David Lynch: Arne Slot to Blame for Liverpool’s Fatigue and Squad Mismanagement
As Liverpool’s season continues to unravel, with just 21 points from their last 18 Premier League games, manager Arne Slot has increasingly pointed to tiredness and injuries to explain poor performances. But speaking on Media Matters for Anfield Index, David Lynch made it clear: Slot’s excuses aren’t holding up — and worse, he may be the root of the problem.
Slot raised fatigue and fixture congestion in his post-Bournemouth comments, while Virgil van Dijk also referenced injuries. But Lynch was having none of it. “Freshness can be a legitimate excuse, but you have to prepare for that,” he said. “Bournemouth had more rest. That’s not a surprise — that hits you when the game starts.”
Squad Management Failures
Lynch didn’t stop at questioning Slot’s excuses — he laid bare the manager’s failure to manage the squad with foresight. “You’ve got to use more of your squad. You can’t go through a season using 14 or 15 players,” he stated. “This is the job. Whether you like it or not, you’re going to have to start your backup six in a Premier League game.”
One of the clearest examples Lynch pointed to was in Marseille, where Robertson sat on the bench throughout while young full-back Luke Chambers was pushed to breaking point: “Kerkez had to get pulled at half-time in the next game due to being in the red zone. Madness. Why didn’t Robertson get 20 minutes in Marseille?”
That decision led to what Lynch called a “mad way to approach that,” criticising the logic of starting a young defender only to sub him at half-time. “If you’re going to do that, don’t start him. Start Robertson.”
Liverpool Were Always Going to Be Tired
For Lynch, Slot’s post-match rationale ignored the predictable demands of managing Liverpool. “You know Bournemouth are physically intense. It might be why they’ve got so many injuries. But you know what’s coming.”
The real frustration lies in Slot’s inability to rotate when necessary — even when the signs of fatigue were clear. “He barely uses a sub in Marseille until very late. That’s fully expected at this point,” Lynch said, suggesting it’s become a trend.
Even when players are visibly struggling, the manager hesitates to change. “Curtis Jones came on in Marseille with 10 to go. Endo played 80 minutes despite being exhausted. It just doesn’t make sense.”
Photo: IMAGO
Excuses Masking Deeper Issues
Lynch believes Slot’s tiredness narrative is a cover for systemic failings. “This defence is having to do more than it did last season. The whole setup’s making everyone look terrible,” he explained, highlighting that the team’s structure — not just fitness — is the core issue.
While many have blamed the board for failing to reinforce the squad, Lynch turned the lens back onto the touchline: “Slot wasn’t given a brilliant squad, but he’s not using what he has well. This isn’t just on the injuries — it’s on how the squad’s being managed.”
With Liverpool now sixth and looking increasingly unlikely to make the top four, David Lynch’s message was clear: the excuses are tired — and so are the players, largely because of how Slot is managing them.
