Liverpool FC Team Issues and Misjudged Expectations

This Liverpool FC article breaks down last season's success, the misperceptions about Jurgen Klopp's influence, questionable signings, tactical imbalance, and the key squad weaknesses preventing Liverpool from performing at their best.



I genuinely don't buy into this idea that Liverpool's success last season was simply the result of Arne Slot inheriting a good team and riding Klopp's coattails. That narrative completely ignores what was actually happening on the pitch and how much of the team's improvement came from Slot's own decisions, adjustments and management style.

People seem to have forgotten that around this time last year, there were countless posts praising Slot for the transformation of Ryan Gravenberch alone. Klopp himself couldn't quite unlock Grav's potential or figure out how best to use him. No one even understood why he'd been bought or what specific qualities he was meant to bring until Slot shifted his role and tailored the system to suit him. Suddenly he looked like a footballer again, and that wasn't down to luck, or inheritance, or simply rolling out the same blueprint. That was Slot.

And it's worth remembering that long before Slot became a household name in England, Ed002 was being credited for calling his name early and saying he'd be his preferred choice. Back then, most fans didn't even know who Slot was or what he stood for, yet he proved that recommendation right by delivering results without needing a single major reinforcement. Apart from Chiesa, who barely featured, Slot took the same squad Klopp left behind and achieved something tangible with it.

So giving Klopp credit for last year's success as if Slot was just a caretaker with a nice suit is way over the top. Klopp himself wouldn't agree with that level of praise being redirected. Slot deserves recognition for what he did in a difficult first season, where expectations were sky-high and additions were practically zero.

I still remember Salah's comments during an interview when all the new signings were being brought into the club. He said clearly: these players aren't joining an ordinary side; they're joining a champion team. They need to prove they belong here. Time would tell how good they were. Those words feel even more relevant now as we try to evaluate the squad and figure out why things aren't clicking.

Now, opinions will differ, but for me, Alexander Isak was always the riskiest signing of the lot. After bringing in Etikete, we needed a striker with different attributes - someone dynamic, someone smaller and more evasive, someone who stretches defences in ways our current attackers don't. Instead, we doubled down on a profile that doesn't complement what we already had.

And another basic truth: you cannot build a team with more than one elite attacker who does absolutely no defensive work. We already had Salah. Adding Isak on top of that isn't smart squad planning. It creates imbalance, and teams at this level get punished for imbalance.

Kerkez was another gamble. Yes, he had one promising season in a different system, but there were always question marks. He's talented, but was he ever genuinely convincing? Hard to argue that he was.

Frimpong is similar. He has pace, no doubt, but what else? His ability on the ball isn't strong enough, he's easily pushed off it, and it's still not entirely clear what his most effective attributes are supposed to be within our setup.

Wirtz is the biggest frustration for me. I had massive hopes, most of us did. He's clearly gifted, has incredible feet, and glides across the pitch. But we need real output. We need end product. For all the silky touches and beautiful close control, he still hasn't shown the decisive contributions expected from someone labelled a "generational talent". Hopefully he still rises to that level, because the potential is definitely there.

Then there's Gravenberch again, his role this season feels completely muddled. The entire midfield looks congested. We're crowding the opponent's box, players are stepping on each other's toes, and there's no space to create anything meaningful. It's chaos, and not the controlled kind.

At times it feels like we're playing with two groups: the goalkeeper and defenders and then everyone else jammed into the opposition penalty area. That structure doesn't work, and it makes individual roles harder to understand.

If anything, the positions that need addressing are pretty clear now: we need proper support for Szoboszlai, and we need upgrades or alternatives for Mac Allister, Jones and Endo. Not because they aren't good players they are, but because the balance is off, the intensity is inconsistent, and the team feels patched together in a way that doesn't match the demands of Slot's style.

Last season was not Klopp's victory parade. Slot earned that success. But the struggles this season show that the squad still needs refining, rebalancing and reshaping in key areas. Slot can still do the job, but he needs the right tools around him and that's where the club has to act.

Written by SamiKewell November 24 2025 15:02:48