Not everything that goes wrong at Liverpool is Arne Slott’s fault, but the Dutch manager isn’t helping himself at all. The Reds have lost three games in a row, conceding three goals, away to Manchester City, at home to Nottingham Forest and at home to PSV Eindhoven.
There are a number of issues that are contributing to Anfield’s current downturn. But with three players having started each of their last three games, Slott needs to go quickly if Liverpool are to improve their struggling team quickly…
Ibrahima Konate
The game against City was terrible, the game against Forest was terrible, and the game against PSV was also terrible. Konate is an absolutely huge problem for Liverpool at the moment. The amount of mistakes he is making is costing the Reds one goal per game. Given his current level of performance, the fact that he’s being held to ransom over a new contract is laughable.
The problem is Liverpool’s other options. Giovanni Leoni’s season is over and Joe Gomez has to have a painkiller injection in his knee and is unable to take part in every training session. Ryan Gravenbirch and Wataru Endo are also stopgap options.
At the academy, Amara Naro has been shown red cards in each of his last two appearances for the first team. Rhys Williams is the oldest centre-half in the youth squad but has not played for the first team since May 2023.
But, very simply, Konate is in such bad shape right now that Slott has to try something else. If we put up with Konate’s performances like this week in and week out, he will get fired. As Jamie Carragher said on CBS Sports… “Enough is enough, that Konate. It’s a sackable offense for that bastard to pick on him. He should be sacked for that!”
alexis mac allister
Where on earth is PFA Team of the Year Alexis Mac Allister? This current Mac Allister is unrecognizable. He improved in wins against Aston Villa and Real Madrid, but has since regressed to the level he had shown before. And those levels are really bad.
Last season, he was a monster when he didn’t have the ball. This season he looks completely exhausted, both mentally and physically. He’s bad off the ball, but he’s also bad on the ball. Forest’s second goal at Anfield highlighted his issues with his tackles being too weak in the box and easily brought down, leading to the goal.
Mac Allister was also far from anyone for PSV’s second and fourth goals. He desperately needs time out of the starting lineup. The problem is that either Curtis Jones or Dominik Szoboszlai will now have to play at right-back while Conor Bradley and Jeremy Frimpong are sidelined. So, is it time for Endo to join the midfield eleven?
Cody Gakpo
Gakpo is currently another big problem for slots. His desire to always cut inside with his right foot and drive a shot or cross into the back post is all too predictable. His decision-making has also become too erratic. It’s no wonder his grades are declining – he’s on the radar of opposition managers.
In the phase against Forest and PSV, Gakpo still looked dangerous in practice. But when he doesn’t take chances, such as his back-post header that made it 2-2 against the Netherlands, he doesn’t deserve to be in the starting lineup. This is not the first terrible mistake he has made in recent games, especially against Manchester City and Manchester United.
Slott has fewer options at West Ham this weekend due to injuries to Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike. But again, like Konate, that has to change. Federico Chiesa and Rio Ngumoja are right there. If he can’t trust either of them with the current Gakpo then Liverpool are really on the brink.
Possible revised Liverpool XI vs. West Ham: Alisson. Jones, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson. Endo, Grabenberg, and Schoboschlei. Salah, Isaac, Chiesa
