Arne Slott continues to undermine Jurgen Klopp’s years of achievements (Image: Getty)
It’s only been a few years since Liverpool became known as the Premier League’s mental monsters under Jurgen Klopp. The Reds fought until the end, fearing that they could lose at any moment, and were feared by almost every team they faced. But today, that couldn’t be further from the truth.
Even if the transition initially seemed smooth, it was always difficult for Arne Slot to fill the void. Despite getting off to a perfect start last season by winning the Premier League, Klopp’s team essentially had no summer signings.
Slott was allowed to spend more than other top-flight clubs to shape his team’s image ahead of his second season, but the Reds are now a long way from the world power they once were.
Perhaps most worrying is the weak mentality that has crept into the team during the campaign. Their lack of bite was on full display in their game against Manchester United, where the Red Devils took the lead in the first half.
Liverpool could barely emerge from the dressing room before going two points down against Old Trafford. They just didn’t turn up and United, who clearly wanted it more, left them battered.
Things changed after the break, with Dominik Szoboszlai and Kodi Gakpo hitting the visitors’ level, but instead of keeping up the pressure, they faltered and United were able to snatch a dramatic victory.
There is no way Liverpool would have allowed that to happen under Klopp. They could have kept fighting and maybe found a winner on their own, but they are a different team these days.
Jamie Carragher summed it up perfectly when he described his former club’s performance as “soft and weak”. Because that’s exactly what it was.
This is a terrifying indictment of how far the Reds have fallen under Slott. Slott has undermined Klopp’s achievements and may even end up paying for it with his job at the end of the season.
Liverpool are far from the ‘mental monsters’ they once were. (Image: Getty)
He was not alone in the blame for the defeat against United, with many Liverpool players failing under the weight of expectations.
Alexis Mac Allister has endured a turbulent season and is nowhere to be found in the engine room. Koby Mainu and Casemiro were given complete freedom to run the show and control the midfield battle throughout the match.
Curtis Jones, who also struggled at right-back, could move back into midfield to replace the Argentine for the remainder of the season.
But that’s not necessarily a huge improvement, and Liverpool would hardly suffer by benching the 25-year-old.
Jeremy Frimpong, on the other hand, contributed little on the right wing and should not play there again. It’s an experiment that hasn’t worked, so he either needs to return to the right-back role or be left out completely.
As we approach the end of a very disappointing season for Liverpool, it is clear that some difficult questions need to be answered and changes need to be made on many fronts.
It remains to be seen whether Slott will be replaced as manager as a result, but that might be a good place to start.
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