Liverpool have a rare blank midweek schedule as they prepare to face Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League.
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It is a luxury that Arne Slot has barely been afforded this season.
Not that Liverpool will be complaining too much. If the Reds experienced it more often, they would not be competing at Europe’s top table.
Qualifying for the Champions League means that there are few blank days in the diary. As a consequence, there is little time to work on things thoroughly at the training ground. Routines often revolve around playing a game, recovery, and swiftly preparing for the next match. There is some tactical work done, of course, but not as much as Slot or any of his counterparts in a similar position would like.
However, Liverpool have seven days between their 2-0 victory over Brighton and the trip to Tottenham Hotspur. Excluding international breaks, you have to go back to August since Slot did not have a midweek match in his schedule.
Given that the Reds have scarcely had a straightforward campaign, with their Premier League title defence already over before Christmas, there is much to improve on. A free week at the AXA Training Centre means that Slot, in theory, could look to put the time to good use out on the grass. However, the Liverpool boss has already admitted that it is unlikely to be the case.
Several of his key players are in need of respite. Players such as Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate and Dominik Szoboszlai who have barely missed a minute need some time to recuperate. So rather than his troops being out every day in training, Slot has suggested that his staff’s medical staff are likely to recommend rest.
Speaking before the Brighton game, Slot said: “That's normally definitely beneficial because training time helps to get connection going, although playing time helps with this as well. It's also safe to say that some of these players have played so, so, so many minutes that I don't think my performance staff will tell me, 'OK, let's go out in the upcoming two weeks and train twice a day.'
“I don't think that's what they're going to advise me. So yes, there will be more playing time, so there's more time to prepare for a game, because that is also the difference between us and Brighton; I think they've had five or six days to come up with a game plan, train this, optimise their game plan, and it's the first time after the Inter game we have a session today. If you play in Europe, it's the last thing you should complain about because this is what we want, but it is the reality for us in the last months indeed.”
Indeed, it seems it will be a balancing act between those who may train every day and others given more time off. Still, Slot will likely appreciate not having to stage as much media work as usual and put the additional hours to good use.