Just 12 months ago, Liverpool lifted the Premier League trophy under Arne Slot, hailed as the “new Klopp” who had seamlessly inherited Jurgen Klopp’s legacy and even refined it. Today, the Reds sit 11th in the table, fresh off a humiliating run of six defeats in seven league games—including back-to-back 3-0 losses, a first for the club since 1965. How did a title-winning side collapse so spectacularly? This isn’t a mere slump; it’s a systemic failure rooted in tactical hubris, mismanaged stars, and a summer spending spree that squandered £450 million. Let’s dissect the chaos.
1. From Champions to Crisis: The Unprecedented Free Fall
Last season, Liverpool was a machine: 29 wins, 97 points, and a attack led by Mohamed Salah’s 29 goals that terrorized defenses. This season? It’s a 截然不同 story. Through 12 league games, the Reds have lost 6 times—more than their entire 2024/25 campaign—and conceded 20 goals, their worst defensive start in the Premier League era.
The low point came at Anfield against Nottingham Forest: 75% possession, just one big chance created, and a 3-0 drubbing that saw fans walk out before full time. As Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville put it: “This isn’t a bad patch—it’s a collapse of identity. Liverpool used to fight back from deficits; this season, they surrender. Last year, they gained 23 points from losing positions; this year? Zero.”
Even more damning: the “invincible” home form is gone. Liverpool has lost two of their last three league home games—matching the number of home defeats they suffered in the previous 53 league matches. For a club that once fed off Anfield’s energy, the stadium now buzzes with anxiety, not adrenaline.
2. Slot’s Tactical Suicide: Ditching Klopp’s Legacy for a Broken “Concerto”
Slot’s greatest achievement last season was convincing fans he could evolve Klopp’s “heavy metal football” into a more possession-based, “elegant concerto.” This season, that concerto has turned into a cacophony—and it’s entirely his fault.
Klopp’s Liverpool thrived on high-intensity pressing, rapid transitions, and Salah’s devastating runs behind defenses. Slot abandoned that for slow, lateral possession that prioritizes “control” over cutting edge. The numbers tell the tale:
- Liverpool averages 62% possession this season (up from 57% last year) but creates 1.8 big chances per game (down from 2.5).
- Against Forest, 75% possession yielded just 0.3 xG (expected goals)—a stat that mocks Slot’s “tactical sophistication.”- Set-piece defending has collapsed: 9 goals conceded from set pieces this season, equal to their entire 2024/25 total.
- Worse, Slot’s team selection has been baffling. With right-backs Bradley and Frimpong injured, he deployed midfield lynchpin Dominik Szoboszlai at right-back—a move This Is Anfield called “like asking a Michelin chef to wash dishes.” Meanwhile, Joe Gomez, a seasoned defender, has been benched for 10 straight league games despite Ibrahima Konaté’s catastrophic form (4 errors leading to goals this season).
- Slot’s defense of his choices? “We need to trust the process.” For Liverpool fans, that process now looks like a deliberate dismantling of what made the club great.
3. Salah’s Fall: From “Pharaoh” to Scapegoat—Stats Expose the Truth
Mohamed Salah once joked he was “the best player in the world.” This season, he’s a shadow of himself—and the debate rages: is he a victim of Slot’s system, or a overpaid liability?
The data is brutal. Compare Salah’s 2024/25 and 2025/26 campaigns:
| Metric | 2024/25 (Per 90 mins) | 2025/26 (Per 90 mins) |
|---|---|---|
| Goals | 0.78 | 0.36 |
| Assists | 0.49 | 0.18 |
| Shots on Target | 1.63 | 0.80 |
| Touches in Opponent Box | 10.50 | 7.32 |
| Chances Created | 2.37 | 2.25 |
Salah’s decline isn’t just age (he’s 33); it’s tactical incompatibility. Slot’s slow possession game doesn’t give Salah the space to exploit his greatest strength—bursting behind defenses. Instead, he’s forced to drop deep, defend, and link play—roles that waste his elite finishing.
Yet Slot has scapegoated him. Salah has been benched for three straight league games, including the full 90 minutes against Leeds. His post-match rant—“I feel abandoned. They’re using me as a scapegoat”—wasn’t just anger; it was despair. As former Tottenham star Mido put it: “If Salah were English—if he were Steven Gerrard—he’d never be treated this way. This is about more than form; it’s about respect.”
Salah’s £400,000-a-week salary (the highest in Liverpool’s history) has made him an easy target. But let’s be clear: he’s still the club’s second-top scorer this season (4 goals). The problem isn’t Salah—it’s a system that neuters his talent.
4. Salah vs. Slot: A Toxic Rift That’s Torn the Dressing Room Apart
The final nail in Liverpool’s coffin is the public war between Salah and Slot. What started as a tactical disagreement has exploded into a full-blown crisis.
Salah has accused Slot of breaking “promises” made during his April contract extension. Slot has refused to explain why Salah is benched, instead saying: “I make decisions for the team.” But the “team” is falling apart. Captain Virgil van Dijk’s vague “let him speak” response to Salah’s rant speaks volumes—there’s division in the ranks.
Worse, FSG has stayed silent. By backing Slot (for now), they’ve alienated a club legend. Saudi clubs like Al Hilal are circling, confident they can sign Salah for far less than the £150M bid they made two years ago. If Salah leaves, it won’t just be a loss of talent—it’ll be a betrayal of a player who scored 250 goals in 420 games for Liverpool.
5. £450M Down the Drain: The Summer Transfer Window That Doomed Liverpool
FSG (Fenway Sports Group) boasted they’d “supercharge” Liverpool’s title defense with a record summer spend. Instead, they bought a collection of misfits who’ve failed to integrate—and exposed Slot’s inability to manage new talent.
Alexander Isak (£125M): The most expensive signing in club history has 2 goals in 11 games. Against Forest, he touched the ball just 14 times and failed to force a single save. He’s slow, disjointed, and a poor fit for Slot’s system—yet Slot keeps starting him over Hugo Ekitike, who just scored his first France goal.
- Florian Wirtz (£120M): The German “wonderkid” has 0 goals and 0 assists in 11 league games. Slot has played him in 5 different positions, leaving him confused and ineffective. Former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy summed it up: “You don’t spend £120M on a player and move him all over the pitch. It’s negligence.”
- Defensive Failures: Liverpool chased Marc Guéhi all summer but failed to sign him, instead gambling on an 18-year-old Serie B defender who tore his ACL in September. With Konaté struggling and Gomez benched, the defense has become a liability.
- FSG wanted a “superteam”; they got a disjointed mess. The £450M spend wasn’t an investment—it was a panic buy that papered over tactical flaws.
Conclusion: Liverpool’s Choice—Fix the Chaos or Lose a Generation
Liverpool’s 2025 collapse isn’t the fault of one person. It’s Slot’s tactical arrogance, FSG’s reckless spending, and the mishandling of a club icon in Salah. The Reds stand at a crossroads:
- Fire Slot and revert to a system that works—but risk losing the “long-term plan.”
- Sell Salah to Saudi Arabia for a quick profit—but destroy fan trust and lose their most recognizable star.
- Stick with the status quo—and watch a once-great club spiral into midtable obscurity.
One thing is clear: the “concerto” Slot promised is over. The question now is whether Liverpool can pick up the pieces—or if this is the end of their latest golden era. For fans, the answer can’t come soon enough.
