Liverpool are in the thick of the Premier League title race, yet the mood around Anfield feels anything but triumphant.
Two consecutive defeats in the Premier League, and three in all competitions, have lifted the lid on problems that seven straight wins at the start of the season managed to paper over. After Liverpool spent a club-record £446 million in the summer, the pressure is mounting on Arne Slot to turn an expensive collection of individuals into a cohesive unit.
Liverpool in 2025/26: The Puzzle That Won’t Fit
Liverpool’s squad looks brilliant on paper, but something fundamental is not clicking on the pitch. The defensive solidity that carried them to the title last season has vanished, with the Reds keeping just two clean sheets in their opening ten matches compared to six at the same stage a year ago.
They have conceded 13 goals in only seven Premier League games this term, considerably more than the tally they let in at this point during their championship-winning campaign.
The problem is not just at the back. Liverpool’s attacking rhythm feels disjointed, with new signings still trying to understand their roles in Slot’s system. The team creates chances but lacks the clinical edge and defensive discipline that defined their dominance just months ago.
A Manager Caught Between Rotation and Stability
Arne Slot finds himself in an uncomfortable position. He has been forced to rotate his starting eleven constantly, averaging nearly four changes per game, because several key players missed proper pre-season preparation. Alexander Isak, Hugo Ekitike, Conor Bradley, and Alexis Mac Allister all arrived late or dealt with fitness issues during the summer, leaving them unable to handle the demands of three matches a week.
The Dutch tactician has named the same starting lineup just once this season, making it impossible for his players to develop chemistry. Jamie Carragher has urged Slot to restore stability by settling on a consistent XI, but with fitness concerns limiting his options, the manager’s hands are tied. This constant shuffling has disrupted defensive organisation and prevented attacking partnerships from forming naturally.
The Formation Headache and Tactical Confusion
Arne Slot’s tactical decisions have raised eyebrows among observers. Against Galatasaray, he deployed Dominik Szoboszlai at right-back while using Jeremie Frimpong as a right winger, a move that backfired spectacularly. Szoboszlai was repeatedly exposed for pace and gave away a penalty in a position that doesn’t suit his strengths.
The system itself appears to be the issue. Slot’s pressing structure, which relies on maintaining numerical superiority in the defensive line, has not functioned properly this season. Players seem unsure of their defensive responsibilities, leading to gaps that opponents exploit with alarming regularity. The controlled possession football that looked effortless last year now feels labored and vulnerable.
The Florian Wirtz Conundrum
Florian Wirtz’s struggles symbolise Liverpool’s broader problems. The £116 million signing from Bayer Leverkusen has failed to register a single goal or assist since moving to Anfield, looking completely out of sorts in the Premier League.
The German playmaker takes too long on the ball and drops too deep, playing more like a deep-lying midfielder than the creative force Liverpool desperately need in the final third. Experts suggest Wirtz should be deployed on the left where he thrived at Bayer Leverkusen, rather than in his current central role where he disrupts the team’s balance.
Wirtz’s tendency to occupy the same spaces as the midfielders leaves Liverpool’s attack blunt, especially with Mohamed Salah, Alexander Isak, and Hugo Ekitike all needing quality service. Until Wirtz adapts to the pace and physicality of English football, he will remain more problem than solution.
The Missing Pieces in the Liverpool Attack
Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz have not “clicked” yet because they have barely had time to settle. Isak completed his British-record £125 million move only on deadline day after a summer-long saga with Newcastle United. He missed Liverpool’s entire pre-season and has not completed a full 90 minutes this campaign.
The Swedish striker needs time to build understanding with his new teammates and regain match sharpness. Kenny Dalglish has noted signs that Isak’s presence is already beginning to help Wirtz find better positions, but their partnership remains in its infancy. With Hugo Ekitike also bedding in after his £79 million arrival from Eintracht Frankfurt, Liverpool’s forward line resembles strangers rather than a cohesive unit.
The Weight of Expectation
Liverpool’s unprecedented spending spree has raised expectations to impossible heights. The club broke the British transfer record twice in one summer and brought in ten new players, fundamentally reshaping a squad that won the title comfortably just months earlier. Anything less than silverware will be considered failure after such extravagant investment.
This pressure manifests itself on the pitch. Late winners masked unconvincing performances during the seven-match winning streak that opened the season. Now that results have turned, the scrutiny has intensified, with fans and pundits questioning Slot’s decisions and demanding immediate improvement. The manager insists his team is not far from the required level, but consecutive defeats have tested that confidence.
Finding the Way Forward
Arne Slot stands at a crossroads that will define his Liverpool tenure. The solutions exist within his expensively assembled squad, but implementing them requires courage and clarity. First, he must establish defensive stability by settling on a consistent back line and protecting it with proper midfield screening.
The constant rotation that circumstances forced upon him early in the season needs to end now that players have built up fitness levels. Tactically, Slot needs to simplify his approach and play individuals in their natural positions. Moving Florian Wirtz to the left wing where he excelled in Germany could unlock both his talent and create space for others to flourish, although that did not work in a recent clash.
Dominik Szoboszlai belongs in midfield, not at full-back, while Jeremie Frimpong should return to his familiar right-back role where his attacking instincts can be channeled more effectively. These adjustments would restore balance and allow Liverpool’s attackers to develop the chemistry that only comes through repetition and familiarity.
The defensive issues require urgent attention because they undermine everything else. Liverpool need to rediscover the resolute defending that served them so well last season, when they built their title challenge on a foundation of clean sheets.
This means returning to the aggressive pressing that suffocates opponents before they can hurt Liverpool, combined with disciplined positioning that prevents the defensive line from being exposed. Slot’s system worked brilliantly in his first season, and rather than reinventing the wheel with expensive new pieces, he should restore the principles that brought success.
Building fluid attacking play will come naturally once stability returns. Isak and Wirtz possess the quality to justify their massive price tags, but they need time and the right environment to demonstrate it. Patient integration rather than forced inclusion will serve Liverpool better in the long run, even if that means benching expensive signings when necessary.
The reigning Premier Lhampions remain favorites for the title despite their recent wobble, but only if Arne Slot acts decisively to address the tactical confusion and defensive frailty that threaten to derail their season before Christmas arrives.
