Liverpool Faces Historic Struggles in Title Defense

omidbasir- Liverpool Football Club has invested a staggering £450 million in new signings this summer, aiming to reinforce its status as England’s football powerhouse after clinching its 20th league championship last season. However, after 12 games into their tumultuous title defense, manager Arne Slot’s squad is on track to set the record for the worst-ever performance by a defending champion in Premier League history.

Initially celebrated as the ideal successor to Jürgen Klopp, who successfully transitioned Liverpool into a new era with minimal alterations last season, Slot is now grappling with an entirely different set of challenges. The 47-year-old finds himself in a precarious situation, with his team risking infamy for all the wrong reasons.

Star player Mohamed Salah has struggled to find the back of the net, while significant summer acquisitions Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz—each costing over £100 million—have proven to be disappointing investments. Additionally, Ibrahima Konaté has epitomized a defensive crisis, as the team has conceded more goals than it has scored in the league.

The aura of invincibility that once surrounded the defending champions has been shattered, even at their home ground, Anfield. A recent 3-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest marked the first time since 1965 that Liverpool has suffered consecutive league losses by three goals. This troubling trend has resulted in six losses across seven league matches, causing the team to plummet from the top of the table to 11th position.

Historically, only José Mourinho’s Chelsea in the 2014-15 season have experienced a worse start to a title defense, with seven defeats in their first 12 games leading to Mourinho’s dismissal just seven months after winning the title.

Liverpool is not alone in its challenges; Blackburn Rovers and Leicester City also recorded six defeats in their initial matches as defending champions. While Blackburn managed to recover and finish seventh in the following season, Leicester’s trajectory was more dismal, concluding their season in 12th place after the dismissal of title-winning coach Claudio Ranieri.

The pivotal question now is whether Liverpool will follow in Leicester’s footsteps and finish in the bottom half of the table, or if Slot can rectify the current downward spiral and steer his team toward success this season.

Despite the ongoing struggles, many believe Liverpool has the potential to emerge from this losing streak and secure a top-four finish. However, football’s unpredictable nature has made it clear that past champions like Chelsea, Blackburn, and Leicester have faced rapid declines. The pressure mounts on Slot to enact meaningful changes swiftly.

“Of course there is a way out, especially with the quality players we have,” Slot remarked after the defeat against Forest. “But I want to emphasize that I am responsible for the current losses. You are accountable when you win, as well as when you lose. I cannot find enough excuses for our results; they are simply not good enough, and I take full responsibility.”

Captain Virgil van Dijk provided a more incisive critique of the team’s shortcomings, indicating that players must accept their share of the blame while questioning whether all teammates are fully committed. “As the champions, we cannot find ourselves in this situation, but it is a reality we must confront,” he stated. “What can we do? We must strive to reverse this trend, and that should be the mentality for everyone. The key is that everyone must take responsibility. Are they doing that? I’m not sure, but they need to.”

Slot faces numerous challenges, yet determining where to start is difficult, with some issues lacking clear solutions. Alongside Van Dijk, Konaté’s form has waned, leaving Slot without a viable alternative. The failure to secure a deadline-day deal for Crystal Palace defender Marc Guéhi looms large over Liverpool’s current predicament.

Liverpool’s backup option, 18-year-old Giovanni Leoni, signed from Parma, has been sidelined due to a cruciate ligament injury, compounding Slot’s defensive woes. Meanwhile, the absence of goalkeeper Alisson Becker, who returned to action only recently, has exacerbated the instability in defense.

At left back, Slot has been slow to recognize that Milos Kerkez is too inexperienced to adequately replace Andy Robertson. The departure of Trent Alexander-Arnold to Real Madrid is increasingly felt, as Liverpool has often resorted to deploying midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai at right back.

With such an erratic defense, Liverpool’s midfielders are struggling to meet the demands placed upon them, particularly when Wirtz is in the lineup. The young German has yet to register a goal or assist in 11 Premier League appearances, although he has garnered two assists in four UEFA Champions League matches. His inability to cope with the pace and physicality of the league is becoming increasingly apparent, as opponents exploit his weaknesses.

Up front, the team’s offensive strategies are failing, a surprising turn of events given the wealth of talent at Slot’s disposal. Isak has yet to score a league goal since joining from Newcastle United, and his lack of effort has not gone unnoticed by the fans. Salah, last season’s Footballer of the Year, appears to be playing as if he regrets not pursuing a move away from Liverpool this summer. Meanwhile, Hugo Ekitike, once viewed as a bright prospect, has scored only one goal in nine outings and has failed to find the net in the Premier League for over two months.

Salah’s upcoming participation in the Africa Cup of Nations with Egypt could provide Slot with an opportunity to recalibrate his attacking lineup, possibly allowing Isak, Wirtz, and Ekitike to step up in his absence. However, none of these players have demonstrated the necessary readiness to seize this moment.

Ultimately, it falls to Slot to extract the team from its current predicament and ensure that Liverpool does not end the season as the worst defending champions in Premier League history.