What's Behind the Crisis at Liverpool and United, and Will More Slovaks Join the Premier League?

From your perspective, what's behind Liverpool's deep crisis in recent weeks?

"Too many changes at once in a single transfer window. At least four positions were altered, and the build-up play structure changed without Trent Alexander-Arnold. Some players, including Mohamed Salah, are out of form."

"The new signings are struggling to adapt to the pace and intensity of the Premier League. There are truly countless changes, and I feel that even manager Arne Slot is desperately searching for solutions that could help."

Liverpool spent an astronomical 483 million euros on transfers this summer. Was it a bad investment?

"That sum was indeed enormous, but they primarily invested in offense. Just look at the defensive lineup in the last league match. Liverpool finished the game with two midfielders, Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch, at the back."

"Jeremie Frimpong arrived instead of Alexander-Arnold, but he's currently battling injuries. Conor Bradley is also injured, and Liverpool suddenly realized they have no one to play at right-back. Szoboszlai, who is in the best form and most consistent, has to cover there."

"Liverpool strengthened well, although the new players haven't settled as expected, but they didn't solve the most fundamental problems that plagued them. This includes the center of defense, ideally the right-back position, and they don't have an adequate replacement for Gravenberch either. It was a mistake not to finalize the transfer of center-back Marc Guéhi from Crystal Palace in the summer."

This summer's most expensive signings, Alexander Isak (€145m) and Florian Wirtz (€125m), have been huge disappointments so far. Can we still say they just need time? After all, it's already late November…

"Yes and no. In Isak's defense, he didn't have any pre-season training. We see it even in the national team; he's currently searching for form and lacks confidence. But he already showed at Newcastle that he can be effective in the Premier League."

"The question mark hangs over Wirtz. He's a fantastic footballer; I expected him in the Premier League at least 2-3 seasons ago. He's suffering because his inclusion in central midfield disrupts Liverpool's midfield structure. The trio of Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister, and Szoboszlai was crucial last season. After its breakdown, Liverpool is extremely vulnerable."

"So far, it looks like a big disappointment, even though I don't doubt the quality of Wirtz and Isak."

From my perspective, Liverpool's decline began in the spring…

"It's true that Liverpool had built up a lead, and their performances and results in the spring weren't like those in the autumn. Slot himself spoke about it. He blamed himself for not rotating the squad more often. The League Cup final or the Champions League knockout stages might have looked different."

"Opponents have figured them out and are playing simpler football against Liverpool. Few teams press them high. Opponents try long balls behind their high defensive line, which is vulnerable to pace."

"What surprises me most is that even the biggest stars, including Salah, lack healthy confidence. Some results are now also on manager Slot. Although winning the title bought him an extra season and his job isn't immediately at risk, I think he's feeling the pressure."

To what extent did Slot benefit in his first season from his predecessor Jürgen Klopp leaving him a functioning team?

"It's hard to express it as a percentage or a grade, but I think he also put his stamp on the system. The structure of building play changed completely, as did the positional play of the players on the field, but of course, the basic principles remained."

"Liverpool wasn't as spontaneous as under Klopp; they were more organized. But it's precisely that organization that has fallen apart this season. Half of the starting lineup is suddenly different, and it shows. Arne Slot hasn't found a solution yet, and he's running out of time. I'm curious to see how it progresses."

If manager Slot doesn't find a way out of this crisis soon, do you truly believe he'll last the entire season?

"He doesn't have as strong a position as Jürgen Klopp, but I think winning the title bought him time for this entire season. I don't know what would have to happen for him to be sacked. Even though he's struggling right now, Champions League qualification should be a given with the quality of the squad."

Moreover, if you want to sack a manager, you need to have a replacement ready. Would Liverpool have options right now?

"Purely hypothetically, I haven't mapped out all of Europe right now, but there are several candidates in the Premier League who I think would fit Liverpool. Sporting director Richard Hughes came from Bournemouth, where he brought in Andoni Iraola, who would be a good fit for Liverpool."

"Oliver Glasner from Crystal Palace also has ambitions; he's doing fantastic work and still hasn't signed a new contract. There are several options, but I don't think this question is on the table right now."

Where do you personally see a way out of the crisis for Liverpool?

"It sounds paradoxical when someone breaks the transfer record in England, but it shows that not all questions were answered over the summer. Liverpool definitely needs to strengthen its defense. I then smile a little when I see speculation that they are interested in Antoine Semenyo from Bournemouth, another attacking player. Of course, these are just speculations for now."

Arsenal is writing a completely different story this season. Do you believe they will end their 22-year wait for the title?

"The answer is probably simple. When, if not now?"

Over those two decades, they've been close to the title multiple times but never finished the job. Why should this year be different?

"The absolute quality and depth of the squad – that's the decisive factor. Every key position at Arsenal is at least doubled. Liverpool spent the most money on transfers, but Arsenal spent the most net, because Liverpool also sold a lot."

"When Martin Odegaard got injured, their right side completely stopped functioning. Today, we see what an alternative Eberechi Eze is. He has that X-factor. He's an atypical English footballer, more reminiscent of a Brazilian."

"So, squad depth, resilience, immense defensive quality, strength from set pieces, and it's shown that Arsenal doesn't lack creativity either. They hold all the trump cards."

Which teams will be contending for the title?

"Currently, it looks like Arsenal, and I wouldn't write off Manchester City. By Christmas, I think it will become clear whether Chelsea, who are currently the third favorites according to the Opta supercomputer, will still be in the mix, or if it will just be between Arsenal and City. Although I dare to predict that this season will primarily be about whether Arsenal can handle it or not."

And in your opinion, will they handle it?

"I think so. They hold all the championship cards and can only lose them themselves."

The consortium led by Todd Boehly took over Chelsea in May 2022. Since then, only two players have remained at the club, and there's been huge turnover. However, it's working business-wise and increasingly sportingly. How do you evaluate Chelsea's philosophy?

"It's a very interesting philosophy. At first, many of us were scratching our heads and joking that Chelsea's players wouldn't even fit in one locker room. However, it's gradually settling down."

"My only question mark with Chelsea is whether this (fighting for the Champions League) is the maximum they can achieve with this operating structure, and whether it might hinder their title aspirations in the future. Chelsea definitely needs to resolve their goalkeeping situation and needs at least two seasons without such extensive changes to the starting lineup."

Manchester City has had several stumbles this season, but after a significant slump last season, we can say they're back. How did they recover from their deep crisis?

"They definitely changed their playing style. It's no longer about relentless ball possession and searching for the final pass after settling into the opponent's half. They play much more directly, and they have interesting player types for it, like Tijjani Reijnders or Rayan Cherki, who reminds me of Kevin De Bruyne in various aspects."

"Manager Pep Guardiola is, to some extent, abandoning his principles of ball possession. That's his greatness, that he can still keep pace with modern football. Six months ago, he himself said that his positional play no longer set trends."

It seems whenever Manchester United takes a step forward, a step back inevitably follows. They've been treading water for several seasons now. How do you see this proud club progressing?

"I have no idea… Honestly, Manchester United has been a vicious cycle for me for several years. Manager Ruben Amorim commented on it very aptly after the last match against Everton (0-1). At the end of last season, he apologized for the previous year, and now he's afraid he's starting to feel the same way as last season. And that says a lot."

Amorim arrived over a year ago. Can you definitively say today that he is the right manager for United?

"I'm not a sporting director who has to make these judgments. Personally, he fits in very well. Sometimes I lose understanding for his systemic stubbornness. But even in the match against Everton, the system played absolutely no role. If such performances were to repeat, especially that first half, we could talk about the team seemingly trying to throw Amorim overboard."

"So many managers have been replaced at United, and the team still hasn't significantly progressed sportingly. So, I don't think the fault lies solely with the manager. Even in the current squad, we find several players who, after joining the club, seem to have completely forgotten their qualities."

"There were more problems at Manchester United. In the club's structures, in the setup of the sporting side… Some things have been reset, but even Arsenal under Arteta didn't get into a title fight in two years. The question is whether Amorim will get that much time."

Players perform worse after joining United, but thrive after leaving (McTominay, Antony, Hojlund). What causes this?

"Excessive pressure and the overall environment. Amorim's goal was to change that culture, but he hasn't succeeded yet. That's his main task now. It shows that working with psychology and player mindset is perhaps just as important, if not more important, than any systemic parameters. Because if a match lacks tempo, movement, and commitment, any tactical system is irrelevant."

If Manchester United were to sack Amorim, would his potential successors be the same as for Liverpool – Iraola and Glasner?

"Within the Premier League, probably yes, but I can't imagine Amorim being sacked. That would require a disaster at the end of the season similar to last year."

"Moreover, it shouldn't be forgotten that the club's new sporting management already dismissed Erik ten Hag after signing a new contract with him just a few months prior. The management would be shooting themselves in the foot a second time, and I can't imagine such a scenario right now."

Even from what you're saying, manager Iraola can pick and choose and wait for the right offer. Is the managerial hot seat at Old Trafford still an attractive prospect?

"I think so. That club is still among the biggest in England, if not the biggest. It has a huge global fanbase; it's a historic brand. Iraola, for example, likes similar projects; he wants to elevate clubs to unexpected positions."

Even despite the deep structural problems that have plagued United for a long time?

"Absolutely. That challenge is precisely what attracts managers."

What chance do you give Burnley, with Martin Dúbravka in goal, of avoiding relegation this season?

"Purely empathetically, I would be very happy if they survived. Unfortunately, from my point of view, the quality of the squad is not at Premier League level, and I don't think it will be realistic. Wolverhampton is also struggling immensely, and statistically, it's essentially not working out anymore. I don't think Leeds will survive either."

"I expected the trend of newly promoted teams struggling in the last two seasons to continue. However, what manager Régis Le Bris is doing with Sunderland, how Granit Xhaka is helping him, the signings he's brought in… The name Robin Roefs probably meant nothing to anyone before the season, but today he's statistically among the best goalkeepers in the Premier League. Sunderland this season is a small miracle."

Besides English football, you also comment on Slovak national team matches. Did David Strelec make a mistake by moving from Slovan Bratislava to second-tier Middlesbrough? He's scored only one goal in 10 games so far, gradually lost playing time, and is currently injured…

"Only time will tell; it's too early to judge. David has a new manager at Middlesbrough, which could be a fresh start for him. It could also be risky, as the previous manager Rob Edwards was clearly interested in him. David has the quality to succeed in the Championship."

The question is whether he has the right profile to succeed in the physically demanding and combative Championship…

"The Championship is physically demanding, but it's also about the style of football. Remember how Wolverhampton progressed under Nuno Espírito Santo when they already had a Portuguese contingent there. Mostly, the teams that get promoted play an atypical style of football for Championship standards. It's still a tough and demanding league, but there are also technically skilled and football-savvy teams."

Among Slovaks, only goalkeeper Dúbravka has been a long-term fixture in the Premier League; the last outfield player was Juraj Kucka in the 2021/22 season. Which Slovak footballers have the potential to appear there in the near future?

"I firmly believe that players currently in the Championship have what it takes to make the step up within 1-2 years. Especially Tomáš Rigo. I'm also curious about the younger generation of players. After a certain age, it's not easy to get into the Premier League. The average age of players who arrived from abroad last winter was under 21!"

"I don't follow the Slovak U21 national team and younger categories as closely, so I don't want to speculate wildly. But I think Tomáš Rigo has that potential. Adam Obert shows interesting moves and also has a strong left foot, which could make him interesting over time. The question is whether Italian football suits him a bit more than English."

"I'm curious to see how Leo Sauer's development continues. He needs consistent performances and to be more productive in the final third. If he works on these two factors, he will definitely be an even more interesting prospect."