Liverpool Suffer Third Defeat on the Spin – Blip or Crisis?

As the Premier League pauses for the October international break, Liverpool find themselves in second place in the table, trailing leaders Arsenal by just one point. At first glance, this seems like a positive enough start for the reigning champions, but this does not tell the full picture.

The Reds have not looked like the formidable side that so easily claimed the league title last season. A leaky defence, combined with an attack that is certainly not firing on all cylinders, saw the Reds lose three consecutive games across competitions before the October international break. Is this mini losing streak, their worst since late in the 2022/23 season, a mere temporary stumble or a sign of troubles to come?

Late Goals Hide Underlying Problems

Fifteen points from the opening seven matches of the season is a solid return, but it could so easily have been fewer than that. Of Liverpool’s five league victories so far, four of them have come courtesy of a late strike (or late strikes!). Of course, goals all count the same whenever they are scored, but the point here is that Liverpool are not in control of matches. Consistently requiring late goals to win three points is not something a side can maintain.

These late winners have avoided Liverpool spending the October international break further down the table, but that is probably where their performances should put them. In terms of expected points, the Reds sit in seventh place with a total of 11.27 (an overperformance of 3.73, the second biggest in the league). They are also joint 10th for goals conceded and 9th when it comes to xG conceded.

Arne Slot’s side has already shipped in nine goals, a total they had not reached by the beginning of December last year. There are a few reasons for this defensive shakiness; one noticeable one is Ibrahima Konate’s error-riddled performances. The failure of new fullbacks Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong to immediately hit the ground running has not helped matters either.

Fans will argue over the reasons, but the bottom line is that Liverpool have been unimpressive defensively. Pushing for the title while conceding so many chances is a tall order, as it will require scoring so many goals at the other end. You may be thinking this is a reasonable solution for a team boasting Liverpool’s attacking qualities, but Slot’s men have not looked brilliant in attack either.

Thirteen goals scored, and 12.48 xG in seven matches are very decent numbers, but the issue is more that Liverpool have several misfiring names in their attacking ranks. Despite looking so good last season, the usually ever-so reliable Mohamed Salah has performed poorly. He’s managed just one successful dribble (from 11 attempts) and is averaging just two shots a match, much below his lowest Liverpool average of 3.3.

Then there is £116m signing Florian Wirtz. Given his price tag and reputation, Liverpool fans were expecting big things from the German, but he has failed to deliver so far. For someone expected to pull the string in the number 10 role, he has done very little of that. In the Premier League and Champions League, he has amassed just 1.3 in expected goals and 1.4 in expected assists. Part of the reason for this is that he is simply touching the ball much less. Currently, he has received 6.73 progressive passes per 90 minutes, down from an average of 11.7 in the previous two seasons.

Finally, it has not helped that £125m man Alexander Isak joined the club lacking match fitness. His slow start can largely be excused because of this, but the Reds will need to see some quality from him soon. He is still searching for his first league goal, and the longer the run continues, the more it may begin to shake his confidence and harm Liverpool’s form.

With issues at both ends of the pitch, it is little surprise that results soon began to turn for Arne Slot, culminating in three successive defeats across competitions. Somewhat ironically, two of these defeats came after the Reds conceded very late goals.

Can Liverpool Turn Things Around?

Liverpool’s first fixture back after the international break is against Manchester United. Not the easiest test, given the rivalry, but they will be glad to be back on home soil. The Merseysiders have won all five matches at Anfield this season, whereas United are without an away win.

Looking further ahead, the likes of Wirtz, Salah, Isak and Konate have not turned into bad players overnight, so there is every reason to think they will improve. When signing so many new players, as Liverpool have this summer, there is often an adjustment period involved, so, naturally, they look a little disjointed for now. However, with the talent available, once the chemistry builds, Liverpool have the quality to be a real force again.