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Liverpool continue to limp towards the end of the season with no sign of inspiration from the players or the manager.
It is starting to look increasingly like Liverpool have relied too heavily on individuals in recent seasons after the defeat to Galatasaray in the Champions League.
With Mohamed Salah struggling to control the ball, never mind score goals, the Reds attack looks almost impotent with Florian Wirtz struggling to pick out Hugo Ekitike amongst a crowd of defenders every time that he has the ball. More players need to step up and take responsibility if Arne Slot is to see out the season, never mind the summer. Nothing went right in Liverpool’s defeat to Galatasaray.
Liverpool players fail to step up to the plate
Against the Turks only two players emerged with any credit according to Martin Allen on Talksport: “There's no doubt about it. When I think about the performance as a whole, I don't think there was a Liverpool player (who stood out) Aid (Adrian Durham). Van Dijk did well.
“The goalkeeper, I think, coming in did well, made a great save to stop a second goal in the first half. But I can't think of too many Liverpool players who you said were 8/10 tonight. You know, that's what they needed. They needed everybody 8/10. And certainly, the final third play was never anywhere near the standard that you expect from Liverpool.”
Galatasaray goal a familiar problem
Asked by host Adrian Durham about the early goal that Liverpool conceded, which was symptomatic of some of the defending that has been seen this season, Allen didn’t hold back on who he thought should have done better: “I think Adrian, it's a weakness within the team. I think, you know, defensively, in open play, they looked open tonight. You know, (Ibrahima) Konate got away with three or four miscalculations, big ones, and he was lucky that, you know, he wasn't made to pay.
“But I think whenever the ball's, you know, played in, Van Dijk and Konate are two great centre-halves, but they don't pick up in the penalty area. There's times when, you know, people get in between the two of them. You know, they should be picking up man for man. If they do that, I don't think anyone will get across them or beat them in the air. But certainly the goal was exactly that. They don't win the first header. There are two Liverpool players on the line. They don't react quickly enough.”
If Allen can see what has been a regular problem, Arne Slot should be able to see it too. Not being able to drop a centre-half, who even the manager has blamed for being at fault for goals, is also a major issue that Liverpool need to avoid next season.
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