After Liverpool's deflating defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League, Virgil van Dijk stood in front of the advertising boards and lamented his side's sterile and uninspiring performance.
It is frustrating that Arne Slot's side are acutely aware of their shortcomings, and yet the consistency of such flaws is keeping them well below even the shallowest standards. Liverpool are only consistent in their inconsistency.
The Premier League champions' decline is brought into even sharper focus when you consider that they started with a five-game winning streak, fuelled by crazy, chaotic moments. Should you have called it unsustainable, you would have been proved right.
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot
Something needs to change, and while he scored Liverpool's short-lived equaliser in the closing stages, Mohamed Salah is still not proving that he should be starting every game on the right wing.
Why Slot should drop Mo Salah
Salah has not been himself this season. He scored against Wolves, notching what he and everyone of a Liverpool persuasion was an equaliser that could lead to a winner.
It did lead to a winner, just not Liverpool's.
The Egyptian King, 33, is clearly suffering from age, lacking the athleticism and dynamism that has underlay his illustrious Premier League career, leading Anfield to so many trophies.
Salah put in a shift at Molineux, winning four duels and completing two dribbles. On average this season, he averages 2.2 and 0.6 per game for those metrics. But he still left a lot to be desired.
Mohamed Salah for Liverpool-1
Federico Chiesa came on and worked his socks off, stinging Jose Sa's palms with a rifled late effort. The Italian is inconsistent, and Slot has been loath to start him since 2024, but he offers a different dimension and surely has to be considered.
He's not the only one to provide a different flavour, though, with another Liverpool star now likely to be dropped for the impressive Rio Ngumoha.
4/10 Liverpool man must finally be dropped
No prizes for guessing that the player in question is £37m signing Cody Gakpo, who has probably become something of a scapegoat this season, but still offers far too little for Slot's struggling side.
It was a big mistake to have opted against replacing Luis Diaz when the Colombian was sold to Bayern Munich for £65.5m last summer. Diaz is far more dynamic and tricky to deal with than Gakpo.
FFC's Liverpool Ratings vs Wolves
Player
(GK) Alisson
(RB) Jeremie Frimpong
(CB) Ibrahima Konate
(CB) Virgil van Dijk
(LB) Milos Kerkez
(CM) Ryan Gravenberch
(CM) Alexis Mac Allister
(RW) Mohamed Salah
(AM) Dominik Szoboszlai
(LW) Cody Gakpo
(CF) Hugo Ekitike
Not one Liverpool player shone on Tuesday evening, but Gakpo was arguably the dimmest of all, lacking the versatility in his actions to truly pose a persistent threat.
Defensive mistakes often draw the greatest scrutiny, but Liverpool are losing games in the final third. Gakpo has become predictable, his inside-and-shoot trademark sussed out by the division's defences for months now. Even last time out, during the win against West Ham, he ended his months-long goal drought only after such a strike took a wicked deflection.
cody-gakpo-liverpool
It is crucial that Ngumoha starts Premier League fixtures before the end of the season. The teenager is flashy, but he has substance and the sharpness of mind to outwit opponents with more than just pace.
Steven Gerrard was on punditry for Liverpool's latest loss, and he echoed the voice of the fanbase, urging Ngumoha, still only 17, to start matches for the Reds. Gakpo's strengths have been negated by his own one-dimensional approach.
Gakpo took four shots, but never fashioned anything new and exciting in front of goal. Moreover, the rangy winger failed to complete a dribble or create a chance. He also lost the ball seven times from just 23 passes and 38 touches. At this point, one tactical analyst even remarked that he “should not be starting” games.
By contrast, Ngumoha came oh-so close to sneaking a well-worked strike past Sa, whose fingertip save would be among the standout moments on the showreel. He created two chances and completed two dribbles.
Liverpool players look dejected-1 Related
Fewer touches than Alisson & 100% duels lost: Liverpool star must be dropped
Liverpool have been dealt a blow in the race for Champions League after defeat at Wolves.
It's not even about the statistics, though. Fans watch football with their eyes, and they are fed up of Gakpo's samey efforts down the left. Last season, his repetitive style paid handsomely, but now it's not working, and with so much on the line, Liverpool must finally drop this struggling star and add a bit of excitement over the business months.