A number of Liverpool players have been far from their best in the 2025/26 season so far.
Virgil van Dijk was called out by fans following his lack of leadership in the recent 4-1 defeat to PSV.
Mohamed Salah has received criticism for his form, failing to match the lofty standards set by the Egyptian in previous campaigns.
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But one man who has really been in the firing line of late is centre-back Ibrahima Konate.
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Jermaine Pennant criticised Ibrahima Konate
Former player Jermaine Pennant has become the latest person to take aim at the Frenchman.
Speaking on his podcast, Wildcards, this week, Pennant suggested that Konate hasn’t been playing like a professional footballer.
He said: “It is easy, but they’re both at fault. Managers are at fault, players are not playing as half as [good as] they could. The goal that Konate gave away last night is a professional footballer.
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“You should not be miskicking the ball. You should not see the ball bounce, go to kick it and miss it altogether. That’s what you see from people who have never played the game.
“That should not happen. I understand you may kick the ball and it may shank and come off a shin or something and go left. But to miskick the ball as a professional footballer, asking for a new contract to be one of the highest paid, that’s a no-go.”
Alan Shearer and Jamie Carragher concerned about Ibrahima Konate
Konate is not wanted by Real Madrid anymore, which may increase his chances of remaining at Anfield beyond his current deal.
However, if he does agree to fresh terms, Liverpool fans will no doubt want to see a lot more from the stopper.
Alan Shearer has bemoaned Konate’s decline in 2025/26, and Jamie Carragher thinks Konate has been poor.
Commenting after PSV, the ex-Liverpool centre-back said: “I mean Konate. Listen, it gets to the stage now where you actually feel you shouldn’t criticise him.
“Because you feel, you’re watching something that’s not nice to watch when a player is going through something like this. I never thought he was top class, but he’s going through a nightmare.”
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