Liverpool continues to push Alexander Isak, but despite their community painting error against Crystal Palace, Arne Slot wanted to say how happy he is with the shape of his attack, although his skipper calls more
Liverpool -captain Virgil van Dijk insisted that the Reds are still a forward short after their defeat of the Community Shield against Crystal Palace … but found disagreement of header Arne Slot.
The Premier League champions were defeated on penalties in the traditional seasonal area of the season at Wembley. New £ 79 million striker Hugo Ekitike impressed, scored after just four minutes on his competitive debut after his summer switch by Eintracht Frankfurt, while part of his link plays excellent with record -signing Florian Wirtz.
But the Reds were caught defensively by the men of Oliver Glasner – a somewhat reckless Van Dijk twice in error, once a fine and then charging and left space – while they went 2-2 at the end of the normal time before they were defeated.
This weekend Liverpool sold Darwin Nunez on Saudi side Hilal, after he had already sold Luis Diaz to Bayern Munich and had gone through the tragic loss of Diogo Jota, with all three their role in last season's title.
It is no secret that Alexander Isak is the best target for Anfield bosses, with the Newcastle United striker all the subject of an £ 110 million bid, rejected by the tone. Isak, currently banned from first team training on Tyneside and from the first team of Eddie Howe, is assessed at £ 150 million by the top of the Magpies.
And while Ekitike and Wirtz both looked the part, with Mo Salah and Cody Gakpo staying in situ and starting at Wembley, Van Dijk came away from Wembley, they insisted that they are still short, in a somewhat subtle transfer plea for club heads.
“Well, we just lost Darwin, he went to Saudi and we lost Lucho, of course he went to Bayern,” he told Talksport. “I think there is always room for an attacker to strengthen ourselves, so let's see what the window entails in terms of the team's balance.”
But after the game, Slot responded to Van Dijk's claims – and did not agree with his skipper.
The Dutchman said: “I think we have more than more than enough options to be good enough to win again.
“This is where I concentrate on myself. With the players we have we must win, to score. That is actually what we did. We scored twice and last season we scored only one against them, away and at home. We could only score one against them. So my last care is our attacking quality at the moment.”
At that time there was a somewhat pointed memory of Liverpool's head coach to his captain, something that looks like a 'stay in your job' from one Dutchman to another.
“It is more – it is not a concern – but if I look at the amount of goals we have admitted in the preseason, that is not our standard.”
Slot also played down the interruption that saw the silence of the pre-match minute as a tribute to Jota and his brother, Andre Silva, ended early by the match officer.
“I don't think this was planned, or that this was the idea of the fan who made some noise. Perhaps he was not aware of the fact that it was the minute of silence,” he said. “He was just still happy and tried to encourage his team. And I think the fans of Palace then tried to calm those person or people, so I don't think he had a bad intention, the man or people who made noise.
“They tried to calm him down, but that was also a bit noisy. And then our fans responded:” Hey, what happens here? ” So I don't think there is a bad intention, because the fans of Crystal Palace and everywhere all over the world have paid enormous respect to Diogo and Andre and this was I think I don't like the right words, but I don't think there was a bad intention in it.
“We will see on Friday, when Bournemouth comes to our stadium, how respectful that will happen.
“It's also five weeks ago, so that's why this fan was just so happy that they are in the community shield that he forgot in a second.”