Arne Slot has shown his true self to Liverpool supporters and has quickly won them over It may not have been the most original of puns, but the message was unequivocal. And it underlined how Arne Slot has managed to address one potential pitfall far quicker than anybody would have anticipated. A flag in the Kop waved proudly before the Champions League victory over Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday evening emblazoned with the smiling face of the Dutchman along with a message saluting "Arne's Slot Machine".
That Slot has made a record start in his position as Liverpool head coach - not even Jose Mourinho at Chelsea in 2004/04 or Pep Guardiola at Manchester City in 2015/16 could better his total of 14 wins from 16 games in all competitions - has obviously gone a long way to winning over supporters. But where Reds fans have truly been impressed is the manner in which the new man has taken to the front-facing side of the job - dealing with the media and, by association, communicating with the fanbase. From the very beginning, Slot has, as is so often the Dutch way, had no issue saying things as he sees them.
Certainly, there appears no edge, no hidden agenda to the Liverpool boss. In recent weeks, though, there have been signs he is becoming more comfortable with his surrounds, no doubt helped by the ongoing success on the field but also being more relaxed in front of what are more familiar faces in the media. Everyone is starting to see the real Arne Slot.
Witness his knockabout conve.