Make no bones about it, Liverpool are in a full-blown disaster.
9 defeats in 12. Ten objectives conceded in three video games. One aim scored in three video games. £450million spent in the summertime, simply to be 13 factors and 11 locations worse off than this stage final season.
The fixtures are coming thick and quick, and so are the brand new depths plumbed, however no one appears capable of pinpoint precisely why the Reds are slumping so badly. The Arne Slot penitentiary has develop into their very own jail.
Our Merseyside soccer males LEWIS STEELE and DOMINIC KING attempt to put their fingers on a few of the main issues…
DEFENSIVE DISARRAY
The muse of Liverpool’s success underneath Slot was the clear sheet. The two-0 dismissals of Actual Madrid and Manchester Metropolis within the house of 5 days, shortly after a 4-0 lampooning off Bayer Leverkusen, illustrated the whole lot that they had been about.
However management has disappeared from Liverpool’s performances in 2025: they’ve performed 49 video games in all competitions since January 1 and conceded a staggering 66 objectives.
The ratio at which they’re delivery, nevertheless, is growing: 29 video games as much as Could 25 noticed 33 conceded. There have been 20 video games since August 10 and the shellacking from PSV Eindhoven took this marketing campaign as much as 33 objectives conceded.
Nothing appears proper in regards to the set-up. Slot’s persistence in taking part in both Curtis Jones or Dominik Szoboszlai at right-back when Conor Bradley or Jeremie Frimpong have been injured has unbalanced the group too usually.
We are going to by no means know what distinction Marc Guehi would have made however the ease at which opponents have been working by means of Liverpool tells you there might be extra struggling. There’s a larger opening by means of their centre than the Mersey Tunnel.
Liverpool’s defensive stability has given technique to fragility; they’ve conceded 33 this season
Their incapacity to signal Marc Guehi in the summertime has left them shorn of high quality and depth
NEW BOYS UNDERWHELMING
The side that was worrying after the switch window closed was how simply folks had been saying Arsenal had the perfect squad within the Premier League. Ought to which have been the case after Liverpool spent greater than £400million? No.
Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz face big challenges to vary the stance many have taken on them; those that watch the latter each day will inform you he has a magician’s deftness and wonderful capacity however it’s got to translate.
Full-backs Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong have been actually poor thus far and, once more, their issues are exacerbated by the group’s travails. They should assist Liverpool however they will even take heed to their very own must progress.
Giorgi Mamardashvili has the stature of a correct goalkeeper however, so far, hasn’t satisfied anybody that it was a good suggestion to let Caoimhin Kelleher have his want and transfer to Brentford.
Then there’s Hugo Ekitike, who began like a rocket however has misplaced his approach since a silly sending-off within the League Cup in opposition to Southampton. None of this inflow, as but, have grasped precisely what’s required when it comes to character to play for Liverpool.
Florian Wirtz’s rising pains in English soccer have hamstrung Arne Slot’s tactical plan
Alexander Isak shouldn’t be taking part in like someone who’s totally match regardless of it being almost December
CAN THE BOSS SURVIVE THIS?
The ambiance at Slot’s press convention on Thursday felt completely different, much less jovial and jokey than regular.
One Dutch reporter, who was right here to cowl Wednesday’s sport from the PSV Eindhoven angle, had cancelled her flight dwelling to attend this briefing as a substitute as Slot’s future is immediately the most important story within the Netherlands.
There have been additionally zero free parking areas because the hungry media descended to grill a person underneath strain.
Slot, who had barely slept on Wednesday evening, appeared like a struggling man — smiling however battling off a number of cringe-inducing inquiries over his job safety.
It’s by no means comfy to witness, particularly with a person who gave the followers some unforgettable days simply six months in the past.
However that’s soccer and he is aware of 9 defeats in 12 is an abomination that he should take the blame for – although it’s price saying Slot is way from the one celebration at blame for the dismal autumn fall from grace.
So can he survive? He has by no means had a run like this in his profession so he has no historical past for dragging groups out of mess like this.
Within the dressing room, captain Virgil van Dijk got here out and stated senior stars had been letting the pinnacle coach down and perhaps he was proper. But when they lose on Sunday at West Ham, the noise over Slot’s future might be deafening.
The boss shouldn’t be doing something otherwise to final 12 months when it comes to how he constructions the weeks. It’s arduous, due to this fact, to place a finger on what he’s doing improper. However clearly his as soon as invincible strategies are filled with cracks.
Arne Slot has not modified a lot however his previous strategies usually are not paying off this marketing campaign
TIME TO CHANGE THE STYLE OF PLAY
Slot blamed an harm to Hugo Ekitike to why Liverpool’s off-the-ball press fell aside within the second half in opposition to PSV Eindhoven, which appeared to be a little bit of an unintended dig at £125million man Alexander Isak.
The basics of the model of play is analogous this 12 months to final simply with completely different personnel and not one of the new signings have lived as much as their value tags but.
So have opponents simply labored out easy methods to play in opposition to Liverpool? It’s actually an element. Slot himself stated a month in the past that his group couldn’t take care of direct, lengthy balls which was reasonably worrying.
In addition to his feedback that mainly stated ‘go on lads, play direct’, Chelsea’s Marc Cucurella overtly mentioned how Liverpool’s right-hand aspect was simple to take advantage of as a consequence of Mohamed Salah not placing in arduous yards in a defensive sense.
Initially of final season, Slot and Salah had a dialog the place it was determined the Egyptian could be given very restricted defensive duties.
That’s all good when it yields 57 aim involvements going the opposite approach however not such a terrific gamble when the 34-year-old is struggling for kind in entrance of aim.
Lacking Trent Alexander-Arnold is evidently one other subject, whereas rotten errors by the likes of Van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate are hardly Slot’s fault. Dangerous luck in each penalty areas is plaguing Liverpool, however you make your personal luck.
Different groups have discovered to play Liverpool, as Slot has admitted repeatedly in public
The previous guard, beforehand so reliable, have seen their kind fall off a cliff this season
Previous guard letting down Slot
Give them a clean cheque and a pen and allow them to write the numbers they need.
That was the final gist of arguments final 12 months when Salah and Van Dijk had been out of contract – however since signing new offers, they haven’t been ok.
Neither has been notably dreadful however, put it this fashion: in the event that they had been performing like this final season, the actual fact they had been quickly to be out of contract wouldn’t be a difficulty debated each single day.
Alisson has missed many of the final two months whereas Slot clearly doesn’t belief Andy Robertson as Milos Kerkez is the principle left-back in line with most group alternatives.
The previous guard are letting him down, due to this fact – and different senior professionals like Alexis Mac Allister, Ibrahima Konate and Cody Gakpo are nowhere close to their finest.
Depth is clearly a difficulty, too. Joe Gomez is match to play however by no means appears to be trusted by Slot, Federico Chiesa is commonly solely given cameo appearances and Wataru Endo is barely seen in midfield. Kids like Rio Ngumoha and Trey Nyoni are the opposite back-up choices.
After spending £450million in the summertime, Liverpool are nonetheless a few males gentle of their squad. They’ve simply 5 match defenders, wingers Gakpo and Salah should not have competitors giving them a kick up the bottom to enhance, whereas in-game substitutions usually are not being efficient.
Final season, Slot would usually look to his bench and see the likes of Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez and, God relaxation his soul, Diogo Jota. All might change the sport. Now all of it appears slightly bit threadbare when he glances over his left shoulder at his substitutes.
