Liverpool's new-look attack is yet to click but it was another strong international break for a number for Arne Slot's attacking stars
Arne Slot
Arne Slot has plenty to ponder ahead of Liverpool's return to Premier League action
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Liverpool’s woes so far this season have predominantly been issues defensively, with the Reds keeping just four clean sheets all campaign long. But that does not mean it has been plain sailing in Arne Slot’s attack either.
Scoring 31 goals from 18 games in all competitions, Liverpool have also shipped 27 goals. Down in eighth in the Premier League, and trailing league-leaders Arsenal by eight points, despite spending a record-breaking £450m in the summer transfer window, such an outlay has inevitably been used as a stick to beat the Reds with during what has already been a flailing title defence.
Slot did strengthen at both ends of the field, with Jeremie Frimpong, Giovanni Leoni and Milos Kerkez coming in to bolster his defensive ranks.
Meanwhile, Liverpool spent £320m to revamp their attack by signing Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak and breaking the British transfer record twice in the process.
But while Ekitike has been an instant success at Anfield, the rest of his fellow new recruits have struggled to justify their hefty fees during the formative months of their Reds careers.
The scrutiny on Isak and Wirtz in particular is intense, given their lofty transfer fees. And boasting just one Premier League goal contribution between them from Liverpool’s 11 league matches to date, the contrasting fortunes of their predecessors, Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez, since moving on has not aided matters.
Diaz has been a revelation at Bayern Munich, returning 11 goals and five assists from just 17 appearances. And while Nunez has battled injury, he still boasts four goals and two assists from eight outings for Al-Hilal.
Admittedly, the quality of the Premier League is superior to both the Bundesliga and Saudi Pro League. But with every below-par Reds performance seemingly accompanied by another goal for Diaz and Nunez overseas, it is hard not to let the eye wander wistfully.
In contrast, Ekitike is the Reds’ leading goalscorer with six goals while no Liverpool forward boasts more than three assists.
And it has not gone unnoticed that Mohamed Salah, who won the Premier League Playmaker award last season, has not yet assisted any of Liverpool’s new arrivals.
The Egyptian has already admitted publicly that it will take time to build up chemistry with his new team-mates in attack, as he bemoaned the exits of Nunez and Diaz.
But while the Reds’ new-look attack might be yet to click back on Merseyside, the individuals themselves have at least flourished in more familiar surroundings during another international break.
Wirtz registered two stunning assists in Germany’s 6-0 thrashing of Slovakia, while Ekitike scored his first goal for France with an equally eye-catching individual strike against Ukraine.
Germany's midfielder #19 Leroy Sane (2R) celebrates with Germany's forward #11 Nick Woltemade (L), Germany's midfielder #17 Florian Wirtz and Germany's defender #22 David Raum scoring his team's third goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 European qualification Group A football match between Germany and Slovakia, at the Red Bull Arena in Leipzig, eastern Germany on November 17, 2025. (Photo by Odd ANDERSEN / AFP) (Photo by ODD ANDERSEN/AFP via Getty Images)
Florian Wirtz was in sparkling form, providing two assists, as Germany booked their place at the World Cup on Monday night
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Meanwhile, Cody Gakpo returned a goal and an assist in the Netherlands’ 4-0 thrashing of Lithuania as all three forwards helped their respective nations book their place at next summer’s World Cup.
Such efforts followed on from Wirtz also scoring against Northern Ireland in the September international break and Ekitike assisting Kylian Mbappe against Azerbaijan in October. Meanwhile, Gakpo recorded four goals and three assists from his six international appearances since the start of the campaign.
And while Isak has been unable to make an impact for Sweden, having been limited by injury and fitness issues, Salah at least recorded three goals from three competitive international appearances as he too helped Egypt secure World Cup qualification.
With Liverpool set to return to domestic action at home to Nottingham Forest on Saturday, Slot will hope his forwards’ international form can translate back to club-level.
But it has certainly been a quandary for the Dutchman, trying to forge a successful, new-look attack.
He is not the first Reds boss to have put together a big-money front-line, with Liverpool admittedly having mixed results in the past when it comes to expensive overhauls.
But one of their most successful transitions came under the stewardship of Sir Kenny Dalglish, when forced to navigate the departure of Ian Rush to Juventus in the summer of 1987.
Liverpool first signed John Aldridge from Oxford United in a £750k deal in January 1987, before John Barnes and Peter Beardsley followed the following summer. The former signed in a £900k deal from Watford, while the Reds broke the British transfer record to land the latter in a £1.9m switch from Newcastle United.
Dalglish’s attacking overhaul was then completed come October when Liverpool brought in Ray Houghton from Oxford United in an £825k deal.
While such fees are meagre compared to the fees paid today, they were considerable at the time.
Ray Houghton celebrates after scoring for Liverpool at Goodison Park in the FA Cup in 1988
Ray Houghton celebrates after scoring for Liverpool at Goodison Park in the FA Cup in 1988
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Yet despite such an overhaul, the Reds went on to enjoy one of their most successful ever seasons in 1987/88, reclaiming the First Division title as they lost just two of their 40 league matches and put together a remarkable record 29-match unbeaten start to the season.
Houghton might have been the latest recruit, joining in mid-October, he sees a difference to the Liverpool squad he joined and the one Slot has put together today.
The Reds’ latest summer signings might have joined the Premier League champions, but Houghton walked into a side that had been winning league titles and European Cups for years.
“When I think back to it, this is nothing against the Liverpool players that are there at the moment, but the Liverpool squad I came into had been winning doubles,” he exclusively told the ECHO, speaking on behalf of iGamingNuts. “They'd been winning the European Cups, they'd be winning leagues on a regular basis, and they don't forget that.
“Whereas if you look at the lads at the minute, they won it last season and some of them might have won it with Jurgen (Klopp), but there's a new turnover of players and youngsters coming through.
“Whereas back then, I played with Bruce Grobbelaar who had won everything. Stevie Nicol, Alan Hansen, Gary Gillespie. All these lads had already been there, seen it, done it.
“So John Barnes, John Aldridge, Peter Beardsley and myself, we were coming into a group of players who were regular winners. Not just the odd occasion, regular winners.
“In 1985/86, they'd won the double. They didn't do as well in 1986/87 so that's why they sort of changed things. Ian Rush moved on and that's when the new players came in, but it was seamless moving to the club because the players you played with had this desire and determination, year in, year out, that they knew what to do.
“Whereas the group that's there at the moment, they won it last season, they won under Jurgen a few seasons ago and have been involved, but it might just take some of the new players a little bit more time to get up to pace for what's required.”
There is a difference in the profile of players Liverpool have recruited too. Aldridge, Barnes, Beardsley and Houghton were all already at the peak of their powers when moving to Anfield, and were all proven players in the English top-flight.
Milos Kerkez and Alexis Mac Allister of Liverpool
Milos Kerkez and Alexis Mac Allister of Liverpool
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In contrast, the Reds stuck to their traditional model under owners Fenway Sports Group during the latest transfer window with the majority of their new arrivals aged 24 and under.
And from the eight new senior arrivals, only Isak and Milos Kerkez boast considerable Premier League experience.
Of course, such experience does not guarantee success, as demonstrated by the pair’s slow starts, while the 23-year-old Ekitike has been the lone new arrival to make an instant impact at Liverpool.
But while the likes of Isak, Wirtz and Kerkez are yet to truly settle at Anfield, Houghton is confident all three will prove their worth in time.
“Everyone's looking and they want to find out reasons why is it not quite going for Florian at the moment,” he said. “Ekitike is the one, isn't he? He's been the one that's stood out.
“You can't judge Isak because he's not been fit enough. He's picked up an injury, so I can't judge him on what he's doing at Liverpool. I can only judge him on what he did at Newcastle.
“And the way he played at Newcastle and the way that Liverpool play, I thought he'd score bundles of goals at Liverpool because of the number of chances Liverpool would create for him. And I still believe that. I'm still of the impression that will happen.
“I said about Florian at the start of the season, I thought it might take him a little bit of time because I'm not sure where Liverpool were going to play him.
“When we play with Gravenberch, Szoboszlai and Mac Allister, we've got powerhouses that can do everything. If you play with Florian you might have to change it around, so you play with two and an out and out ten.
“Whereas with the three lads that are in there, they can rotate because they know each other's game inside out. They've played there all last season, very successfully, and when they're all fit and healthy, they're the three at the moment that look most likely to get results for Liverpool.
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“But that's taking nothing away with Florian. He'll just maybe take a little bit of time. What you can't question is his ability. His ability is there for everyone to see. He can see a pass, he can run at players, he picks up positions.
“I'd like to actually tell him at times to just stand still, because he's in the best position. But he so wants to get involved, he runs to where the ball is, because he wants to on the ball.
“And I can see it, I can this desire that he wants do something. Whereas you might find if he just stood still and let the players find him, let the ball find him - you don't go and find the ball - I think he’d get more chances that way.”
He continued: “Kerkez, I really liked him at Bournemouth. I thought he was a really good attacking full-back. I hope he's watched Andy Robertson in the last couple of games, because Robbo's been back to his best.
“I just hope the new players are looking at the ones that played against Villa and Real Madrid and realise that's the level that you have to be at to get back into the side.
“It's good competition at the movement. Isak, when he comes back, Ekiteke, I really like. I think he's a really grounded lad and I think that he's going to have an exceptional career at Liverpool. There's some really good players there at the moment.”
While the majority of the Reds' new arrivals might be yet to truly show themselves at Anfield, as demonstrated by Wirtz in particular during the latest international break, the quality is still evident for all to see.
As Liverpool prepare to return to Premier League action, and put a dismal 3-0 loss to Man City behind them, those of a Reds persuasion can only hope that Houghton's confidence in his former club's summer signings is proven justified - even if a little more patience is required.