crowd’ as Ngumoha was withdrawn, the Liverpool boss replied: “I don’t think it was some of them – there were a lot that didn’t agree with the change, which is completely understandable.
“He was having problems with his muscles and when I asked him, he said he was not sure he could continue. I knew this would be the reaction because he is such a good player.
“So often in football, people don’t know everything. I am the manager and I need to make decisions. Knowing why makes it more sense for people.”
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Without any evidence to the contrary, we probably need to take Slot at his word; and if indeed Ngumoha felt he couldn’t continue due to muscular problems, then the much-derided substitution would seem to make a bit more sense.
However, it wouldn’t surprise us if there was a feeling among some supporters that there’s an element of self-preservation going on here from the Liverpool head coach, who was under no illusions as to how that decision went down.
It was such a shame to see the 17-year-old being taken off – he caused Malo Gusto quite a few problems and showed up many of his far more experienced teammates, whereas Alexander Isak (who came on in his place) was barely involved during his 25 minutes or so on the pitch.
We can only hope that Ngumoha hadn’t been suffering symptoms of an injury, as he’s been one of the few shining lights in a Reds team which has been thoroughly underwhelming for almost the entirety of this exhausting, joyless season.
The teenager is one of the most popular players among the Liverpool fan base, in stark contrast to Slot, whose reputation has nosedived over the past few months (and not just among LFC supporters, either).
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This Managers game plan is non existant. He’s needed someone in midfield takes out Rio but Gapko plays. His this Manager is still at LFC is beyond logic any other team he’d be hone
He is just a head coach. There is no football manager in Liverpool football club courtesy of fsg.
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