Even if Liverpool return to form good enough to maintain their Champions League qualification this season, the end-of-year summation will be painful.
The Premier League champions are, simply put, in a dire situation and, although there have been some bright spots in recent months, Arne Slott feels a world away from the brilliantly successful project he joined less than two years ago.
The Reds need to cross the finish line in at least fifth place. Even if they secure a place in next year’s Champions League and perhaps win a silver medal, there are still a lot of things that need to be fixed this summer.
What Liverpool need to improve on this summer
Liverpool have had their share of problems this season and even after last summer’s £450m splurge, changes are certainly on the way.
Defense will be the first port of call. Rennes centre-back Jeremy Jacquet has already been signed. He stayed in France until the end of the season.
But despite Jaquet’s progress and Giovanni Leoni’s recovery from an anterior cruciate ligament injury, Liverpool may not have the strength they need. Ibrahima Konate has been discussed leaving the club at the end of his contract, and Virgil van Dijk is no spring chicken.
Defense is a concern, but that’s not the only concern. Liverpool’s biggest concern is that talismanic legend Mohamed Salah has performed far below his high standards this season. The Egyptian king turns 34 in June and there is no guarantee he will play on Merseyside next season.
Premier League slot manager Mo Salah | ||
|---|---|---|
Statistics (* per 90) | 24/25 | 25/26 |
Match (start) | 38(38) | 19(17) |
Goal + Assist | 29+18 | 4+6 |
touch* | 49.1 | 48.4 |
Number of shots (on target)* | 3.4 (1.6) | 2.6(0.7) |
missed a big opportunity | twenty four | 9 |
Exact path* | 22.4 (74%) | 21.9 (76%) |
A big opportunity has arisen | 27 | 10 |
Key pass* | 2.4 | 2.2 |
Successful. dribble* | 1.5 (45%) | 0.6 (25%) |
Ball recovery rate* | 2.7 | 2.8 |
Tackle + Interception* | 0.8 | 0.5 |
Win a duel* | 3.3 (41%) | 2.1 (29%) |
That’s not the only financial concern for FSG. After all, they may need to improve on the other side as well and replace the new Darwin Nunez.
Liverpool need to upgrade with new Nunez
Kodi Gakpo has played the role of scapegoat at Anfield this season. Despite some harsh criticism, there is a reason why so many Liverpool fans are unhappy with Slott’s reliable left wing deputy.
Gakpo, 26, has scored three goals and provided one assist in his last 19 Premier League games. This is not enough, but it doesn’t tell the whole story either.
The eye test revealed it all and the Dutch star has been well below par this season, certainly lacking the fluid style that has led pundit Jamie Carragher to declare him Liverpool’s new version of Bobby Firmino. “He’s more Firmino than any other player,” said the centre-back, who retires in 2023, shortly after Gakpo joined Liverpool from PSV Eindhoven for around £35m.
That’s a little depressing. Indeed, many current Liverpool fans would struggle to see the similarities. Gakpo has become one-dimensional and predictable, lacking the maturity to be a true world-class forward.
In that respect, perhaps he could be compared to someone like Nunez, who was talented and well-liked but failed to realize his potential in England after joining Liverpool from Benfica for an initial fee of £64 million.
The range of comparisons that can be made is limited. After all, Nunez has never been predictable, even if it’s often to his detriment. However, the Uruguayan failed to find consistency and proved ineffective under Slott. Slott’s calm, calculating style was at odds with Nunez’s volatile nature.
But when Nunez continued to miss chances, Liverpool fans grew fed up and turned their attention to the academy, where young Jaden Duns, who had started his career scoring goals for the first team, was shining brightly. Analyst Ben Mattinson even said the raw talent is “a better finisher than Nunez.”
History is now repeating itself. Steven Gerrard and others have called for Gakpo to be benched and Rio Ngmoha to start playing from the first whistle.
This is not to say that Gakpo should be sold, but it is clear that Liverpool need to sign some new wingers next season, and their numbers are currently held down by their laborious wide play.
The latter is the far more likely option, with the likes of Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise and RB Leipzig prospect Yann Diomande at the top of their shopping list, but it is vital that FSG get back to their best in the transfer market and secure top-class talent who can develop into superstars.
Unfortunately, although Gakpo proved his abilities within the team, he was not in a leading role. Like Nuñez before him, his flaws were revealed.
Negotiations held: Liverpool could bring back Salah by filling the ‘genius’ slot
Slott has struggled to get any form out of Liverpool’s players this season and the pressure is mounting.
