Liverpool supporters’ patience is wearing thin with the current crop of players, with one supporter absolutely nailing part of the issue right now.
It’s fair to say that the Reds are causing plenty of frustration this season, with their performances alien to those produced on their way to Premier League glory last term.
Liverpool are guilty of so many things, from a lack of quality in front of goal to questionable fitness levels, but their general lack of fight is most galling currently.
Speaking on The Anfield Wrap on Monday, John Gibbons has brilliantly outlined the disconnect between certain players and the fans, summed up by Dominik Szoboszlai.
“The thing that has always been the case with footballers coming through is you rely on people at the club to set them right in key moments, and the worry now is you don’t know who that is,” Gibbons said.
“I don’t think Szoboszlai’s a bad lad, I don’t think Ekitike’s a bad lad – Ekitike seems alright – but they’re making these mistakes that can happen to any young player.
“For me, it’s sometimes a bit symbolic of where they’re at and where their head’s at (off the pitch), and how connected or otherwise they feel with the city and the supporter base.
“I thought Szobsoszlai’s stuff on Instagram when he went away on international duty was tone deaf. I don’t want to see a close-up of a watch that’s worth more than I earn in a year when you’ve just been s***e at Brighton.
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“This football club has got to represent the city that it plays in, and I feel at the moment it just comes into town every two weeks to play and then f***s off again.
“They all live elsewhere, the manager lives elsewhere, there are other people in key roles at the football club who don’t live in the city either, and it’s just got a little bit too much.
“If you remove the football club from the city and just turn up to play, you’re never going to have a bond, you’re never going to understand each other.
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“They’re good players, but they’re not as good as they think they are.”
Liverpool players must show more self-awareness
Liverpool Manager Arne Slot during the Emirates FA Cup Quarter Final match between Manchester City and Liverpool on April 4, 2026 in Manchester, England.
There is no doubt that these Liverpool players ultimately care deeply about the club, even though it isn’t always looking that way at the moment.
There is a lack of self-awareness on show that is only hampering their opinion, however, from Hugo Ekitike swapping shirts with Rayan Cherki to Szoboszlai’s gesture to the away fans after the 4-0 defeat away to Manchester City.
These are young men with a huge amount of money, and they should never be overly judged on their dress sense or choice of car, as Gibbons alludes to.
But certain antics are missing the mark at the moment, and it is only making the fans less enamoured by them, adding to the feeling that they aren’t giving their all on the pitch.