Jay

There’s a strange idea that Slot should just ‘make it work’ regardless of the circumstances. It’s about a few key positions not fully matching what the system needs, which then affects how the whole team functions. In football, if 2–3 crucial profiles aren’t quite right, it has a knock-on effect everywhere else on the pitch. That’s why ‘just make it work’ isn’t that simple if you understand the game, systems rely on specific roles, spacing, and balance. On top of that, he’s also had to deal with unprecedented circumstances and a disrupted pre-season, with no one really knowing the full psychological impact that’s had on the players. Look at City last season. A well-established team with a world-class manager who’s ingrained his style over years, but take out a few key players through injury or age and they suddenly don’t look the same. Even Pep has to constantly recruit each window to maintain standards, and when replacements don’t immediately fit, levels drop. When key profiles aren’t functioning or aren’t there yet, performance dips even at the very top level. That’s not an excuse, it’s just how elite football works.

Bullet of the century dodged