Slot Cannot Be the Only One Blamed

The manager is taking plenty of heat, but the players are not showing enough fight or accountability either. A poor application is making it too easy to hide behind the noise.

I understand why plenty of Liverpool fans want Slot gone, and I am not pretending he is blameless. But the truth is our focus on him is letting another group off the hook: the players who are out there every week.

Yes, the system might not suit everyone, and yes, the set-up might be miles off. That still does not explain the lack of fight, the lack of accountability, and the way too many heads seem to drop the moment things get uncomfortable.

Effort and accountability have to come first

Against City, it felt like every player dropped tools. You could see lads strolling about while City moved the ball around us, and no manager in the world is telling players to walk when they are being played through. That part is on them, not the touchline.

It is also hard to ignore the feeling that some of them know exactly what they are doing. They hear the anger aimed at Slot and it becomes a shield. If the performance is poor, it only fuels the "sack Slot" noise, and that conveniently deflects attention away from the players who are not applying themselves properly.

From "mentality monsters" to going through the motions

Klopp called this team mentality monsters for a reason, and there are still remnants of those players around the squad. Yet to me, some of those same senior figures look like the worst offenders now. It is hard not to think back to what happened at Manchester United after Sir Alex left, when Moyes came in and the existing group took advantage.

Liverpool used to react to adversity by upping the tempo and fighting their way back into games. Now, when it gets tough, it feels like we kneel far too easily, and with a complete absence of fight.

Veterans and leaders are not setting the tone

When it comes to the older heads, Salah was horrendous. I can recognise his legs have gone and his confidence has dipped. He pushed himself to the limit, but I do not think he has much left to offer now, and I am still confused why we would not look to bring in a fee if he is going to leave.

Van Dijk gets far less leniency from me. His leadership looks poor, and he seems reluctant to do basic defending if it risks making him look bad. It comes across like he would rather protect his own highlights than do the right thing for the team, including covering his left back if needed. On top of that, the constant moaning and blaming others, and the body language, is doing us no favours. It is the sort of leadership you do not want, and the comparison to Bruno says it all.

Konate was calamitous and weak. If we are offering him an extension, it only highlights how questionable the decision making has become. He has physical attributes, but for me he lacks the intelligence that separates a decent centre-half from a really good one. He does not read the game well enough, adapts too slowly, and too often looks uncoordinated.

Slot can go, but the players cannot escape it

I could go through the whole squad, but the general point is the same. This lot could raise their game. They could match the opposition physically and mentally. Instead, whether it is the approaching World Cup, disdain for the manager, or simply not being willing to hit the levels they once did, they are choosing not to.

So yes, a change might be needed, and Slot may not be equipped for the turmoil this season. But shame on the players as well. If training is poor, or fitness is not right, why are they not putting the work in away from the training ground? They have the time and resources, and there is no excuse.

Fans have every right to call for Slot to go. But the players should not be excused for what has been a painful, meandering experience watching Liverpool this season. The manager has let us down, and the players have too, while knowing they could have offered more.

Written by LFC-S MANGO April 5 2026 11:14:23