Arne Slot is confident Andy Robertson can rediscover his best form as he explained the difficulties the Liverpool left-back has suffered this season.
While starting eight of nine Premier League games, Robertson has experienced a tough few months culminating in a testing afternoon up against Bukayo Saka in the 2-2 draw at Arsenal last weekend.
The 30-year-old was named captain for the 3-2 League Cup win at Brighton on Wednesday but will come under pressure from Kostas Tsimikas for the swift Premier League reunion with the Seagulls
Robertson missed much of pre-season having picked up an injury while representing Scotland at the European Championships
Slot believes that, along with having to then adjust to new tactics during the course of the season, is contributing to the player's inconsistent showings.
Slot:
"And then when you start to play, maybe he thinks a bit too much because there are not so many things different but in some situations we ask for a bit different positioning from a left full-back.
"For me he is a bit in that period of time where he is thinking ‘okay, I’m here now, should I be here or there?’. That’s something I’ve seen a lot from other players in the past.
“ The moment he stops thinking but is just acting on what we expect then he will be fine.
"That, combined with the fact that Robbo has always been a great player for this club especially because he went up and down, up and down all the time.
"Therefore he needs to have some time because he missed out on pre-season to come back to that up and down, up and down full-back all the time. I see him coming there more and more, that’s the good thing."
Asked if Robertson was affected by carrying an extra mental burden as Scotland captain, Slot added:
"Especially if you missed out on pre-season and have to go into a programme where you’ve missed the base tactically, when it comes to us, and maybe physically as well.
"For me it’s not that big of a surprise that he’s not playing all of the games for us because unfortunately he came back (from the Euros) with an injury.
”I think he was only on the pitch three or four days before he played the friendly in our stadium (against Las Palmas in August)."
Slot is expected to make a raft of changes having heavily rotated in midweek
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