Liverpool continued 2026 by trudging all the way down to the capital with an injury-hit squad and probably the most risk-averse of sport plans, and what should occur subsequent is obvious.
Arne Slot seemingly waved the white flag earlier than the primary ball was kicked and arrange a facet to carry inflexible and agency, taking an opportunity at unpicking the low block with minimal shops to take action.
With out the presence of the in-form Hugo Ekitike prowling the ahead line, Liverpool performed the function of a shy murderer with a blunt blade, bits of bravado however zero conviction.
Florian Wirtz’s questionable VAR-permitted objective could have given approach to a last surge and what seemed like an injury-time winner, just for Liverpool to be stung as soon as extra in customary vogue and left boarding the primary prepare out of Euston station again north with tails between their legs.
This Is Anfield takes a more in-depth have a look at what should now occur subsequent.
Drop Alexis Mac Allister
There’s each a disconnect and discontent inside the Liverpool squad which is now all too obvious.
The primary murmurings of which aired curiously final week, when Alexis Mac Allister spoke brazenly in regards to the membership making too many adjustments without delay, earlier than hastening so as to add that he should preserve his full opinion to himself.
He’s right, for higher or worse. Mac Allister has suffered greater than most this season, having seen two of his South American clique in Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz transfer on, coupled with the tragic lack of shut pal Diogo Jota.
The mass upheaval in each the bodily make-up of the beginning XI and the style through which it’s now anticipated to play has left Mac Allister excessive and dry.
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“Many issues modified, as I mentioned. New gamers got here in to switch those that left, we modified too many issues, however I choose to maintain it to myself.”
We’re in January, and the throwaway excuse of Mac Allister not being on the races, or at his normal stage, is now drained.
The World Cup winner is the standout instance of a participant who can not familiarize yourself with what’s now being requested, in a crew which at present seems very a lot void of any distinct philosophy and enjoying fashion.
Taking the 27-year-old out of the fold at present appears like the precise factor to do. An act to avoid wasting a proficient participant falling right into a mindset of bitter despair, whereas avoiding fielding an incoherent midfield which is match to burst.
At Craven Cottage, Slot packed the central channels, setting out every of Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch, Curtis Jones and Dominik Szoboszlai, with the latter not endeavor full-back duties.
It was a little-seen name, culminating in a traditional case of too many cooks within the kitchen.
The pondering appeared clear sufficient: flesh out the midfield to maximise the prospect of both possession retention or rapid turnovers, earlier than enjoying Florian Wirtz or Cody Gakpo by the strains.
Each Gravenberch and Mac Allister interchanged on the pivot, but neither received a powerful grasp on the sport. Szoboszlai coming in from a wider place solely served to disrupt his fluency, stripping the Hungarian of the arrogance he all the time wears when driving from the centre of the pitch to set the press.
Jones in a complicated function to help the motion of Wirtz makes some measure of sense, however organising this manner on the expense of Mac Allister doesn’t.
On Sunday, as Raul Jimenez nearly broke by one-on-one with Alisson, Mac Allister may very well be seen floating in no man’s land, too far-off from making any significant motion.
Likewise, as substitute Harrison Reed lashed within the audacious equaliser, the Argentine was pinned again far too deep contained in the six-yard field, countless yards away from closing down the person on the sting.
Nothing good can come of this, and Mac Allister is strolling off the pitch every weekend with an excellent better chip on his shoulder, and understandably so.
With Slot persisting on on this approach, one thing has to offer, and Mac Allister all the way down to the bench as a way to facilitate a Gravenberch-Szoboszlai-Jones midfield feels the apparent, albeit controversial, resolution.
Apply what they preach with Rio Ngumoha
There’s now a really unavoidable contradiction within the discourse surrounding 17-year-old Rio Ngumoha.
The membership stance stays resolute in that the ‘pathway’ of the wonderkid can’t be blocked, but sport time is now as scant as ever. And that is in a Liverpool crew riddled with accidents within the attacking third.
The one pathway blocking proper now appears to be being carried out by Liverpool themselves. Sunday’s conflict with Fulham introduced the most effective proof thus far of a fixture screaming out for an injection of tempo and creativity, of ultimate third ingenuity and aptitude.
Because the Reds hit one brick wall after one other, Fulham’s broad males within the again three, Issa Diop and Jorge Cuena, have been afforded the luxurious of easing right into a repeatable sample.
Attract near nullify the advances of Wirtz and Gakpo, depart the massive Dane Joachim Andersen to drop deeper and tighten the hole with the goalkeeper. It labored typically sufficient.
And but Liverpool had two velocity demons on the bench within the type of younger Ngumoha and Frimpong.
In fact, there’s an argument to be appreciated that Ngumoha is but to hone the off-the-ball work and defensive guidelines which is required when being a Liverpool winger, but when changes can’t be made to cowl for a precocious expertise who has confirmed his large capabilities in beating a marker, then it begs the query of when is that this teen going to play?
The choice to not like-for-like substitute Luis Diaz was put all the way down to affording Ngumoha extra possibilities. Liverpool likewise knew this season was not going to be one other cakewalk of a title tilt.
So, {the teenager} was by no means going to be thrown on on the finish of matches every week with Liverpool cruising 3-0. It’s within the grit of battle that character is solid and expertise is actually examined. We’ve heard all too typically in soccer that for those who’re adequate, you’re sufficiently old.
Ngumoha wants extra minutes or Liverpool are merely not working towards what they preach.
Make strikes within the January switch window
And thus the window is as soon as once more upon us. Liverpool hardly ever dip into the market mid-season, but, once they do, it’s typically to sturdy impact. Assume Gakpo, Diaz, Sturridge, Coutinho.
Current studies surfacing from the highest of the membership recommend potential strikes for Bradley Barcola or Malick Fofana are a no-go, once more utilizing the identical summary reasoning of blocking out Ngumoha.
And so, it’s stick or twist time. By this logic, Liverpool going the entire of January with out making attacking recruitment has to recommend, and should lead to Ngumoha getting a rotated run within the crew.
Scratch the floor and it feels extra believable that the Anfield hierarchy of Richard Hughes and Co. have had their fingers burnt with the choice of Bournemouth’s Antonine Semenyo to go for Man Metropolis.
Concern stays rife although, and rightly so. Liverpool proceed to be one main defensive harm away from a crippled again line. A January transfer to reignite the Marc Guehi signing, which so dramatically collapsed on deadline day, has been met with silence.
Ibrahima Konate’s wayward kind coupled with Joe Gomez’s poor harm document means, as issues stand, it’s not completely implausible for the marketing campaign to finish with both Gravenberch or Wataru Endo as a makeshift centre half.
Liverpool have to chop their losses concerning what’s life like from right here on out this season, however the one remaining grail on provide is the Champions League, and neglecting this due to an ego-fuelled switch coverage may come again to chew more durable than something earlier than.
Dominant European outcomes in opposition to each Actual Madrid and final season’s finalists Inter Milan have proven that Liverpool can definitely get their home so as on the massive stage, no matter home kind.
The Fulham outcome has served as each very well timed and really constructive proof as to precisely why the Reds have to make some tweaks and enhancements this month, with the window in its infancy.
One other last-gasp squandering of victory is painful, but when Liverpool be taught from this, there stays lots to play for this season.
