Looking at five key talking points which paint a picture of how Liverpool’s 2025/26 league season has gone so far…
USUALLY, I’d wait until the end of the season to write something so assessment based.
But this season has provided many stark realities to where Liverpool currently are, I thought I’d highlight a few.
In loads of ways, this season already feels written off. Everything is a bit flat. Need I remind anyone Liverpool have a seventh European Cup as a possibility. A return to Wembley and Champions League qualification are also extremely feasible.
But this was supposedly the season of dominance taking shape.
We were set for a new era of Liverpool joy compounded by Manchester misery. We thought Richard Hughes and Michael Edwards had adopted the personality of 1990’s cartoon duo Pinky and the Brain and had spent all summer imparting their daily ritual:
‘Whaddya wanna do tonight, Richard?’
‘The same thing we do every night, Michael. Try to take over the world!’
It hasn’t quite worked out that way. So let’s look at some of the key learnings from this season so far:
Mistakes Were Made In Recruitment
It’s the obvious place to start, but the crucial one. This has never really been a question about who Liverpool signed.
I remain optimistic about every player brought in, even if Milos Kerkez’ penchant for kicking things with his head is already testing my limitations.
It’s more a question of who they didn’t sign and who moved away. The two biggest losses of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Luis Diaz would make this entire thing look and feel better – that is beyond question.
But with PSR, wage structures and how much Liverpool pay to agents, does a world with every signing and those two staying even exist as a hypothetical?
The other obvious finger point is at centre-back. It’s clear Liverpool should have made Marc Guehi a priority earlier in the window. At £35m, Guehi was the kind of market opportunity signing Liverpool love. At the time of writing, a January move to Manchester City for a fee of around £20m has been reported…
Arne Slot Is Not An Injury Prevention Guru
One of the fundamental aspects to success in 2024/25 was Liverpool’s injury record. Barring spells on the sidelines for Alisson Becker, Diogo Jota and Ibrahima Konate around Christmas, health across the squad was generally maintained.
When the testimonies to the champions were written last summer, many were quick to reference how Liverpool had hired Slot because of his positive record of keeping players fit, amongst other things.
This season, however, Liverpool have lost Geo Leoni, Conor Bradley and Alexander Isak for very long spells. While the likes of Alisson, Jeremie Frimpong and Alexis Mac Allister have been hampered with injury and fitness problems. Some new signings are also still adapting to the demands of English football.
Liverpool ranked first best in many injury prevention Premier League tables in 2024/25. You can usually find them around 18th worst this season.
Cody Gakpo Cannot Be The Sole Option at Left Forward
I mentioned Diaz before, and he’s arguably been Liverpool’s greatest loss.
The Columbian was always someone I wanted more goals from as he had them in his locker.
We’ve had to watch him thrive at Bayern Munich and by all accounts, he made the move he wanted based on money and pedigree.
But I’m going back to that hypothetical universe of having one more season of Diaz rotating in competition with Cody Gakpo.
Gakpo has struggled more than most this season. I think a major reason why has been the responsibility of being primary breadwinner on Liverpool’s left.
Rio Ngumoha and Federico Chiesa cannot provide that competition because Slot won’t let them, despite what the club briefed last summer.
He’s also been asked to form a new partnership with Kerkez, something he seems to be kicking and screaming against constantly.
I’ve always had issues with Gakpo’s appetite. He’s always struck me as more of a rotational first team player than a fixed piece, something I get the feeling he would also rather be.
Hugo Ekitike Is A Superstar
Ekitike has worn the Liverpool shirt with minimal weight and brought a refreshing amount of youth and effervescence to a season bogged down by the weight of disappointment.
His 12 goals and three assists this season have been both sublime and ridiculous.
He’s so exciting in all aspects of play. He can bully defenders, burn them off and dribble past them.
I agree with Slot’s assessment of having two elite centre forward’s for the amount of games Liverpool play, but if I was a gambler, I’d say by this time next season Ekitike will be undroppable.
Fractious Support Isn’t Exempt Here
So many years of aligned, joined up group-think under Jurgen Klopp that it led to a belief that we were different.
It wasn’t always the case. The final seasons of Gerard Houllier, Rafa Benitez and Brendan Rodgers all had massive spits across the fanbase about what to do next.
Klopp united Liverpool when they were without hope. He gave them a way out of the darkness and set out the minimum requirements brilliantly. If you became too entitled on the pitch or off, he’d find a way to bollock you.
Where Liverpool are now is vastly different. Slot has been stabbed with his own dagger on account of first season success.
Given how the campaign has transpired, there are many who want him replaced regardless of how this now unfolds.
Yet how it unfolds is as crucial for the Dutchman as it was for his predecessors. If Liverpool capitulate into an anti-climactic end with no sense of hope or achievement, it could well be the end for Slot.
Off the pitch, we’re having to come to grips with our own digitally reactive audience and ponder who is a good or bad faith actor.
It’s easy to agree when you’re winning. This season has reminded us we can be just like everyone else when we’re not.
