Liverpool’s lack of form is starting to be a bigger worry as they were held to a 1-1 draw with Sunderland at Anfield. The match played this past weekend was an unfortunate apogee for the new club. It was the third straight home match they have failed to win, the first time that’s happened since March 2021. In the dugout, manager Arne Slot is under increasing pressure. This result leaves Liverpool languishing in eighth place in the league, now behind Sunderland in sixth place.
It’s Liverpool’s recent form that’s made the most waves. This is hardly surprising in view of the massive £125 million outlay on a new player, who has since joining three months ago all but disappeared from the scene. This disappointing result has only added to an already widespread grievance among supporters and observers.
Persistent Issues on the Field
Liverpool’s struggles extend beyond just individual performances. The team has consistently failed to start strong, conceding the opening goal in seven of their last nine league matches. This alarming trend has left the squad scrambling to recover from early setbacks, creating additional pressure on players and coaching staff.
With this past fixture being nothing but a 0-0 bore, Liverpool’s inability to generate goal-scoring opportunities stood out. Pundits focused on a feeling of chaos and unfairness over the course of the game. Alexander Isak was supposed to be the one lighting up the spearhead of the front line. Instead, he surprised that by failing to record a single shot on goal and just two touches in the opposition area—staggering figures for a man of his quality.
Defensively, Liverpool faced challenges. Virgil van Dijk has been rightly criticized for his performances over the last few months. As many observers have noted, he tends to second-guess himself on the big play. Joe Gomez had a tough time too, losing eight of the nine duels he tried throughout the match. For context, even Dominik Szoboszlai, arguably Liverpool’s most physically capable midfielder, only came out on top in one of five ground duels.
“Any team that does the basics right have got a chance of winning against this Liverpool side.” – Jamie Carragher
A Frustrating Draw
Their last point against Sunderland came not without drama, with Jürgen Klopp’s side having just an own goal from Nordi Mukiele to thank for a point. The team hoped to compete for upper-table league positions. The outcome dealt them a huge blow and was a tough pill to swallow. Although they dominated large stretches of the matchup, Liverpool felt frustrated by their inefficiency to turn chances into scoring plays.
Arne Slot reflected on the performance post-match, acknowledging the team’s challenges while trying to remain positive.
“A bit similar to the weekend, a game where we didn’t concede a lot but we didn’t create a lot. Of course, very unlucky with the goal we conceded, I liked our reaction afterwards. We tried everything to make the winner.” – Arne Slot
That said, Slot’s remarks provided scant cover for the worrying baseline of current performance levels at Liverpool. Even the most casual of observers noted that the team was “sleepwalking” through games. They did not have the urgency, the mimicry, or intensity to win wins.
Consequences of Poor Form
With Liverpool languishing in the middle of the league table, the Liverpool supporters are beginning to wonder which way Slot will take them. It’s a familiar story from last season, where lack of consistency plagued their run of success. This season’s continued problems may bring greater hope a critical eye will be turned upon Slot’s approach and actions.
Liverpool’s big players aren’t having a go like they should be. Mohamed Salah, for example, lost all four of his attempted tackles in the second half, rendering their hopes of turning things around almost laughably far–fetched. The squad has no time to waste in correcting what’s been a dismal lack of urgency. For them to truly compete for European spots, action is needed immediately.
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