Eight days ago, the football world might have still spoken of Liverpool in hushed, reverent tones. Yet, a trio of devastating losses – to Selhurst Park, Rams Park, and Stamford Bridge – has abruptly pulled back the curtain, revealing not a finely tuned championship contender, but a team grappling with profound, systemic issues. What began as a series of narrow wins, often clinched in the dying minutes, has now morphed into a worrying pattern of defeats, exposing vulnerabilities that threaten to derail their Premier League ambitions. The question is no longer if there are problems, but how deep they run.
For a club accustomed to the relentless pursuit of perfection under Jurgen Klopp’s tutelage, this recent downturn feels particularly jarring. Manager Arne Slot, tasked with continuing the legacy, finds himself confronting a reality where the magic touch of “Slottage Time” has seemingly evaporated. The champions, just 20% into the season, appear a dramatically diminished version of their former selves. Let`s dissect the three most glaring concerns that have emerged from this unexpected period of introspection.
The Alexander-Arnold Conundrum: A Void on the Right Flank
When Trent Alexander-Arnold made his much-anticipated move to Real Madrid, the footballing world braced for a creative deficit at Anfield. His unparalleled passing range and ball progression capabilities were, for years, the fulcrum of Liverpool`s attack. What few anticipated, however, was the simultaneous collapse of defensive solidity on that same right flank. While Alexander-Arnold`s defensive contributions were often critiqued, they were, crucially, part of a meticulously crafted system designed to mitigate his weaknesses. Now, with him gone, that system appears to have crumbled.
Replacements like Conor Bradley and Dominik Szoboszlai, while offering glimpses of attacking prowess, have been repeatedly exposed. Bradley endured a torrid 45 minutes against the likes of Alejandro Garnacho, and Szoboszlai, despite contributing to an equalizer, struggled immensely with defensive positioning and tracking. Opponents, most notably Chelsea, have identified this as Liverpool`s Achilles` heel, relentlessly targeting the right side. Marc Cucurella`s post-match comments, “We tried to attack always [that side] because we know Salah is always ready to play counter-attack… the manager told us the spaces might be there,” are a stark admission of this tactical exploitation. Even seasoned campaigners like Ibrahima Konate, once a robust cover for Alexander-Arnold, now look like shadows of their former selves, unable to stem the tide. The absence of a player who offered both unparalleled invention and, at times, a rather generous interpretation of `defending`, has created a strategic vacuum that Arne Slot is yet to fill.
Mohamed Salah`s Muted Symphony: The Fading Edge of the Egyptian King
For seasons, Mohamed Salah was Liverpool`s relentless goal machine, a constant threat whose very presence struck fear into opposition defenses. His ability to conjure goals from seemingly impossible situations was a cornerstone of their success. The unspoken tactical concession was simple: let our left-back overlap; Salah will punish any defensive lapse. This strategy, until recently, was ruthlessly effective.
However, since Liverpool`s unceremonious exit from the Champions League, Salah`s imperious best seems to have deserted him. With just four goals (one a penalty) and three assists in sixteen Premier League games, his numbers are a stark contrast to his past prolificacy. A significant drop in shots per 90 minutes (from 3.7 to 2.2) underscores a broader cratering of his overall performance. While there are occasional flashes of his former brilliance—an intelligent cross here, a surging run there—they are now fleeting moments rather than sustained periods of dominance. Manager Slot insists he sees positive signs, pointing to chances created and shots taken, but the undeniable truth is that the “Egyptian King`s” crown feels notably heavier. A team that relies so heavily on its talisman will inevitably struggle when that star begins to dim. Is this a temporary blip, or the sobering reality of a player entering the twilight of his elite years?
The Fading Press and Midfield Muddle: A Crisis of Intensity
Liverpool under Jurgen Klopp was synonymous with the Gegenpress – a suffocating, high-intensity defensive system that often won the ball back in dangerous areas, launching devastating counter-attacks. It was a philosophy ingrained in the club`s DNA, a relentless energy that opponents struggled to match. Curiously, data suggests Liverpool allows fewer passes per defensive action this season, implying efficiency, but this masks a critical underlying issue: a profound lack of intensity in the attacking third.
The numbers don`t lie: Liverpool are averaging approximately 10% fewer recoveries in the attacking third. This decline is perhaps unsurprising given the departure of diligent pressers like Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez, and the tragic absence of Diogo Jota. While Alexander Isak has arrived, the collective commitment to winning the ball back high up the pitch appears diminished. This allows opponents far too much space to build play, with players like Benoit Badiashile finding it remarkably easy to pick passes through the lines into midfield. Once past this initial, porous barrier, Liverpool’s midfield seems to lack the coordinated scrambling and positional discipline that once made them so formidable. Alexis Mac Allister, perhaps not yet at full fitness, cannot shoulder the entire burden. The ease with which players like Moises Caicedo can run into open space highlights a disconcerting lack of collective urgency.
Watching Chelsea dissect Liverpool`s midfield and defense felt less like a contest between equals and more like a training exercise for the hosts. Even with Chelsea`s own significant injury woes in central defense, Liverpool failed to exhibit the necessary “oomph” – the aggression and drive to capitalize on their opponents` weaknesses. For Arne Slot, this fundamental erosion of his team`s defensive identity, from front to back, might be the most worrying revelation of all.
The recent string of defeats is more than just a rough patch; it’s a flashing red light signaling deeper structural and performance issues at Liverpool. The departure of a generational talent like Alexander-Arnold has exposed a strategic vulnerability that the club has yet to address effectively. Simultaneously, the dip in form of their most iconic attacker, Mohamed Salah, raises questions about the team’s reliance on individual brilliance. Most critically, the fading intensity of their once-feared press points to a systemic shift that threatens the very identity crafted over years of relentless effort.
Arne Slot inherits a formidable legacy, but also a complex challenge. Re-establishing defensive solidity, reigniting Salah`s spark, and, perhaps most importantly, instilling a renewed sense of collective intensity will be crucial. The road back to consistent contention is rarely smooth, and for Liverpool, it appears to be fraught with unexpected and profound difficulties. The halcyon days of easy victories now seem a distant memory, and the journey ahead demands not just tactical adjustments, but a fundamental re-evaluation of the `Red Machine`s` core components.
Percy Harlow 
Gareth Fenton