Liverpool Legend Sounds Alarm: Arne Slot Faces Looming 'Crisis' at Anfield
Ex-Liverpool center-back Jamie Carragher declared it "emergency mode" for the current Premier League title holders after spotting obvious weaknesses in their tactical approach that have left Arne Slot visibly puzzled.
Liverpool endured their fourth consecutive league defeat on Saturday evening, joining only three other defending champions to suffer such a streak. However, it was how they lost to Brentford that sparked widespread alarm. The pattern was all too familiar.
Slot's team were repeatedly exposed by aerial balls and dead-ball situations. This represents Brentford's forte—coach Keith Andrews was specifically brought in to handle the club's set-piece operations before assuming the manager's role from Thomas Frank during the summer—but a growing number of Liverpool's rivals have adopted this tactical blueprint.
Both Manchester United and Chelsea recorded their highest seasonal totals for long passes during their recent wins over the Reds, prompting Slot to criticize such tactics from clubs "with all their skilled personnel."
The Dutch manager troublingly admitted: "It's clear that opponents have adopted a specific approach against us; it's proving highly effective. We haven't discovered a solution as of yet."
Carragher attributed the squad's shortcomings in these physical battles to their lack of robust players. "Liverpool must examine the strength and stature throughout their roster because, at present, I believe they're lacking sufficient presence," worried the former defender—who prides himself on accumulating over 500 Premier League matches despite being under 6 feet tall—during his Sky Sports analysis.
"Four consecutive defeats would spell catastrophe for Brentford," Carragher added. "Witnessing the champions suffer this fate after their summer investment means Liverpool are now in emergency territory.
"Serious discussions will take place in the changing room among players, coaching personnel, and senior management. Given their spending, expectations will be considerably higher."
Among the Liverpool players facing criticism for lacking steel, many joined during the summer window. Florian Wirtz hasn't adapted to the Premier League's intensity while Jeremie Frimpong struggles with fitness to demonstrate his capabilities. Despite Milos Kerkez's success with an attacking Bournemouth team last season, his move appears to have diminished the fullback's physical presence.
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After nine games in the Premier League, Manchester United are above Liverpool in the table. Who would have predicted that at the start of the season? pic.twitter.com/0rHCHq5KLw
Carragher's Sky Sports partner Gary Neville stopped short of declaring full crisis mode. "This has moved beyond a temporary setback—it's becoming genuinely worrying," he reflected.
Instead of simply criticizing Liverpool, Neville drew parallels between their attacking mindset and the chaotic Manchester United sides from previous eras. "Arne Slot's Liverpool echo my former Man Utd teams," he observed.
"We experienced wild spells where we consistently threatened to score, yet we were completely disorganized.
"You can count on [Mohamed] Salah, [Hugo] Ekitiké, Wirtz, [Alexander] Isak, [Cody] Gakpo and company to find the net. However, the rest must provide stability and avoid constant vulnerability and exposure. It may seem like rebuilding from the ground up, but that's sometimes necessary. When everything becomes frantic and unpredictable, as it currently is for Liverpool, you must establish a solid base."