Liverpool’s Struggles: Balancing Stars and Tactics

Liverpool’s current challenges can be largely attributed to Mohamed Salah’s diminished performance and the lackluster form of new attacking signings such as Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak. Salah’s productivity has significantly decreased, with his shots and touches in the box nearly halving, a situation compounded by the departure of his longtime teammate Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Wirtz has yet to register a goal or an assist in the Premier League, as he continues to adapt to the pace and physicality of English football. Isak, who joined from Newcastle for a record fee, has also struggled to make an impact due to ongoing injury issues. Although Hugo Ekitike has displayed moments of promise, his inconsistency has further highlighted the team’s difficulties in achieving attacking cohesion.

Former Liverpool player, Hutchison, suggests that Salah may need to take a step back to allow the new signings to flourish. He remarked, “The uncomfortable conversation will be around the likes of Mo Salah. There’s a way to integrate Ekitike, Isak, and Wirtz into the same team, but it means there’s no room for Salah. You could position Milos Kerkez on the left and Conor Bradley on the right as wing-backs, with Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch in midfield. Every Premier League team would love to have Wirtz, Isak, and Salah, but now it’s about finding a formula to get all four into the same lineup alongside Ekitike. It’s impractical to spend so much on these players and not have them all on the field.”

He continued, “They need to be starters moving forward. I would be very tempted to play all three from now until the season’s end to develop their chemistry and improve Liverpool’s standing in the league. This is a significant leap, but that could define Liverpool’s future lineup. The difficult discussion is how to navigate Salah’s role in that scenario. Perhaps the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations would be an opportune time to explore this option.”

Salah is not the only player under scrutiny as Liverpool’s attacking strategy faces criticism. Manchester United legend Dwight Yorke has suggested that Wirtz’s presence might be hindering the team’s tactical evolution, given his substantial transfer fee. Yorke stated, “The issue Liverpool faces is Wirtz. His price tag may complicate matters. Slot must trust his instincts regarding whether Ekitike and Isak can function effectively together, as both are capable of scoring individually. Together, they could pose an even greater threat.”

Additionally, Slot must contend with Liverpool’s unusually vulnerable defense and the midfield’s imbalance. At some point, he will need to address Salah’s role and the team’s attacking challenges. Nevertheless, the Dutch manager will find a unique opportunity to reassess when the Egyptian star departs to represent his country in the Africa Cup of Nations next month.