Liverpool have the luxury of six forward options who have combined for 24 goal contributions to date, and Arne Slot senses they all understand that they cannot play every game.
Slot inherited quite the contingent of forwards and, in summer signing Federico Chiesa, he added another quality player who can make an impact on the scoreboard.
So far, the six options in attack have combined for 15 goals and nine assists across all competitions – with Mohamed Salah leading the way with four apiece.
The Egyptian, alongside Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz has been the preferred attack to date, and yet Cody Gakpo, Darwin Nunez and Chiesa have all contributed when selected.
With his forward line purring, the head coach was asked about how the entire group stays sharp when minutes are not guaranteed, and he spoke of how they “understand they can’t play every game.”
“That’s the positive thing about playing so many games, that these players will always play a lot of games,” Slot told reporters.
“I think they understand they can’t play every game unless it is absolutely necessary. [It] keeps them fit and sharp and to keep them ready to perform like they do.
“As long as they accept the situation as it is – and that’s what they’re doing at the moment because they have good numbers and I see them smile a lot – then it’s a very positive thing for us.
“It’s also one [part] of my job, I have to keep them alert and happy in the position they are in.”
As the Dutchman noted, Liverpool are not short on games to hand to their players, and he is clearly of the mind that the decisions he needs to make is a nod what he inherited.
“For me, it says two things. One, these players have a lot of quality and second of all, it says the team is always creating chances for the players that we are selecting for that game,” Slot added on his forward line.
“If we play Cody or Lucho, the team is just creating chances for these individuals and because they have so much quality, they can assist our goals.”
After seven games, all six forwards have started at least one game and have at least one goal or assist.
