On the eve of Liverpool's friendly against Arsenal, the team's rising star midfielder Elliott spoke exclusively to The Athletic, sharing his thoughts on life on holiday, his expectations for the new season, his role under Coach Slaughter, and his thoughts on the team's young players.
Elliott revealed that he made a special trip to Ibiza during his vacation to watch his good friend Calvin Harris perform and enjoyed his time training with Morton. However, he opted to return to his Kirkby base a week early out of consideration for the tight pre-season schedule to better acclimatize to the pace of his new coach and team.
Speaking about his expectations under Coach Slaughter, Elliott said that now is the time for him to really work hard to achieve his goals. He is eager to solidify his place on the team and fight to get a chance to play every week. Elliott emphasized that while he will continue to maintain the team spirit, he will also be more focused on his own performance in certain situations as he knows that it is only through his own hard work that he will be able to gain a foothold in the competitive Liverpool team.
Elliott spoke highly of Slaughter's soccer style. He said the new coach's focus on ball control and elegant passing has led to a much different style of play than in the past. After three weeks of preseason training, Elliott has felt the joy of this change and looks forward to translating it into tangible results in the new season.
Elliott was full of praise when talking about the performance of his young teammate Njoni. He believes that Njoni has great talent and fearless courage, and will definitely achieve more in the future as long as he continues to work hard and trust his process. As one of the oldest brothers in the team, Elliott said he will try his best to provide help and support to the young players, so that they can feel the warmth and care from the club.
Elliott expressed understanding and acceptance of the reality of the team's current staffing issues. He noted that preseason training and games have been somewhat unusual as some players have yet to return to the team. However, this has not affected the team's cohesion and morale. On the contrary, the team is trying out new formations and tactical play to be fully prepared for the new season.
Looking ahead to the new season, Elliott is full of confidence and expectation. He believes that as long as the team works together and believes in the coach and tactical system, they will be able to achieve good results in the Champions League. At the same time, he also expects that he will be able to show a better state and level in the new season, and contribute more strength and wisdom to the team.
