Liverpool dropped points against Tottenham on Sunday, but Jamie Carragher named Arne Slott as the Reds’ biggest problem this season as they battle for Champions League qualification.
Jamie Carragher lamented aspects of Liverpool’s game (Image: Sky Sports)
Jamie Carragher has admitted that lack of pressing is Liverpool’s “biggest problem” at the moment after dropping a point late against Tottenham.
The outgoing champion has developed an undesirable habit of missing points late in the game. They have lost in stoppage time to the likes of Chelsea, Crystal Palace and Manchester City, with Tottenham securing a point at Anfield on Sunday despite their worst form in the Premier League.
Richarlison’s equalizer in the 90th minute further diminished Liverpool’s hopes of qualifying for the Champions League. The Reds could miss out on Europe’s elite competition next season after winning the top flight.
Liverpool’s downturn has been well-documented and came after a summer overhaul of the squad, but Carragher believes a lack of intensity when playing at Anfield is the main reason for their huge decline.
Asked about the problems facing the Reds, the Sky Sports pundit replied: “I think they are really serious. I said on commentary yesterday that this Liverpool team has a lot of problems and nothing is going well. But for me the biggest thing Liverpool have lost is the press.”
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“Pressing wasn’t just Jurgen Klopp’s thing, but the point of people saying ‘it’s hard to go to Anfield’ is not that Liverpool are always great on the ball or that they have the best players. It’s that the pitch is tight, the fans are on you and Liverpool chase, win the ball back and move forward. That’s what’s sorely missing and that’s Liverpool’s biggest problem right now.”
The Reds broke British transfer records twice in the summer, first signing Florian Wirtz and then Alexander Isak. They arrived with the likes of Hugo Ekitike and Jeremy Frimpong. All had performed well at their previous clubs, but Carragher believes they are quality individuals who do not necessarily compliment the team.
Arne Slott is in danger of missing out on the Champions League with the Reds
“They’re not a team, they’re a team of individuals,” he added. “They had quality players, but they were just brought in without a sense of cohesion. You can see in the video that that’s why they lost. That’s the most important thing for Liverpool. We’re not looking at a flashy team with superstar players. It’s always about the top players, but it’s about being a team.”
Carragher claimed the stalemate with Tottenham represented a “huge change” in sentiment among the fan base, who booed the team at full time. Slott is only in his second year at the club, but his style of play is a far cry from the kind of football that made him such a hit under Klopp, and he is becoming increasingly frustrated.
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