Jamie Carragher has spoken out about Liverpool's need for new additions
Arne Slot said recently that Liverpool’s lack of transfer activity last summer was down to the club’s sporting director Richard Hughes wanting to see how this squad would work for the new head coach.
They were both keen to assess rather than splash the cash on numerous targets. It made sense. Liverpool finished third in the Premier League with 82 points last season. Up until St Patrick’s Day 2024, they were on for a quadruple of sorts. Then they lost against Manchester United in a match that became chaotic and finished 4-3 to end their FA Cup run.
It sparked the unravelling of Jurgen Klopp’s final campaign which saw them lift the Carabao Cup in February but not any of the other three prizes they wanted as well. Still, there was a feeling in the summer that Klopp had left behind a squad ready to go past those fine margins and win more. The German had christened it “Liverpool 2.0”.
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It was proven to be correct. They appointed a manager in Slot who would not need a squad overhaul but would instead look for more control from the same players. Liverpool are going to win the Premier League title at a canter. They're 12 points clear with nine games to go.
While it is a club that craves European glory, the league remains the ultimate test of any side in this country. It’s 38 games. You don’t fluke a league title. You win it from August through to May. When Liverpool are crowned champions for a 20th time, they will be rightly anointed the best team in the country.
Yet after their Champions League dream ended against PSG and they put in a performance with no positives against Newcastle in the Carabao Cup, the question now being asked is how does Slot develop this team to compete on more fronts? The answer would seem to be yes. This Reds side has suffered an energy drop at just the wrong time.
It is quite clear in his overreliance on certain players that he does not have trust in the depth of his squad. Only Nottingham Forest have used fewer players than Liverpool this season in the league, with the Reds using 24 and the Tricky Trees on 23.
Hughes arrived from Bournemouth last summer ( Image: Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Out of all the teams playing in Europe, Liverpool have made the fewest changes per league game. Even the Southampton game last week which was sandwiched between the PSG matches in the Champions League, Slot made just three changes. Two of those rested came on at half-time because of how their replacements played.
“The fact he didn’t change many players for the home game with Southampton in between the PSG games [says a lot],” said former Reds defender Carragher on the Overlap Fan Debate. “Southampton arguably one of the worst sides in the Premier League, yet he didn’t really trust the players.
Carragher says Liverpool need new additions (
Image:
Paul Currie/REX/Shutterstock)
“I can accept that this season because it is not really his squad, it has been passed to him, but I think next season - I’m sure they will bring players in - he will have to trust his squad more because you have to go further in the Champions League.”
It would appear Carragher is right if you look at the facts. But even some of Slot's favourites are not picking up the slack when the star men drop in form.
If you look at the minutes played, comfortably 10 players will play more than 3,000 this season. Wataru Endo, Harvey Elliott and Federico Chiesa - the only signing of last summer - have not played anything near 2,000 minutes between them.
Alexander Isak has been linked to Liverpool ( Image: Getty Images)
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While Slot has been over-reliant on certain players, Liverpool’s attack has been over-reliant on Mo Salah. The Egyptian has been involved in 54 goals this season in all competitions.
Yet he is without a goal in open play in five games and created just one. His lofty standards means that’s a barren spell for him.
But have the other attackers stepped up to help plug the gap? Elliott scored against PSG, Chiesa got a consolation in the Carabao Cup final. Luis Diaz has scored just one goal in his last 19 games with Nunez getting one in 13, albeit an important one against Southampton.
Injury-prone Jota has scored just three league goals since mid December and Cody Gakpo has been out and not fit on his return. We don’t know yet if Salah is staying but Liverpool need more in attack, even if he does.
But Liverpool need additions to this squad in other areas and it could be a busy summer. Slot has managed to assess it while - it certainly looks like it - winning the league title which is an incredible feat.
Yet it is clear he is not happy with the depth and if he wants to build upon the success of this season, then he will need to put some more blocks in place.
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