Crisis has truly struck, Liverpool!

Losing three straight games on all fronts, Liverpool is certainly far from "normal." They are genuinely struggling with many problems. Things look completely tangled for Liverpool, and Arne Slot seems to be "confused" by his own ideas and ways of handling situations.

Last season, Slot surprisingly demonstrated a perfect ability to "make do with what he had." Liverpool didn’t add many players but remained stable, marching straight to the Premier League title, leaving Arsenal in pain without knowing how to respond. By summer 2025, Liverpool shocked the world by spending a huge amount on new signings. Liverpool fans were thrilled and confident. Many believed Liverpool now possessed one of the most formidable attacks with Isak, Salah, Ekitike, and Bundesliga’s top midfielder Florian Wirtz.

However, up to this point, these stars have not yet gelled smoothly or consistently. This is clearly reflected in their performance this season. From being a last-minute goal specialist, they have suddenly become victims of late goals. Bournemouth, Newcastle, Arsenal, Burnley, and Atletico all suffered last-minute defeats caused by Liverpool.

But clearly, the saying "playing with fire will eventually get you burned" fits perfectly right now. Liverpool suffered two last-minute defeats within seven days. Before they lost to Chelsea at 90+5 minutes there was a defeat against Crystal Palace. That means last weekend and this weekend in the Premier League, with a Champions League loss in between.

Slot has lost three games in a row for the first time in his coaching career. Explaining Liverpool’s losses, Slot spoke calmly. He said his team created more chances than the home teams. The difference was “we only scored one goal while our opponents scored two.” Slot’s statement is wrong. He has an attack any club would dream of, not to mention the super-sub Gakpo. So how can he justify it by saying we only scored one goal? But let’s put it this way.

Certainly, Slot is mistaken in his "rightness" when looking at the new signings he brought in. Liverpool is very unbalanced after spending nearly £450 million on new players, placing Florian Wirtz worth £116 million as the attacking midfielder, and Hugo Ekitike (£70 million) or Alexander Isak (£125 million) as strikers or left forwards. Slot wouldn’t be blamed if Wirtz weren’t performing poorly now and Isak’s integration timeline remains uncertain.

The arrival of two new fullbacks, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez, is even more concerning because they excel only offensively and fail defensively. It’s understandable that Liverpool aimed to revamp the squad comprehensively and boost attack, which is why Slot spent money on these players. Unfortunately, the idea is not bad, but the players currently cannot form a super attacking team. In the past, to be considered a true star, the standards were naturally much higher than average, above-average, or good peers.

Now? Clubs keep inflating prices, and whoever agrees pays up. That’s why players bought for €80, 90, 100, 120, or even 222 million euros appear frequently. Looking at Liverpool now, Frimpong is still far from Trent’s level, Kerkez is nowhere near Robertson. Besides, being champions means Liverpool is definitely the main target this season. Opponents always push themselves beyond 200% effort to beat the reigning kings.

“Liverpool currently carries a huge target on their back; every team wants to defeat them. That’s the problem you face as champions. It happens every year, which is why defending the title is always much harder than winning it,” former Chelsea winger Pat Nevin said on BBC 5 Live Sport after the match.

And Salah, one of the greatest players to ever wear Liverpool’s shirt, symbolizes the team’s difficulties. But we need to look at this objectively. Salah is gradually declining. You can’t expect a 33-year-old to run like he did in his early twenties and play continuously. That’s why Slot had to put him on the bench and give more chances to Isak.

Overall, Salah will gradually fade into the background while Isak will be Liverpool’s present and future. But if you ask whether the time has come, maybe not yet, or perhaps it is. Against Chelsea, Salah was unusual, losing the ball too often and wasting scoring opportunities.

Liverpool’s next match will be against MU. Whenever these two clubs meet, regardless of their current state, it remains a major clash between the two teams with the most English league titles in history. MU recently escaped crisis with a win over Sunderland, while Liverpool is struggling with three consecutive losses. What will happen if Liverpool loses to MU and suffers a fourth straight defeat? It’s very hard to predict anything right now.

Slot needs to calmly sit down and review his strategies. Additionally, he should prepare mentally and emotionally in case Liverpool loses the English derby.

Related articles

Cuban football scores historic points at the World Cup In their second appearance at a U20 World Cup, Cuban football achieved historic points, scoring 4 goals after the group stage. See more