Liverpool's Attack: Overflowing with Stars but Lacking Goals

06/10/2025 07:44:00 GameGladiator

Three straight losses, including the recent 1-2 defeat at Chelsea, have thrown Liverpool into turmoil. The biggest worry isn’t the defense, which has often been scrutinized, but the attack, where Arne Slot’s squad is showing an inexplicable deadlock despite having a highly desirable firepower lineup.

During the Chelsea loss, although Gakpo equalized in the second half, Liverpool’s attack was thoroughly disappointing. They wasted chances, played in a fragmented manner, and completely lacked connection. Gary Neville openly criticized on Sky Sports: "Liverpool’s attacking players were genuinely useless in the last 20 minutes. They repeatedly lost possession, made mistakes, and didn’t know how to make a difference."

Neville mentioned individual players: Salah still has class but chose poorly in key moments; Isak started strong but faded as the match went on; and Wirtz "ran more than played" and lacked tactical understanding.

Under Slot, Liverpool’s squad has been significantly revamped, especially in midfield and attack. However, these changes have caused them to lose their previous stability. The Dutch coach admitted: "We have many new players arriving at different times and haven’t had enough time to train together. Everything needs time to integrate."

If Salah was once the epitome of extraordinary scoring efficiency, he is now losing his striker’s instinct. In the last 16 Premier League games, the Egyptian forward has only scored 4 goals (including one penalty) and provided 3 assists. From an average of 3.7 shots per 90 minutes last season, Salah now only takes 2.2 shots, a noticeable drop in threat.

Salah’s surprising decline this season

Against Chelsea, he displayed a few signature technical moves, like an outside-foot cross aimed at Isak and a second-half shot that missed the post, but these were just weak flashes in a bleak performance. Coach Slot still defended him: "We placed Salah in the exact spots where he used to score. But players can’t always make the most of every chance. Salah is human, not a machine."

Meanwhile, the pair Isak and Wirtz are still struggling to find common ground. Isak shows good movement and pressing but lacks sharpness inside the box. Wirtz, despite his great potential, hasn’t fully understood his role in Slot’s system. His frequent substitutions or benchings indicate the Dutch coach hasn’t yet figured out how to unlock the £116 million talent’s abilities.

Jamie Redknapp, a Sky Sports analyst, believes Liverpool are "out of balance" after too many changes in their attacking lineup. The exit of Trent Alexander-Arnold, who used to directly support Salah, has seriously weakened the right side. The right-wing attacks, once Liverpool’s hallmark, have become harmless.

At the same time, full-backs such as Kerkez, Frimpong, and Robertson have all declined, leaving the team vulnerable on the flanks and forcing the forwards to drop back to assist defensively instead of focusing on scoring. This results in attacking plays becoming disjointed and easily broken up.

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