Liverpool’s Struggles: A Title Defense in Crisis

omidbasir- Liverpool invested £450 million in new signings this summer to solidify their dominance in English football after securing their 20th league championship last season. However, after 12 games of a tumultuous title defense, Arne Slot’s squad is on track to become the Premier League’s worst-ever defending champions.

Once celebrated as the ideal successor to Jürgen Klopp, Slot has found himself facing a far greater challenge this season. The 47-year-old’s team is struggling, and their current trajectory suggests they may become a historical footnote for the wrong reasons.

Key players, including Mohamed Salah, have seen a decline in form. Significant summer acquisitions such as Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz, each costing over £100 million, have proven to be disappointing, while Ibrahima Konaté has epitomized a defensive frailty that has left the team conceding more goals than it scores.

The defending champions have lost their aura of invincibility, even at 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 latest setback was their sixth defeat in seven league matches, a dismal stretch that has seen them plummet from first to eleventh place.

Only José Mourinho’s Chelsea in the 2014-15 season have had a worse start to their title defense, suffering seven defeats in their first 12 games, which ultimately led to Mourinho’s dismissal mere months after winning the championship.

Liverpool joins Blackburn Rovers (1994-95) and Leicester City (2015-16) as the only teams to record six defeats in the first 12 games of a title defense. While Blackburn managed to rebound to finish seventh, Leicester’s decision to dismiss title-winning coach Claudio Ranieri led them to a disappointing 12th-place finish—marking the lowest-ever finish for a Premier League champion.

Can Liverpool avoid a similar fate and escape the bottom half of the table? Or can Slot manage to reverse their fortunes this season?

There is a belief that Liverpool can emerge from this slump and potentially secure a top-four finish. However, football often defies such optimism, as evidenced by the rapid declines experienced by Chelsea, Blackburn, and Leicester. The pressure on Slot to effect change is mounting as the season progresses.

“Of course there is a way out, especially with the quality players we have,” Slot stated after the defeat against Forest. “But I want to emphasize that I am responsible for the current losses. You are responsible when you are winning as well as when you are losing. I cannot offer enough excuses for our results; they are far from acceptable, and I hold that responsibility.”

Captain Virgil van Dijk echoed these sentiments, suggesting that the players must also share the blame while questioning whether every teammate is fully committed. “As champions, we cannot find ourselves in this situation, but it is a reality. We need to turn it around, and that mentality must be embraced by everyone. The main issue is that everyone must take responsibility. Are they doing that? I am not sure, but it is essential.”

Slot faces numerous challenges, but determining where to start is no easy task, especially since some problems lack straightforward solutions. Konaté’s poor form has left Liverpool with no viable alternatives in defense, and the inability to secure a deadline-day transfer for Crystal Palace defender Marc Guéhi now looms large.

Adding to the woes, Liverpool’s backup option, 18-year-old Giovanni Leoni from Parma, suffered a serious injury in September and will be sidelined until next season. The absence of goalkeeper Alisson Becker has also been felt; he returned from injury only to play in the recent defeat against Forest.

Slot has also been slow to recognize that Milos Kerkez is not ready to replace Andy Robertson at left back, while the departure of Trent Alexander-Arnold to Real Madrid continues to be felt at right back, forcing Liverpool to use midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai in that position.

With a shaky defense, Liverpool’s midfielders are struggling with the increased demands. Wirtz, in particular, has failed to score or assist in 11 Premier League appearances, managing just two assists in four UEFA Champions League games. His inability to cope with the speed and physicality of the league is becoming apparent, and opponents are exploiting this vulnerability.

At the forefront, the attacking unit is faltering, a surprising issue given the wealth of talent available. Isak has yet to find the back of the net in the league since his transfer from Newcastle United, and his work rate is causing frustration among Liverpool supporters. Salah, last season’s Footballer of the Year, appears to be performing as though he regrets not moving on during the summer transfer window. Meanwhile, Hugo Ekitike, once viewed as a bright acquisition, has managed just one goal in nine outings, with no league goals in over two months.

Salah’s upcoming departure for the Africa Cup of Nations with Egypt may present an opportunity for Slot to adjust his lineup, potentially allowing Isak, Wirtz, and Ekitike to step up in his absence. However, none of these players have shown signs of being ready to meet that challenge.

Ultimately, it falls on Slot to navigate this difficult situation and ensure that Liverpool does not conclude this season as the worst defending champions in Premier League history.