By Talal osman
Another night of Liverpool's collapse ended with the faint sound and sad tone of the anthem «You'll Never Walk Alone», as if the stands themselves had lost the ability to raise their voices.According to an analytical report published by the British newspaper «The Telegraph», the anthem was barely audible, but the message it carried reached across the Atlantic Ocean to John W. Henry and the leaders of the «Fenway Sports Group», who find themselves facing an unimaginable dilemma: How can we stop what is quickly turning into one of the biggest sporting collapses in the modern era, and one of the worst chapters in the golden history of Liverpool Football Club?
The Premier League has not seen a champion team collaps
e so quickly since Claudio Ranieri's side with Leicester City. Arne Slot's team falls freely; One degree after another, even the victories it achieved at the beginning of the season need to be re-evaluated; It seems that his local ranking and position in the Champions League were better than his real level. The team's weakness without the ball, and the sagging of its defensive structure, made questions arise about its ability to ensure survival had it not been for some late goals that changed its results.
Fortunately for Slott, his tally is still large as a «league champion coach»; He loses by 3 goals for the third match in a row, which exceeds the limits of a passing «series of losses». The current situation is like a complete emergency. Just a few months ago some were calling him the «new Bob Paisley», but the 4-1 loss to PSV Eindhoven came close to Roy Hodgson's worst days and the end of Brendan Rodgers' era, especially since it came a week after the 3-0 loss to Nottingham Forest, and before that the same lackluster performance against Manchester City. There is no indication that the «league champion» is hiding in this team, although the majority of players have enough titles to prove that they can be much better... And faster... And stronger... And the best readiness.
Just two months ago, «Fenway's» management was considering extending Slott's contract, which has 19 months remaining. Now; He would be lucky if he held out another 19 matches if this was his players' reaction to calls «awakening».American owners are usually characterized by keeping emotion out of the biggest decisions. But due to the harsh conditions the club went through last summer, it seems almost impossible to take a cold stance on Slot's situation. At the same time, the accumulated anxiety after losses in the league has been compounded by what is happening to «Anfield», which is approaching an unprecedented situation in the club's modern history, that is, after 1959.The team is now experiencing its worst streak since the 1953 - 1954 relegation season, when it went 15 matches without a win, including 10 defeats. As for Slot's current streak, with 9 losses in 12 matches, it threatens to surpass that historic bottom.
This is not the first time in a decade that Liverpool has collapsed. Jurgen Klopp himself experienced similar moments after the 2020 title, and then after the 2022 season when he was just two matches away from a historic quadruple before his team's performance declined frighteningly. But, with all due respect, what happened then is nothing compared to what is happening now. There was no doubt that Klopp could fix any flaw, whether it came as a result of injuries or mistakes in the transfer market.As for Slott, he of course has the shield «great success» that he achieved last season, but for the first time the question arises: Where is the evidence that his defense is capable of repelling any attack? Slott himself admitted that «no coach can keep losing without stopping». Confidence in his training abilities is good, but there were many opportunities to prove this confidence... None of it was exploited.Sports director Richard Hughes and Fenway CEO Michael Edwards are also at the center of this storm. They both have a contract with the same duration as Slot. Last summer, many were hoping the two men would sign «forever» and build a project...
Sports director Richard Hughes and Fenway CEO Michael Edwards are also at the center of this storm. They both have a contract with the same duration as Slot. Last summer, many were hoping the two men would sign «forever» and build a long-term project. Today, the more the team collapses under pressure, the closer the questions become to the duo's circle: Is the problem with the coach, the summer deals, or both?
The last match brought back all the same ills: amateur defense, a midfield without coverage, and complete panic as soon as you fell behind. Every time Liverpool go after the result, they sacrifice a defender - often Ibrahima Konate - in a desperate offensive attempt.
«PSV» is a respectable team, not among the top-tier teams in Europe, however, it seemed like one of the great versions in the history of Dutch football. After all the words of enthusiasm before the match, Liverpool appeared like an old steam tractor, not like a fast train: there was no intensity, mistakes increased, and anxiety turned into a clear state on the field.Virgil van Dijk, who was known for his coldness and elegant performance, made a disastrous mistake after only 5 minutes, when he touched the ball inside the area, objecting to contact with Gerdy Schouten. The referee did not pay attention to his protest. Then the defense appeared again as if it was dealing with a «hand grenade» inside the area. Ivan Perisic scored the penalty, leaving Liverpool facing an obstacle they had not overcome all season: overturning the score after falling behind.However, the team improved for a short time and should have taken the lead before the end of the first half. Dominic Subuslay, one of the few players who can be exonerated of criticism, scored the equalizer in the 15th minute after Cody Khakpo's rebound shot.
There were positive signs, but they did not last. It's hard to remember the last time Liverpool played a full match with a good 90 minutes since the coronation season. The fitness level of some players has become worrying; They seem to collapse physically after the first hour every week. As soon as «BSV» advanced again through Goose Tail, and then Konate made a new mistake that allowed Cohib Drewicz to score his first goal, the spirit within «Anfield» was extinguished. There is no longer the slightest feeling that a return is possible.
However, the team improved for a short time and should have taken the lead before the end of the first half. Dominic Subuslay, one of the few players who can be exonerated of criticism, scored the equalizer in the 15th minute after Cody Khakpo's rebound shot.There were positive signs, but they did not last. It's hard to remember the last time Liverpool played a full match with a good 90 minutes since the coronation season. The fitness level of some players has become worrying; They seem to collapse physically after the first hour every week. As soon as «BSV» advanced again through Goose Tail, and then Konate made a new mistake that allowed Cohib Drewicz to score his first goal, the spirit within «Anfield» was extinguished. There is no longer the slightest feeling that a return is possible.The problem Slott fears now is that this feeling might creep into the minds of many others... And maybe to the executive office in «Fenway Park».
