Liverpool lose to PSG in the Champions League (Image: Getty)
Liverpool’s exit from the Champions League confirms that their 2025-26 season was abysmal and Arne Slott will have to pay the price. With a number of mitigating factors, the Reds will likely fail to win a trophy and finish in third place in the league at best and 10th at worst. This season was always going to be a transition, they were going from one great team to the next. But based on this evidence, bigger trophies are a long way off. Shortening that path requires a change in managers. It’s not that Slott is a bad coach, but he’s not the one who can fix this mess.
Slott said after the game, “The future of this team is very bright. We proved that we can compete with the European champions.” We must have been watching a different game. There was certainly more passion and intensity. But was PSG really worried? Only a few times. Was there enough sustained pressure to cause them to panic? No, if anything, PSG looked like the home team for much of the second leg too. They were comfortable, answered questions defensively, and then provided quality moments on offense. Did PSG’s goalkeeper need to make a great save? not much. The best bet was to refuse Ngumoha, but even that was a fairly routine stop.
Liverpool tried to speed up their play, but unlike under Jurgen Klopp, things seem to have gotten worse. They have grown accustomed to the slow slot style and are already struggling to play at Klopp’s tempo. The passing in the first half was terrible, but that wasn’t the only problem. Bad movement, bad touch, bad decision making. Who are the three players who took the most shots? Ryan Grabenbirch (defensive midfielder), Milos Kerkes (left-back) and Rio Ngmoha (17-year-old substitute). That’s a terrible read for the slot.
And last night, Dominik Szoboszlai and Kerkes are the only two players on that squad guaranteed to start the first game of next season. Coincidentally, they are the only players whose effort level was rarely questioned throughout the season. Ibrahima Konate should also start if he stays. It remains an if for now.
Right-back Jeremy Frimpong has not quite reached the required level. He will no doubt be relegated to reserve right-winger and third-choice right-back. Liverpool need someone capable of starting immediately to counter the injury-prone Conor Bradley.
In terms of goals, Alisson is past his prime, but he is still better than Giorgi Mamadashvili. If you want the Georgian to be kind to you, his delivery is erratic. Liverpool need a centre-back who is ready to lead the back line in Virgil van Dijk’s absence. It’s clear he won’t be able to start every game next season. Are you Jeremy Jacquet? perhaps. However, Liverpool will have to invoke a secret clause in Nico Schlotterbeck’s contract that allows him to sign him for around £50m.
Liverpool have just signed Gravenbirch to a long-term, high-paying contract, but he is unlikely to be a guaranteed starter either. If anything, the Dutch are very easy to sell. And Alexis Mac Allister should be shipped to the highest bidder. Of the other starters against PSG, Florian Wirtz has consistently failed to make an impact in big games. He has great technique but is too content to be on the periphery.
For a £116m player, the German should let everything evolve around him. Wirtz has played 749 minutes this season against Man City, Arsenal, Real Madrid, PSG, Chelsea and Man United, scoring zero goals. It’s definitely not satisfying.
Arne Slott runs out of time for Liverpool (Image: Getty)
Liverpool face another very busy summer transfer window (Image: Getty)
The reason for the slot time-up is also indicated. He had intended to build his team around Wirtz, but instead his use of the Dutchman is similar to Brendan Rodgers’ use of Roberto Firmino. The player clearly has the ability, but where is it? Yes, he should do more, but what is crucially needed are better systems and better tactics. Look at what this did for Firmino, a player with similar technical ability.
But with that said, Wirtz shouldn’t be the unquestioned starter either, considering his performance this season. With Hugo Ekitike facing nine months out injured, another forward is needed. In addition to that, we need replacements for Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson. First, there will be one centre-back, one right-back, one left-back, two central midfielders and two forwards. And that’s before we even discuss the depth of the squad or replacing other players who may leave (Federico Chiesa, Joe Gomez, etc.). Oh, oh.
Alexander Isaac also weighs in on the idea that the era of slots is over. Against PSG, he touched the ball just five times. It made sense to start him because he is an elite finisher, but there is no clear, consistent, repeatable game plan to create opportunities for him. He’s a great centre-forward, but he needs the team around him to work to be successful.
Despite Slott’s words, there is little about this team to suggest that next season will be more positive. True, they were momentarily unlucky. If Liverpool had scored first against PSG, perhaps the crowd might have taken them with them. But then again, this PSG team is better than them in everything.
Throughout the 180 minutes, Liverpool never seriously punched PSG in the jaw. They didn’t wobble. The quality that Ousmane Dembele brought to PSG’s first goal was not seen from the man in red at any point. The worry is that next season’s start could look similarly disjointed, with Liverpool having to spend hundreds of millions of pounds again over the summer. We also need a new manager.
