Liverpool haven’t had a very good record this season. Last year’s indomitable atmosphere is a far cry from the new season’s lukewarm and lackadaisical performance, with Arne Slott’s side losing five of their last six Premier League games.
There’s no way to surface it. It’s so far below Anfield’s expectations that it’s unbelievable. Slott was devastated by last season’s only defeat at home to Nottingham Forest and was extremely frustrated by the stain on his role model despite a title-winning season.
But so many losses have become the norm for Liverpool this season, their title defense in tatters, and their focus now on finding enough form and focus to regain a top-four spot in the Premier League.
There is a lot to fill in the slot before the November international break ends and Liverpool face Forest in the top flight. This is a game we cannot afford to lose again.
Apart from a lack of strength and physicality in key areas and defensive fragility, Liverpool’s width this season has been quite abnormal and this is something that needs to be fixed immediately.
Liverpool’s struggles continue
Mohamed Salah’s surprising exit this season has been one of Liverpool’s biggest concerns, but the Egyptian king has achieved everything so far and will surely regain his potential in front of goal before his £400,000-a-week contract expires in 2027.
Perhaps more concerning is the form of Florian Wirths, who arrived from Bayer Leverkusen for £116m in the summer, but has yet to prove that FSG are living up to their value.
It’s clear that the 22-year-old is an incredible talent, but so far that hasn’t happened and Liverpool’s growing tactical imbalance has seen the playmaker bounce between creative positions on the left and in the middle, making it difficult to find a safe place in the slot line-up.
Similarly, Kodi Gakpo is also struggling to make a good impression. The left-sided forward has four goals and three assists in all competitions this season, but his expressions lacked nuance.
It is proving difficult for Slott to find a solution to synergize this beleaguered front line and return Liverpool to their previous level.
But one redman has put in a hugely impressive performance for his country in this week’s World Cup qualifiers and is now in a position to potentially reshape his role at Liverpool over the coming months.
Slots may have a left-field solution
A lot has gone wrong at Liverpool this season, but Hugo Ekitike’s form since joining from Eintracht Frankfurt for £69m in the summer cannot be counted as a negative.
Ekitike is a striker and was signed as such, but he played for France on the left wing as Didier Deschamps’ side defeated Ukraine 4-0 in their final World Cup qualifier on Thursday night, with reporter Bence Boksack praising his “very impressive” performance, having previously said the star’s fluidity and skill on the ball “reminds me of Bobby Firmino”.
Could Liverpool have a solution here on the left? This is hardly a revelation, but the dynamic forward has proven he has what it takes to produce incredible performances from wide areas here, and there’s an argument to be made that he offers more than Gakpo when playing that role.
Indeed, if Ekitike were to play regularly from the left wing, it would only hinder Gakpo’s hopes of getting more minutes throughout the season and beyond, especially as he will be facing Wirtz.
However, the former PSG prospect showed his potential in the position after coming off the bench midway through the first half due to an injury to Bradley Barcola, and was a threat from start to finish.
The goal was spectacular, as the 23-year-old collected the ball from inside his own half, moved forward, weaved past defenders and into the danger area, before connecting brilliantly with Kylian Mbappé to score.
Hugo Ekitike’s performance against Ukraine | |
|---|---|
match statistics | # |
Play time (minutes) | 67 minutes |
the goal | 1 |
touch | twenty two |
Number of shots (on target) | 4(2) |
exact path | 6/9 (67%) |
failed touch | 3 |
dribble | 2/2 |
collect | 1 |
ground duel | 4/5 |
Data via Sofascore | |
Ekitike may not have had much success in terms of passing, but he has shown how effective he can be in limited possession opportunities. Not only was he accurate when moving the ball forward, he was ferocious both in duels and clinically.
This economical approach showed something Merseyside have been lacking this season: the ability to make even intermittent chances count.
Unless, of course, one of Liverpool’s forwards is missing, that’s possible. Ekichike. The Les Bleus star has scored six goals and provided one assist since joining the club this summer.
The development of players who enter the Premier League from overseas is never linear, but given the current circumstances surrounding the club, the way Ekitike has integrated into life at Liverpool is remarkable.
If Slott takes note of the striker’s performance against Ukraine and starts giving him more chances, it could help Isak settle in after a record-breaking summer transfer, while also allaying fears that Isak and Ekitoke won’t be able to share Liverpool’s starting XI.
Slott has already followed this train of thought, suggesting a few weeks ago that Ekitike’s technical and physical qualities suit him for a prolific role in the wide, even at the expense of Gakpo.
Undoubtedly, Liverpool’s head coach has been keeping an eye on Ekitike’s performances on the world stage and is perhaps open to trying him out in a wider role going forward, thereby opening the door to a new dimension in his partnership with Isaac that could help restore the team’s attacking power.
If this proves to be an effective and long-term solution, it could well come at the cost of Gakpo’s long-term stay at Liverpool, but as the first few months of the campaign have shown, it is vital that Slott identifies a way of playing that is commensurate with the incredible quality of players assembled at Anfield.
