Liverpool spent huge amounts of money in the summer transfer window, bringing in several new players and bringing them in from the get-go, but that backfired in a difficult season.
Arne Slott failed to chase a second successive title with Liverpool (Image: Carl Recine/Getty Images)
Former Liverpool star Joe Cole has admitted manager Arne Slott’s desire to introduce all new players from the first day of the new season backfired, admitting he should have “bred players in on a drip” given the team’s predicament.
The Reds started their season on Friday night against Bournemouth and looked set to retain the title in May. The champions spent huge sums of money in the summer, breaking English transfer records twice and wasting no time in introducing new players.
Slott named over £200m worth of new players in his starting team, with Jeremy Frimpong and Milos Kerkes filling the two full-back spots. Florian Wirtz emerged as the team’s playmaker, with Hugo Ekitike leading the line.
The Frenchman scored in the first half against Bournemouth and backed up his goal in the Community Shield. But while he made a bright start to his Anfield career, Werts’ early struggles have been well-documented, with other players failing to follow suit and his contribution being poor, particularly in the final third.
That night, Liverpool surrendered a two-goal lead to the Cherries and won twice in the closing stages, but the signs of what would come to haunt them were already there.
read more: Jamie Carragher tearfully apologizes to Tottenham over ’embarrassing’ relegation riskread more: Arsenal and Liverpool’s path to the Champions League becomes clearer after play-off first leg
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Cole told the Mirror: “I think they recognized the age of the team and I think the reinforcements they made when they were at the top were the right thing to do. I think the mistake they made was starting the season with four new players. It’s the first time in Premier League history that the champions have started with four new players.”
“So I think we made the right hire, but in hindsight they probably should have left, maybe we shouldn’t have used them all, we should have brought them in with an IV.”
Slott was happy to change up his winning formula, but the addition of Wirtz, a traditional playmaker, made some subtle adjustments that threw the team off course.
Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike were two of the club’s major summer signings
“Balance in midfield is very important. Sometimes you’re not the best player to play,” Cole said. “I think Mac Allister is different to Werts. Mac Allister would be more comfortable playing deep, even if they’re both classed as No. 10. So that helps keep the balance and that’s the manager’s job.”
“I would have kept the midfield three in that style at the beginning of the season and bought Wirtz when the game started. I’ve never managed a game in my life, but I think from the start of the season the midfield was a bit unbalanced.”
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