Arne Slot's Liverpool Crumbles: Inside the Shocking Second-Season Collapse
"Perhaps that encapsulates our entire campaign," a dejected Arne Slot confessed following Liverpool's crushing last-minute loss to Bournemouth. "We have only ourselves to hold accountable," the Dutch manager continued.
The conclusion of what was arguably football's most unconvincing 13-game undefeated streak delivered a devastating blow to Liverpool. A fifth consecutive Premier League fixture without a win materialized in gut-wrenching fashion, with Amine Adli scrambling home the winning goal in the dying seconds of a 3–2 reverse for the Reds.
Following another misleading resurgence that saw Liverpool cruise to a commanding triumph in Marseille, the shocking loss at the Vitality Stadium presented some all-too-familiar scenes. Ineffective attacking play was amplified by an unconvincing midfield display and a sequence of catastrophic defensive errors in a tenth defeat since the Community Shield—exceeding their total losses from Slot's entire inaugural campaign.
More typically careless defending from Virgil van Dijk and Liverpool's persistent struggles with set-piece defending framed a miserable encounter for the defending Premier League titleholders, though it was the match's second strike that perfectly captured a season of monumental disappointments.
Six Minutes of Madness
Six Minutes of Madness
Joe Gomez had endured yet another injury blow of the campaign while attempting to thwart Bournemouth's opening goal, clashing with Alisson during an ultimately futile desperate intervention. The defender was escorted from the pitch for medical attention and Slot initially chose not to make an instant change, after which his team failed to follow his directions to play the ball out of bounds to facilitate the substitution.
Throughout this period, Liverpool were operating a man down. Not for half a minute, or even sixty seconds, but for a full six minutes. They have been woeful enough defensively at full strength this campaign, so it came as little shock when Bournemouth capitalized on their numerical advantage to extend their lead.
Álex Jiménez's finish embodied the chaos of Liverpool's season. Slot bears responsibility for postponing Gomez's substitution, the players on the pitch deserve criticism for not recognizing the threat and clearing the ball to safety, Van Dijk and Milos Kerkez must accept fault for keeping Jiménez onside and losing track of his movement respectively.
It was a goal made possible by Liverpool's vulnerable core. It's well-documented that they have lost the ruthless mentality that secured them the title last term. Personal errors and collective disarray have led to a worrying decline, with all three goals surrendered at Bournemouth demonstrating exactly how far Liverpool have deteriorated.
Slot referenced the blustery weather, packed fixture list and Liverpool's injury problems when addressing questions about another concerning setback at the Vitality, but such justifications hold little weight after another humiliating performance and a summer investment approaching £450 million. Liverpool are declining at an alarming pace and their failure to execute fundamentals proved costly once more.
The Descent of an Unbalanced Squad
The Descent of an Unbalanced Squad
The knives are being prepared. Following the departures of Ruben Amorim, Enzo Maresca and Xabi Alonso—all of which have triggered improved performances for their former clubs—the heat continues to build on Slot. However, those in positions above him must also examine their contribution to the current predicament.
Liverpool's summer transfer activity was highly unusual for the normally shrewd Reds. £241 million invested in Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak, the acquisition of two extremely attack-minded fullbacks, the failure to replace Luis Díaz and the embarrassing breakdown of the Marc Guéhi deal have all rendered the Reds lopsided.
It was clear to many that Liverpool required two fresh center-backs and a defensive midfielder during the summer. The capture of Giovanni Leoni showed promise and his subsequent ACL tear could scarcely be predicted, but Liverpool's perceived overconfidence in their Guéhi pursuit—delaying the transfer so late that Crystal Palace couldn't secure a suitable replacement—is unforgivable. A defensively-oriented midfielder was never seriously pursued.
A video game-style spending spree that was celebrated as one of the Premier League's finest transfer windows has highlighted the significance of harmony and equilibrium at the highest level. Liverpool have apparently chosen not to strengthen the first team during January as well, only intensifying supporter frustration.
Whether Liverpool can rescue anything from the rest of a disappointing season remains uncertain—direct qualification to the Champions League knockout phase provides some relief—but sympathy for Slot persists in some quarters. Had the Dutchman possessed a superior alternative to Wataru Endo as Gomez's weekend substitute, he might have acted more quickly. For this shortcoming, the Liverpool leadership must accept accountability.
No one escapes responsibility as Liverpool's downward spiral persists.