Liverpool’s next match sees them tackle Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Saturday lunchtime. And the Reds’ preparations ahead of the match will differ from how the squad used to get ready under Jurgen Klopp.
The club’s previous manager was vociferous in his dislike of the 12:30 kick off slot in which will play this weekend. If nothing else, ’s side were certainly well versed in playing at that time of day though. Once the Reds have played (and hopefully beaten) , they will have recorded 28 matches in the Saturday lunchtime slot since the summer of 2019, compared with 27 which began at 15:00.
It’s more than any other team in the , with their tally of 20 on the road one more than have had in total, home or away, in this period. It’s the price of being popular but the early start makes it even more vital to be properly prepared for battle.
According to , Slot and his team have introduced a process known as ‘body wake-up’. With kick off times usually changing from week to week it has not been possible to introduce a set routine, but the new program involves breathing exercises before both training and matches. The players have been encouraged to take ice baths after exercise too.
How popular those will be as winter draws in remains to be seen. But these are not the only changes which the Reds’ new head coach has implemented.
Under Klopp, the Liverpool squad would stay together in a hotel in town ahead of home games. That is no longer the case, with the players allowed to remain at their homes. reportedly believes they will rest better in familiar beds and surroundings.
Given the success he had with the club, only a fool would suggest that Klopp’s methods didn’t work. Equally, Slot has become the first Liverpool boss to win eight of his opening nine games, so he clearly knows what he is doing too.
There have also been other changes, with The Athletic reporting that training sessions are now longer than before, but less intense. The aim is to reduce injury risk, with fitness issues severely undermining several campaigns in recent years.
Slot then reviews the sessions to see in which ways they could have been better. He seems keen to leave no stone unturned, and with his record so far, who could blame him for continuing in that vein?
