Part 3: Lingering Regrets
It’s hard to be too upset about much of anything when you win your 20th domestic league title and climb back up on your perch as the most successful side in the history of English football. Still, many will feel Liverpool exited the cups prematurely, and some will harbour concerns over a perceived fading in the second half of the season.
As special as the season was, there were times it felt like even more might be possible. With the campaign now done, we wanted to revisit those feelings and ask if there were any parts of 2024-25 that still have us feeling like Liverpool missed out when they really shouldn’t have.
Mari
Apart from the personal regret of choosing this season as the one where I don’t manage to visit Liverpool, I have very few.
It’s worth noting perhaps that this is two seasons on the bounce where our window of potential for tournament silverware disappeared within a short window in the spring, and it does feel like the intensity of the schedule caught up to us both years. Arne Slot had a very good record with injuries, which allowed for limited changes. You do wonder, though, if having more in-form rotation options might have helped in terms of levels of performance, and that League Cup final performance against Newcastle is certainly one to forget.
Liverpool FC v Paris Saint-Germain - UEFA Champions League 2024/25 Round of 16 Second Leg Ousmane Dembele celebrates after scoring for Paris Saint-Germain against Liverpool
Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images
Dexian
The twin exits from the League Cup and the Champions League in the same week were disappointing for sure, but it’s the team not showing up at all for a Cup Final that’s hardest to take as far as losses go. It felt like nothing went right that day, and to lose a final with such a limp, lifeless performance was as sour as they come. At least we put up a fight against Paris Saint-Germain.
Noel
I’m not that bothered by losing to PSG beyond that I’m annoyed letting the tie slip away at Anfield in leg two means nobody will properly remember Alisson putting in one of the best goalkeeping performances in the history of football in the first leg. Still, PSG have probably been the best side in Europe this season, so it is what it is—sometimes you just run into a very good side having a very good day.
The domestic cup results do rankle a little, though. It’s worth noting, too, that the squad players—players we were all collectively saying should have been given more time by Slot through the autumn—really let themselves down against an opponent in Plymouth that they really should have beaten. You can talk about them being short of match fitness but in the end, Plymouth have been relegated from the Championship this season and Liverpool won the Premier League. If you’re a player who aspires to be in the mix at the latter, you simply can’t be losing to the former.
In the end, though, as others have said the low point of 2024-25 was definitely the League Cup final. One of the worst team performances of the season? With silverware on the line? Having just easily beaten the opposition in the league? Any other blip or stumble can be excused, mostly. That performance and loss added a sour note to the second half of the season for me.
Gabe
Thinking more about the players than the results, I really was hoping to see Harvey Elliott start to nail down a regular spot in the midfield rotation this season. He seemed primed for the opportunity, but Slot’s (over)reliance on his regular midfield set up meant minutes were few and far between for young Harvey. Despite the massive drop off in minutes (2,589 in 2023/24 to 643 in 202/25), Elliott still managed a goal involvement every 80ish minutes. It just seems that Slot prefers a more athletic profile than young Harvey brings to the table despite his obvious skill.
Liverpool v Newcastle United - Carabao Cup Final Dan Burn and Newcastle after defeating Liverpool in the League Cup final
Photo by Sebastian Frej/MB Media/Getty Images
Steph
It really does have to be the League Cup final, doesn’t it? That said, as exuberant as I was after the Reds clinched the title, seeing them hit the brakes so spectacularly was a bit of a disappointment, even if I understand the advantages of the players essentially getting an extra month of holidays. I get it, but I also really wanted us to crack 90 points. Also, after dominating the group stages of the Champions League, to get such a difficult draw and then bomb out so quickly in the knockout stages was a bitter pill.
Zach
Can I say anything other than an early exit from Europe and losing a cup final? No, I guess I can’t. Outside of that, I really wanted Mo to get to 30 goals and 20 assists, but Hungover FC couldn’t help Mo out over the last four matches of the season. So it goes.
Jordan
I’m going to also echo everyone and say that terrible week of losing to PSG at home and then lifelessly losing the League Cup final was pretty upsetting. I’ve become a lot more zen about Liverpool losing here and there since we started regularly winning things, to be fair, but that one-two punch in the same week sucked a lot. It also felt like one of the first times Slot’s weaknesses were revealed. Those weaknesses are going to need to be addressed next season, but on there was enough good I’m at least optimistic they will be.