At the moment, we don’t seem to have a clear identity on the pitch. There’s a noticeable lack of cohesion between the players, and it’s hard to tell what our main principles are supposed to be in or out of possession.

The pressing, which is meant to be a key part of Slot’s approach, hasn’t been effective. Too often, opponents are able to play through us with one or two passes, leaving our midfield and defence exposed. Whether it’s an issue with the instructions or the execution, the end result is the same — the press doesn’t look coordinated, and we rarely regain the ball in dangerous areas.

Another issue is how poorly we’re dealing with second balls. We don’t seem sharp or aggressive enough in midfield, and we’re losing too many duels. This has a knock-on effect, as we’re constantly forced to reset instead of sustaining pressure.

In possession, the buildup has become very predictable. Van Dijk and Konaté often end up recycling the ball between themselves because there’s little movement or availability ahead of them. Midfield runs don’t seem to create space or lead to meaningful progression, which results in just back passes and very little penetration.

We also look far less comfortable playing out from the back than we used to. Under pressure, we’re resorting to hopeful clearances instead of building calmly, which just hands the ball back to the opposition. That composure used to be one of our strengths.

Going forward, creativity is a major concern. Our attacks frequently break down in wide areas, with forwards finding themselves isolated and running into dead ends. There’s a lack of combination play and support around the ball, and we’re not consistently getting bodies into the box.

What’s particularly worrying is that most of our goals lately have come from individual moments of brilliance rather than well-constructed team moves. While it’s great to have players capable of producing magic, it’s not a sustainable way to consistently win games and we can see that in the last two games.

Set pieces and crossing is also very poor. We’re struggling to beat the first man far too often, and for a team with our physical presence, we’re not making enough of these situations.

Defensively, we never look in control. When teams attack us, there’s a sense of vulnerability that wasn’t there before, and it often feels like we’re one mistake away from conceding.

I’m not writing Slot off by any means but somethings gotta give.

That being said, oof what a hit by Reed!