Glen Johnson: ‘Liverpool look just as good as they did under Jürgen Klopp and Slot deserves credit’

Arne Slot’s perfect start to life as manager of Liverpool suffered a blow on Saturday with a 1-0 home defeat to Nottingham Forest. Despite the shock result, the club’s former right-back Glen Johnson is very impressed with what he’s seen and has claimed that this current team looks just as good as it did under Jürgen Klopp and believes Slot deserves credit for that. In an exclusive chat with Betfred, Johnson told us what he believes is next for Mo Salah, why Arne Slot  ‘couldn’t not like’ Trent Alexander-Arnold, why Jadon Sancho could turn out to be a “very cheap signing” for Chelsea and much more.

With seven points from their opening four games, what are your first impressions of Enzo Maresca at Chelsea? What do you make of his personality?

“Chelsea have shown glimpses of promise and it was important that they got the win against Bournemouth on Saturday night. There’s been some positives in their play and the biggest thing for me is that Enzo clearly isn’t messing around. If there’s a player that doesn’t look as if they’re not pulling in the right direction or playing the way he wants, then he’ll call them out on it. I guess you’ve got to respect him for that.

“Time will tell if he’s getting it right. At the moment it seems as if it’s good for the club but at the same time, you’ve got to have respect for the players as well. It’s okay coming in quite aggressive and on the front foot because it’s going to grab the player’s attention. As long as he’s doing it in a respectful way, then I do believe he’s the type of person that the club needs.”

Currently in Chelsea’s ‘bomb squad’, do you believe Ben Chilwell is being treated terribly by Enzo Maresca or are situations like this just part and parcel of football?

“It’s a bit of both. Ben’s more than good enough to be playing for Chelsea and I do believe it’s silly sometimes when a new manager comes into a club with a preconceived idea of their team before they’ve even worked with the players. It’s evident that the players in the ‘bomb squad’ didn’t even get a chance to impress Maresca, so in that sense, I don’t think it’s fair on Ben Chilwell.”

With reports claiming a dispute before Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital, do you believe it’s time for Boehly to leave Chelsea?

“One thing is for sure and that’s that he’s put a considerable amount of investment in, so there’s no shying away from that, but it is kind of unclear. There seems as if there’s a lot of uncertainty there, but they’re evidently building for the future because the majority of signings they’ve made have been young players. In one sense that could be great, but Chelsea need to get back competing as soon as possible, not in five years’ time. 

“If they’ve had a breakdown at the top, then that’s obviously not good incase it trickles down but right now, I don’t think we know exactly what’s happened at board level.”

Who do you believe was Chelsea’s best, and most exciting, signing this summer?

“I’ll say João Félix because not only is he a bloody good player, but he knows the club and he’s already performed in the Premier League, so that’s already a few boxes ticked. If he can get anywhere near back to his best, then he’ll be a great signing for Chelsea.”

Speaking of Félix, do you believe he will fulfil his huge potential at Stamford Bridge?

“He’s a world-class footballer, so as long as he has the desire to get back to his best and put in the hard work, I’m sure he’s still capable of being a top, top player. You don’t lose your ability overnight.”

What are your thoughts on your former club’s decision to sign Jadon Sancho and how impressed were you with his contribution in Chelsea's 1-0 victory over Bournemouth? 

“The only reservation I have about the signing is why did it go so wrong for him at Manchester United? That’s another big club. In terms of his ability, then there’s no doubt about how good he is, but ultimately that makes it even more puzzling as to why it didn’t work out for him at Manchester United. His ability isn’t being questioned, it’s just yet to be seen whether he can perform week in, week out for a big club. 

“If he can come off the bench and impact in the same way he did against Bournemouth, then he’ll be a bloody good signing. At Manchester United, maybe things didn’t gel and was unhappy. If good players are happy, then they can perform. Fingers crossed he gets it done at Chelsea.” 

As Chelsea have an obligation to buy Jadon if they finish in the top 14 of the Premier League this season, do you believe it was hard for your former club to not make this signing when they could ultimately end up paying between £20-£25 million for a player with such a great amount of potential?

“It’s exactly that. If Jadon’s going to be good enough to get Chelsea in the top four, then the deal will turn out to be cheap. Chelsea will spend a lot less than Manchester United did to sign him, so if he can get back to what we know he’s capable of, then it’s a very cheap deal.”

Where do you believe Chelsea will finish in the Premier League this season?

“Realistically, I’d say fifth or sixth. If they go on a decent run, then they could potentially nick fourth. I wouldn’t suggest they’re going to challenge for the Premier League title at all, but they’re still good enough to win most games and if they get the belief going and the manager gets them doing what they need to do, then they’re definitely good enough to win plenty of games.”

Do you believe Raheem Sterling and Arsenal are the perfect match? 

“He’ll definitely benefit from the move because Mikel Arteta has already come out and stated just how much he loves him and sometimes that’s what Raheem needs to hear. You don’t become a bad player overnight and I have no doubt that he can still perform. If the manager is openly speaking about how happy he is that you’ve joined, especially at a big club like Arsenal, then that’s only going to give Raz a lot of confidence. If he’s happy and gets plenty of gametime, then I’m sure he can bounce back.”

Was there a certain player in particular that you believe Chelsea missed out on signing this summer?

“The obvious one would be Victor Osimhen. He was the big name they wanted and didn’t get. They’ve signed loads of youngsters that may not be in the team straight away, despite spending a lot of money on them, and I think Osimhen is the big signing that they’ve missed out on.” 

Why do you believe Osimhen didn’t sign for Chelsea this summer?

“It’s a weird deal altogether because at one moment there were supposedly only two teams in the race to sign him and then the window’s shut and he’s moved on loan to a team that wasn’t even in the conversation to sign him. I don’t know if the player was asking for too much money or his club was asking for too much money, but it does strike me as a strange move considering the amount of chat there was around him going to Chelsea.”

After an impressive start to the season, do you believe we’re about to see the very best of Noni Madueke at Chelsea?

“I hope so. Hopefully the penny’s dropped with him now because he certainly has a lot of ability and when he’s at his best, he’s unplayable. Hopefully he can stick with this form, stay in the team and show how good a player he is on a more regular basis. Hopefully he can have a great season.” 

What are your first impressions of Arne Slot at Liverpool? Was there anything that alarmed you about Liverpool’s performance against Nottingham Forest on Saturday?

“Overall, I think he’s done great so far. He’s had a lot to deal with behind the scenes and yes, the result against Nottingham Forest was disappointing, and it’s a result that can’t happen if you’re going to win the Premier League, but overall I don’t believe too much has really changed. I think they look just as good as they did with Jürgen Klopp and Slot deserves credit for that. Hopefully the Forest game was just a one-off and they can bounce back.” 

Do you believe there’s any pressure on Slot to compete for the Premier League title this season?

“It’s his first season, but he has walked into a fantastic team. It’s going to be difficult for them to compete with Manchester City this season, but there’s already great players at the club and I know it’s difficult to get your philosophy across so early but they’ve already started well, so as long as they continue to do well, then of course they can compete. Unfortunately, when you go to a club like Liverpool, the pressure’s going to be there no matter what.”

Eberechi Eze is said to be on Liverpool’s radar if Mo Salah leaves the club in the summer. Do you believe Eze would definitely solidify himself in your former club’s starting eleven if that move comes to fruition?

“Definitely. He’s been unstoppable in certain games and as long as he can do that more regularly, then he’d definitely get into Liverpool’s team if that signing was to happen. He’s one of those players that can be a nightmare to play against, so it all depends on whether he can do it every week because he doesn’t at the moment. If they can get him firing weekly, then I believe it would be a great signing.”

Are you surprised Eze’s still a Crystal Palace player?

“Yes I am, but even the club came out and said that they were surprised that there was limited interest in him. He’s the type of player that’s going to catch the eye of most of the top clubs so yes, I’m surprised there weren't more offers on the table to be honest.”

With Mo Salah, Virgil van Dijk, and Trent Alexander-Arnold all out of contract this summer, who do you believe will remain at Anfield next season, and who won’t, out of that trio?

“I believe Mo will leave and the other two will stay. Each of them are going to have an endless list of clubs that will want to sign them if they’re available as a free agent and if Liverpool know that any of them aren’t going to sign a new contract, then I believe they’ve been foolish to not cash in. You can’t have players of their calibre walking out on a free.”

What do you believe could be next for Mo Salah if he leaves Liverpool?

“It depends because Mo still has an awful lot to give. He doesn’t play as if he’s 32 years old, so you assume as long as he feels right, that he can continue to play at this level for a couple more years, so you hope a move to Saudi Arabia isn’t of interest to him right now. If he’s available on a free at the end of the season, then there’ll be a list of exciting clubs all waiting to sign him.”

Do you expect Federico Chiesa to become a prominent figure in Liverpool’s team this season or do you believe he’s going to struggle for gametime?

“He’s come to the club with a slight injury, so I think they’re protecting him a little bit at the moment. Once he gets over this injury and is match-fit, then I believe he will help this team big time. He’s a player that works his socks off, charges around and a lot of the lads at Liverpool do that already, so he’ll fit in just fine.”

Do you believe Chiesa could even be Mo Salah’s long-term successor at Liverpool?

“Yes. You don’t want Mo to leave, but with Chiesa there already and If Eberechi Eze was also to come in next summer, then they’d both be very good options if Mo departs.”

A report in Spain has claimed that Arne Slot is “obsessed” with Real Madrid duo Aurélien Tchouaméni and Brahim Díaz. Would you want to see either of those players move to Anfield in the near future?

“Definitely Tchouaméni, yes. He’s been world-class, even on the international scene too. He’s the type of player that Liverpool needs because he’s used to reaching big finals, going deep into international tournaments and is the right type of character that the club needs. I’d love to see him move to Liverpool, for sure.” 

With his gametime set to be limited again this season, do you believe Liverpool should have allowed Caoimhin Kelleher to leave the club this summer?

“It’s a tough one because the club wants to have the best number two possible, but no goalkeeper wants to be number two. It’s harsh because he is too good to be a number two and he’s not playing as often as he’d want to. It’s not as if he's a defender, midfielder or forward that comes off the bench and impacts the game. He will only play if Alisson gets injured or if it’s a domestic cup game. I wouldn’t be happy if I was just sitting there watching every week.”

In a recent episode of The Stick to Football podcast, Manchester United legend Paul Scholes said the following regarding the relationship between Arne Slot and Trent Alexander-Arnold: "Every time when he was trying his long balls, which he can do brilliantly, he kept shaking his head and turning around and I thought f***ing hell, I'm not sure he likes him.” Do you believe there’s anything evident to suggest that Slot isn’t greatly in favour of Trent?

“I’ve not seen anything to suggest that Slot doesn’t like Trent as a player. It’s hard to not like him as a player, but every manager’s got a different way of playing. If you take Trent’s long-passing ability away from him, then he’s not going to be the same player. He can do things that not many other players can, so I don’t see how a manager couldn’t like that.”

Which Premier League signing impressed you most during the summer transfer window?

“It’s yet to be proven, but I do like Liverpool’s signing of Federico Chiesa. Once he gets fit, I think he’s the type of player that they’re going to need. As long as he can handle the Premier League, which I have no doubts he can, then I think he will prove to be a very good signing for Liverpool.”