For supporters of Liverpool,this season has not simply been frustrating.
It has been exhausting.
A campaign that began with hope, excitement and belief has slowly unravelled into one of the most disappointing seasons the club has experienced in the modern Premier League era.
And perhaps the hardest part for supporters has been watching Liverpool lose not only matches — but their identity.
The problems have come from every direction.
Poor performances.
Defensive collapses.
Injuries.
Confusion in recruitment.
Uncertainty around the manager.
Public tension involving senior players.
And week after week, supporters have watched the standards that once made Liverpool feared across Europe disappear before their eyes.
One of the biggest frustrations for many fans has been the style of football itself.
Liverpool used to overwhelm teams with intensity, aggression and relentless attacking football.
Now the play often feels slow, passive and cautious.
Too many matches have lacked urgency, personality and authority.
For supporters raised on Klopp’s “heavy metal” football, the contrast has been painful.
Defensively, Liverpool have completely fallen apart.
The club have conceded more Premier League goals than in any previous 38-game campaign, while set-piece defending has become one of the worst in the division.
Games that Liverpool once controlled with authority now regularly descend into chaos.
There have been too many afternoons where the team simply looked mentally fragile and physically overwhelmed.
Recruitment decisions have also frustrated supporters throughout the season.
Many fans never understood why Liverpool failed to properly strengthen at right-back despite clear concerns in that position.
The club’s failure to secure Marc Guéhi from Crystal Palace is another disappointment supporters continue to talk about, especially given Liverpool’s defensive struggles.
There is also growing frustration over the failure to adequately replace Luis Díaz’s influence in the squad, with supporters feeling Liverpool’s attacking threat and unpredictability has badly declined.
Questions are also being asked about Arne Slot’s management of the squad.
One of the biggest complaints throughout the season has been his reluctance to fully trust or rotate his players.
Supporters have repeatedly watched talented squad players overlooked even during injury crises and poor runs of form.
That has created frustration around morale, development and the lack of fresh energy within the team.
Then there is the atmosphere surrounding Slot himself.
From very early in the season, doubts began to grow about the direction of the football and the authority of the manager.
Instead of building on Klopp’s legacy, many fans feel Liverpool have drifted further away from the fearless identity that once defined the club.
And as results worsened, so too did the feeling that Slot was losing the trust of both supporters and sections of the dressing room.
The public fallout surrounding Mohamed Salah has only intensified that feeling.
Seeing one of Liverpool’s greatest ever players openly question the club’s identity and standards shocked supporters.
But perhaps more worrying was how many fans actually agreed with him.
Because deep down, many supporters have felt for months that something inside Liverpool is broken.
There have also been transfer frustrations and growing anger towards the hierarchy.
Fans have watched rivals strengthen aggressively while Liverpool continue to appear hesitant and reactive.
The possibility of missing opportunities such as Xabi Alonso has only added to the sense of drift and poor decision-making behind the scenes.
And then there is the emotional side.
Possibly saying goodbye to Salah.
Watching beloved players decline.
Seeing Anfield go from a place of confidence to a place filled with anxiety and tension.
For many supporters, this season has not just been disappointing because Liverpool lost games.
It has been disappointing because Liverpool stopped feeling like Liverpool.
Yet despite everything, supporters still turn up.
Still sing.
Still hope.
Because that connection between the club and the fans remains stronger than any bad season.
But there is no escaping the reality that this summer now feels absolutely massive.
Liverpool cannot afford another year like this.
Not financially.
Not emotionally.
And certainly not if they want to return to competing with Europe’s elite again.
Jamie (The Kopite View)
Related