Arne Slot Enggan Jamin Mohamed Salah Tampil Lawan Brentford

Manajer Liverpool Arne Slot menolak untuk memberikan jaminan apakah Mohamed Salah akan diturunkan dalam pertandingan terakhirnya di Stadion Anfield melawan Brentford pada hari Minggu.

Keputusan mengenai susunan pemain tersebut tetap dirahasiakan oleh sang manajer setelah penyerang asal Mesir itu melontarkan kritik di media sosial terkait runtuhnya gaya bermain klub. Laga pamungkas ini menjadi krusial karena Liverpool membutuhkan setidaknya satu poin demi mengamankan tiket kualifikasi Liga Champions.

Hubungan antara sang pemain berusia 33 tahun dan sang manajer dilaporkan sempat merenggang setelah Salah sempat dicoret dari skuad Liga Champions melawan Inter Milan awal musim ini.

"I never say anything about team selection," kata Slot saat ditanya mengenai keterlibatan Salah dalam laga melawan Brentford.

Pihak manajemen kini fokus mempersiapkan tim setelah sebelumnya menelan kekecewaan akibat kekalahan dari Aston Villa yang menunda kepastian tiket kompetisi Eropa tersebut.

"I don't think it is that important what I feel about it. What is important is that we qualify for the Champions League on Sunday and I prepare Mo and the whole team in the best possible way for the game," ujar Slot.

Pelatih asal Belanda itu mengakui bahwa performa tim sepanjang musim ini belum sepenuhnya memuaskan sehingga evaluasi taktik akan terus berjalan.

"I was very disappointed after our loss against Villa because a win would have given us qualification for the Champions League which we didn't get. Now there's one game to go which is a vital one for us as a club," tutur Slot.

Meskipun terjadi dinamika di internal tim, Slot menegaskan bahwa target utama jajaran pelatih dan pemain tetap selaras demi kejayaan klub ke depan.

"We both want what's best for the club, we both want the club to be successful, and that's the main aim," ucap Slot.

Perubahan gaya bermain menjadi fokus utama Slot untuk menghadapi musim kompetisi yang baru mendatang bersama para pendukung.

"I have to find a way to evolve this team now and definitely in the summer and in the upcoming season to be successful again, and to play a brand of football that I like. And if I like it then the fans will like it as well because I haven't liked a lot of the way we played this season," kata Slot.

Slot juga menambahkan bahwa evaluasi strategi permainan harus dilakukan agar tim tetap kompetitif di level tertinggi.

"But we try to evolve the team in a way that we can compete but definitely also play the brand of football, the style of football the fans, I, and hopefully Mo if he's somewhere else at that moment in time, will like as well," ujar Slot.

Terkait spekulasi bahwa kritik Salah meruntuhkan otoritasnya sebagai manajer, Slot membantah asumsi tersebut dan mengingatkan kesuksesan musim lalu.

"You are doing a lot of assumptions. First of all you say that he wants to play that style and then say it is not my style," tegas Slot.

Slot menyatakan bahwa dinamika taktik dalam sepak bola modern adalah hal yang lumrah untuk mengejar target trofi.

"I think Mo was really happy with the style we played last year as it led to us winning the league. Football has changed, football has evolved, but we both want what is best for Liverpool and that is for us to compete for trophies, which we haven't done this season and which we did last season," tutur Slot.

Gelar juara Premier League yang sempat diraih menjadi bukti kolaborasi erat antara pemain, tim, dan jajaran kepelatihan.

"He and the team – and I was included in that – brought the league title back after five years and we would like to challenge for that again next season and continue to evolve the team. That is my take on it," ucap Slot.

Mengenai reaksi para pemain lain yang menyukai unggahan kritik Salah di media sosial, Slot mengaku tidak terlalu ambil pusing.

"Social media came when I was a little bit older, so as people know I'm not really involved. I don't really know what it exactly means if you 'like' a post," kata Slot.

Slot menegaskan bahwa situasi di lapangan latihan tetap menunjukkan profesionalisme yang tinggi dari seluruh anggota skuad.

"What I know, and that is my world, is to see how they train and I have not seen anything different compared to the rest of the season," ujar Slot.

Kritik dari Salah yang meminta Liverpool kembali ke gaya menyerang yang agresif memicu berbagai tanggapan dari para mantan pemain.

"I have witnessed this club go from doubters to believers, and from believers to champions. It took hard work and I always did everything I could to help the club get there. Nothing makes me proud than that," tulis Salah dalam pernyataannya di media sosial.

Salah juga mengungkapkan kekecewaannya atas kemunduran performa tim yang kini tertahan di peringkat kelima klasemen.

"Us crumbling to yet another defeat this season was very painful and not what our fans deserve. I want to see Liverpool go back to being the heavy metal attacking team that opponents fear and back to being a team that wins trophies," tambah Salah.

Mantan penyerang Liverpool Michael Owen memberikan pandangannya kepada GOAL terkait dampak dari pernyataan tajam sang bintang Mesir tersebut.

"Both. Understandable? Yes. Do I agree with them? Yeah. But would I say it? No," komentar Owen.

Owen menilai bahwa meski pandangan Salah memiliki dasar kebenaran, penyampaian secara terbuka justru menimbulkan kegaduhan publik.

"That's the whole point. I don't think it was a wise thing for him to say, even though he's probably right. But listen, of course Liverpool fans want to see better footballers. Of course they want to see better results. And yeah, of course they don't want to be a team that win one and lose one," papar Owen.

Jarangnya Salah berbicara di depan media membuat setiap pernyataannya langsung menjadi sorotan besar di dunia sepak bola.

"There was nothing that he said that was wrong, it was just that he said it. That was the thing," lanjut Owen.

Owen mengibaratkan dampak pernyataan Salah seperti ledakan yang memicu perdebatan luas di lingkaran luar klub.

"I think the problem with Mo Salah is obviously he rarely speaks. But when he does speak, he's dropping hand grenades. If he spoke all the time, then it might not come as a massive shock. But whatever he's going to say, it's huge, huge news. And obviously if it's always disparaging, let's say towards the club or towards a manager or whatever, then it just goes nuclear in many ways," jelas Owen.

Owen menyimpulkan bahwa langkah yang diambil Salah kurang memberikan kontribusi positif bagi situasi internal tim saat ini.

"So yeah, I agree with everything he said, but I don't agree with him saying it because what help is it doing to anybody? It's just not," pungkas Owen.

Sementara itu, dilansir dari beinsports.com, tim asuhan Slot kini berada di peringkat kelima dengan selisih tiga poin di belakang Aston Villa. Kemenangan atas Brentford dan kekalahan Villa dari Manchester City dapat membuka peluang Liverpool menembus posisi keempat klasemen akhir.