Why Liverpool’s Expensive Signings Aren’t Helping
For the first time since 2014, Liverpool have lost four consecutive games across all competitions.
Watching this collapse, it’s hard not to ask: what happened to Arne Slot’s team? Over the summer, the Premier League’s most efficient machine somehow lost its rhythm. It’s unlikely that the Dutchman decided to rebuild an already well-oiled system from scratch — yet the balance that once defined Liverpool seems gone.
From Champions to Chaos
Think back to the title-winning season: Mohamed Salah at the helm, a lightning-quick yet disciplined attack, a flexible defensive line, and a dynamic midfield led by Ryan Gravenberch.
Gravenberch, to his credit, remains one of the few bright spots even in this slump — but his instincts constantly pull the team forward, stretching the shape beyond control. The final 15–20 minutes against Manchester United were the perfect example: the Red Devils, usually a counter-attacking side, were gifted a wide-open midfield as Liverpool left the center of the pitch completely unguarded.
Without realizing it, the hosts handed their opponents belief — the belief that they could attack through the heart of the field without resistance. Liverpool neither pressed nor dominated. It looked like they were playing a football video game, trying to fit a 45-minute half into three or four.
Why are Alexis Mac Allister and Conor Bradley so often missing? Why doesn’t Dominik Szoboszlai drop back? And why does Alexander Isak — yes, that Isak — press so lazily? No one seems to have the answers.
Too Many New Faces, Too Little Cohesion
How can a team maintain balance when every line — even the goalkeeper — includes at least one newcomer still unfamiliar with Slot’s style and his teammates?
Jeremie Frimpong looks athletic but lost. Giorgi Mamardashvili, though talented, doesn’t yet inspire confidence between the posts.
Liverpool’s €500 million summer rebuild is still in its infancy. Integrating so many new pieces takes time and patience. But time is exactly what Liverpool don’t have. The pressure is mounting most on the two biggest names — Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz — both expensive, both gifted, and both still struggling to adapt.
At times, watching this team feels like a scene from a Wild West saloon: someone’s fighting, someone’s playing piano, someone’s passed out at the bar. Chaotic, maybe even entertaining — but no one would want to actually live inside that scene.
A Team Without Defensive Control
Despite the chaos, Liverpool are still statistically dominant in most matches — but only statistically. In reality, it’s a different story.
Even during this losing streak, the Reds outperformed their opponents in expected goals (xG) in three of four defeats. They doubled United and Chelsea in xG, beat Galatasaray 1.4 to 1, and only faltered against Crystal Palace.
So it’s not a total disaster — but it’s a clear warning sign. Take that North-West Derby again: how many times did Cody Gakpo hit the post? How many times did he mistime his run completely?
When your striker needs four tries to do what Harry Maguire did in one, something’s definitely wrong.
Time to Fix Salah and Reset the System
“Liverpool are poor defensively, and that won’t change — they won’t win the title,” – Jamie Carragher, former Reds defender.
Even this struggling Liverpool side remains one of the Premier League’s strongest on paper. But until the structure, the pressing, and the finishing return to Klopp-era standards, the chaos will continue.
And perhaps most worrying of all: Mohamed Salah hasn’t scored in the Premier League since September.
Arne Slot has plenty to think about — and not much time to fix it.
Published by Patrick Jane
22.10.2025