Arne Slot's changes 'working brilliantly well' at Liverpool | The 2 Robbies Podcast | NBC Sports

we'll start old traffic because it was a big game biggest game of the weekend Manchester United playing Liverpool whatever form whatever position you're in the league that game is important does matter and does give us a feel remember this time last year Manchester United won this game Eric tenh har against the Eugen klopp uh Liverpool uh wasn't as fortunate wasn't for me particularly in the races on this occasion and a pretty I would say routine 3-0 win for Liverpool that means three wins in three games no goals conceded um and it's seven goals scored Now isn't it um and a pretty decent start remember our first podcast BL when we weren't talking about Arna slot and I said on the slot what you got looks like you got a bit to be honest looks like you've got a little bit Yeah I think the um what we're seeing from I mean it's the same kind of player as you look at the lineup today he's made some big calls Rob and and I think like three big calls that that's that's working out great so far first big call is joogo jot up front instead of DW Nunes now a lot of people I think us included think that jot is the best finisher at the club and that he should be in the starting lineup what he's done that he's been playing up front been doing great um the changeing Midfield as well Ryan Grabber Rob was selected instead of endo and the third part of it is the Midfield makeup and and change and that's working out great as well in terms of just tweaking the balance of the team the blend of the team the way that it attacks the way that it defends the way where it is when if you like I guess in transition when nobody's got the ball or it's just it's just changing hands they seem to be in a lovely safe safe place we've talked about this before Rob and I thought this was a a stunning example of of a a a philosophy of a changing kind of approach that's working brilliantly well from a manager that's really calm um The Players seem to be enjoying playing for him Rob and this was a god textbook kind of um control professional thorough Victory you know we'll get to United Rob but what did you take from the Liverpool performance I mean um so so it's really interesting you're going down that road because I wrote a couple of my notes Here my first note was the game was won by this the structure of Liverpool tactical structure of Liverpool's Midfield and the attacking threat that they have at the top of the pitch those two elements were too much for Manchester United my other line I've got Rob which I I want to to get your thinking around is it's almost as though this guy has given this very high caliber International class players an instruction manual almost like they become more positionally aware than maybe you know that individual will get to spot like you do your thing it looks like there's there's like an instruction manual that says do a b c and d when we have the ball and if you're in these X Y and Z places you're going to hurt the opposition and you see it with that Midfield rob it it's cleverly splick into you know two out of possession side by side you know meler being given a little bit more license Zas is positioning that hole where he can get half turn Trent coming in from the other side there's things Rob that are like he's in it's like an instruction follow the manual you've got ABC and D to do ABC and D for Liverpool is looking like it might times be not quite as exciting and exhilarating I tell you what Rob it could be just as as successful I know we're only see many games in I'm certainly not going to get carried away yeah but those are the things I'm seeing that are telling me that this guy is a smart operator who after three games you can see the tweaks he's made to a very strong team that had its personality that had a certain way of playing and the manager has very quickly been able to that let me come back at that Rob because I really like the analogy so instruction man man manual positioning instead of high energy that's the difference it's not it's the secret Source it seen before was that high energy from Liverpool in Midfield and with raldon before that and Henderson that high energy protection this is protection through positioning so really like that when you say there might not be as uh Dynamic going forward um yeah you that's absolutely the right kind of analogy given how a little bit safeer they are on Midfield but Rob given the players that they've got my goodness it's hard for cah and jotter and leis Diaz who's on fire right now not to be high energy and quality so even though they might get a little less they didn't today because man united played into their hands but there might be games where they're a little less they're a little more starved of the ball um and don't get involved let me I got to say one thing Rob because you know I kind of geek out a little bit at the Tactical side of things right yeah there was a we ran an interview with arest lot afterwards with our colleagues at Sky pits side yeah and you know I um you know I'm fascinated with how this Liverpool um works right now when you look at Liverpool it's very easy to think right that it's grenberg alongside McAllister with sasl in the hole right what what I what I saw in the last game was yeah that's that's without the ball but when they have the ball mallister goes forward now Anna slot Rob afterwards said we switched it today yeah Dominic subas went from right to left yeah so on the left side so he he's on the left side so yeah I don't want to get too technical but like so so mallister was holding and graur was on the right side in possession if you think about two number eights going forward and one holding that's normally grenberg so on the right mall on the left go forward when they can today it was no no grenberg you're going forward and Zas is going to be on the left side and mallister in the center maybe it's over technical this and for the most part by the way and I did a breakdown Robert halime of of mostly it was it was uh Graber and mallister that did stay behind the ball and it led the front four players in fact that's the way they do it anyway the front four go and press and the middle two well if you get past those four we're kind of here and it worked out brilliantly so you know that that this whole also mentioned Rob which was I thought an interesting point because I think the guy the guys from sky was sort of saying like you know it doesn't seem like you as high press and he almost said if we're that right position and we're in the right places we are ready to be like we did today in Midfield probably the Prest where they won the ball to or three occasions and help them set up so it also is a bit of mixes like he's not he's not making them Passive by any way he's not he's sitting off too much I think that once the structures there he does still want them to go and win the ball Yeah well yeah yeah he does I mean there's two parts to it when when when man united were building up the front four went to press and they played into Midfield and grenberg um picked up a lot of balls in there and and on the front foot and also when they attacked they still they still have a little insurance instead of mallister and Graber going forward they did hold a little bit um and and and Manchester United played right into the r Ro before we get onto man united just in terms of Liverpool Rob who stood out for you in this impressive I'm gon I'm gonna jump in early my friend two foot to my underappreciated perform of the week is Ryan graen my friend in position who rob um we G and we a little bit probably a bit like G gatp we know he's a talented footballer we've seen the history of where he's been and clubs they've been at but we haven't quite seen the command of English football yet I think Rob new manager new set of eyes and new confidence has found a guy who might say this this team100 million if that's what you're paying for cedo Olivia yeah who's 22 years of age athletic who can play who still at times um probably needs to be a little aware of that speed and and and things in Midfield but he his his athleticism his ability on the ball his technical quality um you know we always said with Endo does he get across the pitch you know when you've got you know teams that can switch play and have got quick attackers grber can I just feel Rob he could be a really really important player for for on the slot and a bit like the manager he'll do it in a very understated way he won't get the headlines he won't be a star man and man in the match every week but he could be a really key component to this team being successful I mean I just add to that and I love the Shout by the way love the shout um um reading the game reading the game how many times in the game against in this game did he just kind of read the ball going in there runs forward yeah interceptions he he he he was very and then he bursts forward on one I think it was the the um the ls Diaz yeah when when he went in and he was very patient with his ball to the side where Salah makes a beautiful little floated ball with his right foot for Lis Diaz's first goal um so yeah I love that shout Robert appreciated player to watch I mean you're right that that was a big move from the manager and it looks like it's going to pay out another couple couple of players like we got to mention L Diaz Rob I think he got the the match the man of the match on the day you get a couple of goals you're probably going to get that I I would have tempted to give it to uh gra Bur and also subers this is a different it's not awfully different it's just subtly different for subas that he's playing a lot higher up um in that initial press and and he's got great energy we saw that right from day one with this guy so wow I mean the M man you can't we can't go without the M man wow I mean goals assists contract up looking fit as a fiddle looking focused looking um and almost Rob I'm quite pleased he's like I'm just getting on with this season I'm not worrying about next year and what happens what happens and you know he's he he wants records Rob he he's got a bit of the he's got a little bit of the ronaldos about him he wants to keep scoring and keep doing and he's he looks fit as a fiddle mate he looks committed to it I'm not sure he's rushing away to to Saudi right now I think Saudi can come when he's 36 37 I've got an update for you my friend got an update for you so you know what we of course our our our um backup team is is second to none by the way and they're they're always got the antenna up with what's going on interviews and stuff anyway they heard the Mosteller interview pitchside with our colleagues at Sky and he said the club haven't spoke to me about a new contract and he said that twice now we jumped on it a little bit and Rebecca's like oh that could be headlines like so I'm gonna throw it back to you Rob are you because I'm surprised at that are you surprised that the club haven't said to mosala Mo your contract's up like how about another year I I that's what I thought would have happened they're just gonna they're going to let it go I I I think we we can get to Christmas I think it's a bit like the Ronaldo one we don't want to do something um I I believe like the the the the thinking is if we give him a four-year contract it's what it's not what he's been doing for the last four years because we know that's brilliant it's what's going to be the next for you yeah extension Rob just I mean surely they would have asked a question summer of course but I just think new manager coming in no rush you know same with Van djk same with Trent by the way who who were just as important in their own way but listen the guy up top is special is is is probably going to go down as one of the the greatest ever Liverpool players a club that's had some magnificent magnificent players um I'm kind of okay with it and I kind of like that Mo feels like I think he's pushing it a little bit I think he wants to get it out there and that's not a bad thing from his point of view but I'm okay with the club I'm okay with Anor slot saying I'll take a look at him for six months I'm kind of okay with it are you okay with Manchester United Robbie or um I remember I think was our last pod was it not that you were sort of you you initially went I think I'm done with 10 you took it back and and and and I'm going to go back to that conversation mate that today we saw most of the things that we know about Eric tenh and Manchester United Rob I was I was watching the game and you know every now and then you right know it was about 25 minutes on the clock Manchester United were from a structured 442 shape and you know however it's slightly you know 424 at times and whatever and they were going in the shape and somebody closed Rob and somebody came back and somebody went somebody they did that for about five or six minutes they never touched the ball they never got neor ball I saw gono on one side running from fullback to Midfield player to wide play he was just running like in a in a triangle down that side of the pitch not touching the ball you know wanting to do what was right wanting to do what was structured so in some ways you think okay is that what United are now not in possession but trying to be well eventually Rob they they they got tired they got pulled apart and anytime they won the ball Liverpool almost took it off and it wasn't many times man united got the ball and were threatening you had time the ball from rashford theer shot the mazra shot which is never really going to beat K but I never saw any a lot Rob that made me go okay that's what they doing they're going to work hard they're going to break like Liverpool then they're going to do their thing and it just made me think um ten hog needs the 12 or 15 games he needs the games yeah to to to create argument cuz what we saw today Liverpool were comfortable mate absolutely comfortable yeah I mean I I said afterwards Rob that um if the club the new the new ownership um yeah you know are going to stick with Eric tonog um the signings has been coming in look really good they look better than what's been before and you can kind of see that it's it's this this team is going to evolve and you know we saw first starts for Zer for Del gach a first start this season on the right hand side instead of am and there's moreat manat the new Midfield tenacious little Midfield player is to come in the side you got Rasmus so even though it was similar and not acceptable um we'll get on to Casmir in in a second but yeah I guess a lot of the fans I spoke to Rob around the time because I'm like I was like wow they're gonna continue with Eric tag I know they won the FA Cup but people seem the club and have seemed okay with it and so is it now that the ownership and the club are going to say this is going to take time we've got different players we're trying to change things and this is a consequence of the changes and that we just got to be patient I think so because I think having given the guy the tools behind the scenes having bought the players in you've kind of got to let him see half the season I would say where we see where we are if if they are eighth ninth 10th Rob come that the tun of the year we might be having a serious conversation let's not forget Jim Ratcliffe is a Manchester United fan Jim Ratcliffe will not like losing to Liverpool Jim lliff will not like losing but he won't he's a fan he's grown up supporting the club he knows the Rivalry of the two teams he won't like the nature that Liverpool have come to Old Trafford and have easily beaten his team so ten hog ten hog needs games and he needs results and he needs performances that start to show encouragement I think we both said from the time there has to be progress mate yeah when you spent this money when you give him this time when you have this structure behind and the kind of people now that are in place you've got to start to see progress and let me just let me throw on quick you rob the last two games they've lost to Brighton and they've lost to Liverpool guess how many Premier League games those two managers have not many yeah not many five between them yeah two for three for slot yeah we' seen we seen things that in those teams we're not seeing from Eric ten Hog's tenure for know this is year three yeah when uh when you look at the games today Rob the the six teams this is Sunday the six teams that are playing all other managers you can absolutely see what they brought into their football club from glazar Crystal Palace and maresa at Chelsea and everybody else that played on this Sunday and ten Hog's still like not really sure now they did try and play out a lot more today Rob and and the player that got caught on the ball was uh casemiro and there's no question there's there's there's so much respect I'm sure we've both have for this guy what he's won with the amount of Champions League titles and what a player um older now he had a bit of a nightmare Rob is there any way back for casemiro given the the level of that being hooked at halftime yeah I think not and I think not more for him than I'm talking about Manchester United I think looks like his confidence SC L to a point where after the game he he he looked a bit shot the half um you know caught in possession Bal over out physical and it's a shame because we're watching a great European great sort of Decline and so I think from H for his point of view I mean Saudi Saudi window closes tomorrow be a phone tonight quickest medical you ever seen in Manchester and I just feel they they'll keep him you know hanging around and playing you know in the reserves he he's he's held with such regard and he's had such a great career but he look it's time robob isn't it it's caught up with him this league you can't listen we've all been there and the days when you start seeing this game going around and you just realize Wella it's gone beond me yeah frustrate for Man United I guess patience from the fan I feel I do feel for the man united fans um trying to see development and Improvement they got to be more patient Liverpool's superb hi there I'm Rebecca Lo Studio host of NBC's coverage of the Premier League don't forget to hit subscribe to watch more videos all season long and if you want even more Premier League content from original series to live matches head over to Peacock