Arne Slot confirmed that Jarell Quansah’s substitution before the second half was a tactical decision rather than due to any injury concerns.
The former Feyenoord manager highlighted Liverpool’s struggles in winning duels across the pitch, with Ibrahima Konaté’s aerial strength providing a significant boost in the second half.
Slot explained on TNT Sports, “The first thing I said was that there’s no point discussing tactics if we’re losing so many duels, which is what happened.
It wasn’t just Jarell [Quansah]; many of us lost too many duels. But I felt we needed Ibou Konaté to win those long balls in the air from their No.9.”
Konaté’s introduction helped Liverpool regain control, with the Dutch manager noting that Chelsea’s high-energy play in the first half couldn’t be sustained, which contributed to Liverpool’s improved performance in the second half.
Liverpool’s 2-0 victory over Chelsea briefly put them ahead of Manchester United at the top of the league table. Their next match is against Brentford at Anfield on Sunday, August 25.
Slot’s decision to substitute Quansah was vindicated by the improved performance. While Quansah didn’t have a poor first half, Slot’s change proved crucial, as Konaté won 4 out of 5 duels (including 75% of aerial duels), improving upon Quansah’s 50% duel win rate in the first half.
This move demonstrated Slot’s decisive management, which bodes well for Liverpool’s 2024/25 campaign.
