Liverpool head coach Arne Slot wasn’t overly happy with his side’s performance against Bologna, despite their 2-0 victory at Anfield.
The Reds kept up their 100% record in the Champions League so far this season, easing to a relatively straightforward win on Wednesday evening.
Alexis Mac Allister opened the scoring with a close-range finish from Mohamed Salah, before the latter doubled Liverpool’s advantage with a superb strike.
Speaking to TNT Sports after the game, Slot praised aspects of the display, but made it clear that it was far from perfect:
“I don’t know if there were many things I was ‘delighted’ with, apart from both goals, because we scored two very good goals – especially the second one,” Slot said.
“It came from a moment when Diogo dropped. Because they played man-mark all over the pitch, if a striker drops and keeps the ball [you are through].
“Great ball from Virgil, great attack, great overlapping from Trent as well, so I was delighted with that goal.
“But it’s always difficult to play a team that takes that much risk and is constantly on top of you. Second half was better in pressing, I felt, than the first half. So overall good result, but I wouldn’t use the word ‘delighted’ myself today.”
Our thoughts on Liverpool’s performance against Bologna…
Liverpool didn’t hit top gear at Anfield on Wednesday, but it was still a solid night at the office against a team who have undoubted quality.
Under Slot, the Reds are not as gung-ho as they were under Klopp, with chaos making way for more control, so such occasions may not always be as entertaining as they once were.
There was still some good football on show, however, not least involving Salah, whose assist for Mac Allister was inch-perfect and whose finish was a trademark left-footed curler in front of the Kop.
The most exciting thing about Liverpool this season is that they have won eight out of nine matches with Slot in charge, yet feel as if they have plenty more gears to find still.
That can only bode well, but it would be nice to see the Reds look a little more convincing in all facets of their game for a full 90 minutes, starting at Crystal Palace on Saturday lunchtime.