It's no secret that Arne Slot's Liverpool, in a season when the Dutchman was hoping to win his second Premier League title, have struggled to emulate their match-winning form of last term – and that's despite spending an eye-catching amount of summer additions. Paul Scholes, now a pundit after dominating English football for years, has named two players that do not fit Slot's system.
The 2024/25 Premier League title was won at a relative canter in Slot's maiden campaign at the Anfield helm as they were named winners with four matches left to play. Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong were among the names added to the reigning champions' squad – but the majority of their big-money signings have taken too long to gel.
The Two Players Scholes Doesn't Believe Suit Slot's System
Paul Scholes
As things stand, Liverpool – who are two-time winners of the Premier League – are sat eighth in the table (level with Ruben Amorim's Manchester United and eight points off table-topping Arsenal) after 11 matches played. That's despite many being under the assumption that they'd walk the league after such an impressive summer.
Frenchman Hugo Ekitike, who is widely regarded as one of the best strikers in world football, is perhaps the only new face that can hold his head high as he's shouldered the striking responsibilities well after joining from Eintracht Frankfurt in a deal worth just shy of £80 million. Scholes singled out two players, though, when naming two players that are struggling to settle in.
"It seems like they brought players in that don't really suit the system. [Jeremie] Frimpong, [Florian] Wirtz," he said on The Good, The Bad and The Football podcast.
Both signed from the Bundesliga, fans have been especially shocked at how poorly – by his talismanic standards – Florian Wirtz has taken to life at Anfield. Yet to score or assist in the Premier League this season, the 22-year-old looks a shadow of his former self, with Jamie Carragher already insisting that he needs time on the bench.
Jeremie Frimpong, too, was signed from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer after Xabi Alonso departed for Real Madrid. Seen as a replacement for Trent Alexander-Arnold, the Dutchman is anything but – and his defensive work, or lack thereof, raises the same concerns held over the aforementioned Englishman. Now, he is seen more as a wing back.
Fowler Added a Third Name – Another Summer Signing – to the Mix
robbie fowler
Robbie Fowler, who was standing in for Paddy McGuiness, also agreed with the midfielder-turned-pundit that Frimpong is still working out how to play under the guidance of Slot and his entourage. That's especially the case given – as evidenced thus far – he does not have the tools to be an outright defender in one-v-one situations in the English top flight.
"Frimpong is the biggest example," he said before adding, "Frimpong was brought in as a Trent replacement; he's a wing back."
Fowler – who played 369 times for the Merseysiders across two separate stints – also named ex-Bournemouth ace Milos Kerkez as a third player that has struggled to shine in the spotlight of Anfield. The former striker cited the responsibilities that are carried with playing for the likes of Liverpool and Manchester United as to why the Hungarian is yet to settle.
"And Kerkez, I mean, he was everyone's favourite left back last year, and he's come in, so when you're playing for Liverpool, when you’re playing for Man United, it’s different playing for Bournemouth, it’s different playing for Brentford. It’s because there’s pressure.”