Liverpool have been so vulnerable this season, with Arne Slot having struggled to come up with solutions to opposition set-ups and his own squad's staggering capitulation, having dominated and cantered toward the Premier League title last season.
To say Virgil van Dijk's backline has been leaky would be an understatement, and that is the crux of the Reds' troubles, their form the stuff of relegation, two wins from ten in the top flight.
However, the defenders aren't solely to blame, with Liverpool lacking creativity and sparkle in the final third.
The form of Alexander Isak has been a particular concern, with the Sweden international having endured a slow and stodgy start to the season, months into a British-record £125m transfer that secured for the club "the best striker in the centre-forward" in England last season "by a country mile", as had been said by pundit Ally McCoist.
The latest on Alexander Isak's fitness
It's not been plain sailing for Isak since forcing a record-breaking move to Merseyside on transfer deadline day. In fact, the 26-year-old has only scored twice across all competitions, and once in the Premier League.
Injuries and missing out on pre-season have stunted his seasonal development, and Slot issued an unwelcome update on Friday morning: Isak picked up a knock at the San Siro, and he may be sidelined for the Anfield clash against Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday afternoon.
Liverpool-Isak
This is just the latest in a growing line of setbacks. Liverpool signed Isak for six years, but the fact remains that more would have been expected from such a world-class talent at this stage.
Indeed, few would have expected Isak to have flattered to deceive as he has so far this season. Regardless of Liverpool's crisis, this is a proven and world-class striker; he tore defences apart last season, including Liverpool's, and on multiple occasions at that.
Isak only had four goals for Newcastle at this stage last season. Food for thought. And he's not the only one who's struggled since making his summer move to Merseyside, with a fellow recruit having left everything to be desired so far.
Liverpool signed a bigger problem than Isak
Like Isak, Jeremie Frimpong has been plagued by injury problems since joining Liverpool this summer, but unlike Isak, he has been sidelined for a longer spell, and there is less optimism that he will pick himself up and become a major player for the Anfield side.
Sporting director Richard Hughes activated Frimpong's £29.5m release clause at Bayer Leverkusen at the start of the summer, bringing to Merseyside one of the fastest right-siders in the game, hailed as "a monster" in the attacking third by The United Stand's Beth Tucker.
Jeremie Frimpong
However, the Netherlands man, 25, has only started once in the Premier League this season due to injury, and this is a concern given he had navigated through his years in Germany without any detrimental fitness setbacks.
Isak has been a worry for Slot's side, but he has also proven himself in the harsh English climate, one of the best in the world. Frimpong, however, is more of an unknown, and the £100k-per-week star's first few months at Liverpool have hardly been propitious.
Moreover, Frimpong's preference to play in a wing-back role could see him struggle to find his feet in his best position.
Jeremie Frimpong - Career Stats by Position
Position
Right wing-back
Right-back
Left-back
Right wing
Attacking midfield
Data via Transfermarkt
The issue: Liverpool do not use a system which employs wing-backs, and Frimpong perhaps lacks the economy of strength and the awareness to nail down a starting berth as Liverpool's right-back in the Premier League.
For example, he only won 44% of his duels in the Bundesliga last year. Liverpool correspondent Dominic King noted this week that the Dutchman "has not had a great start" to life back in England, and with Conor Bradley and even Dominik Szoboszlai as his positional rivals, Frimpong might have a tough time establishing himself at the club, even when back to full fitness.
Could it be that he is simply not a stylistic fit? Liverpool have a host of problems they need to fix, and with Mohamed Salah's future uncertain, the signing of a new right-sided forward would deepen Frimpong's struggles, leaving him struggling to show FSG that they have got bang for their buck.
luis-suarez-pfa-poty-2013-2014 Related
New Suarez: Liverpool agree personal terms to sign £65m Salah replacement
Liverpool may need to find themselves a new talisman amid the storm of the Salah situation.