Liverpool is no longer a nightmare in the Premier League

15/10/2025 07:46:00 ScoreStream

Liverpool was beaten by Crystal Palace in the 6th minute of injury time, followed by a similar defeat against Chelsea in the 7th minute of added time. In between, they lost to Galatasaray in the Champions League because of a penalty given to the opponent.

These three straight losses still don’t capture all of The Kop’s issues. It’s more than just errors in defense or abrupt squad changes this season that have led to tactical instability.

Systemic problems

Liverpool no longer seems to be a smoothly running machine under coach Arne Slot, and one of the main concerns is their pressing—or lack thereof. A detail unseen on TV during the recent Chelsea defeat was Dominik Szoboszlai closing down four of the home side’s attackers in succession. On the last pass in Chelsea’s sequence, number 8 turned back and signaled for support.

This kind of isolated "chasing the ball" raises bigger questions about Liverpool’s overall pressing system. Where are the other links positioned, and how should they act to make pressing effective? PSG’s treble-winning success was built on a high-press system led by Ousmane Dembele.

Under Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool were also experts in this area, disrupting opponents’ entire play by having forwards like Salah, Firmino, and Mane exert maximum effort to recover possession high up the pitch. Sacrificing the Egyptian forward in this role and freeing him up in the opponent’s final third caused the pressing system to collapse. Last season, the reigning champions’ pressing intensity slightly decreased compared to previous years but remained effective when applied.

Currently, intensity and coordination have declined, allowing opponents to easily bypass Liverpool’s defensive structure and defeat them at crucial moments. Reviewing stats from only 10 matches doesn’t fully assess the team’s effectiveness but can indicate trends and potential for improvement in Liverpool’s style of play.

The frequency at which The Kop gained control of the ball in the opponent’s final third dropped from 4.5 times per 90 minutes last season to 3.9 times this season. Opponents’ passes per defensive action increased (showing less Liverpool pressing) from 8.9 to 9.4, and Liverpool’s pressing sequences fell from 12.6 times last season to 10.4 this season. This has forced central defenders to defend more, leading to more individual errors and a sudden rise in goals conceded by the English champions.

Key players like Salah have declined, newcomers have yet to integrate, making Liverpool vulnerable to defeat

Last season, Van Dijk averaged 8.1 defensive actions per 90 minutes. This season, he performs 11.3 defensive actions. Ibrahima Konate averaged 6.9 last season, now 8.6 so far. Combined, this suggests less frequent or less effective defending from higher up the pitch, or both, resulting in Liverpool playing less efficiently.

Decline in quality

Defensive mistakes, ineffective pressing, newcomers not adapting to the playing philosophy, veterans struggling as the system changes, and injuries occurring after international duty—all these factors could trigger a chain reaction crisis.

Clearly, something is shifting. Ball control, considered a hallmark of Slot’s style, has faced practical challenges. Last season, The Kop was an experienced squad perfectly managing tempo through ball control skills.

This season, that foundation was expected to evolve naturally with the arrival of technical players like Florian Wirtz, Alexander Isak, and Hugo Ekitike. They seem designed to add variety and sharpness to the English champions.

Ryan Gravenberch now anchors the midfield, Alexis Mac Allister plays slightly higher, and Wirtz or Dominik Szoboszlai operate in areas just outside the opponent’s penalty box, linking midfield and attack.

In theory, this lineup is built to dominate, with technical solidity, greater precision, calmness on the ball, and increased sharpness in the final third. However, this has also altered the team’s internal cohesion.

Liverpool still dominates possession but fails to control space, allowing opponents more freedom to move. This difference is decisive. Sometimes they hold 80% possession, but when their midfield breaks down, the number of dangerous situations they face is too great to withstand. Now, Slot must readjust Liverpool’s entire philosophy and playing system.

A tough month and grueling

In the next monthleading up to the November FIFA international breakLiverpool will face a brutal schedule, from the Premier League to the Champions Leaguestartingwith the home game against Manchester United this weekend.

19/10 Liverpool - Manchester United (Premier League)

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26/10 Brentford - Liverpool

30/10 Liverpool - Crystal Palace (League Cup)

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5/11 Liverpool - Real Madrid

9/11 Manchester City – Liverpool

Nhat Minh

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