Four Issues Liverpool Must Address During March International Break

Things have gone south for Liverpool this season.

Arne Slot is under real pressure. | Liverpool FC/Getty Images

Nothing more needs to be said about Liverpool’s fall-off this season. The reigning Premier League champions have tumbled drastically out of form and are at risk of watching their entire campaign unravel.

A failure to win any of their last three games has left Liverpool on the fringes of the race for Champions League qualification, boosted only by Chelsea’s equal desire to leave fans sweating for as long as possible.

Manager Arne Slot has, so far, failed to find a permanent solution to the rot that has taken over Anfield, but the March international break offers the Reds plenty of time to address their issues in peace.

Here are four problems Liverpool need to resolve during the break.

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Make Firm Decision on Arne Slot

Many have called for Slot to be fired. | Rasid Necati Aslim/Anadolu/Getty Images

Many have argued that the international break is the ideal time to part ways with Slot. From a practicality purpose, that may well be true, but whether Liverpool officials should be thinking about taking that opportunity is a different matter.

If they want to sack Slot, do it early. Let somebody else come in, adjust to their surroundings and approach the return to domestic action with confidence.

In reality, there is very little chance of a change of manager at Anfield this month. Slot is under pressure, but the Reds are not ones for snap judgments on things as significant as this, with a review of his performance likely to be held in the summer.

Regardless of which direction Liverpool take, it must be communicated to Slot as soon as possible. End the speculation before it ramps up further.

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Figure Out the Starting Forwards

Cody Gakpo is one of many to be struggling. | Shaun Brooks/CameraSport/Getty Images

A change in formation, abandoning the 4-2-3-1 in favor of a narrow two-striker system, yielded impressive results against Galatasaray before Mohamed Salah was struck down with an injury that may leave him unable to return immediately after the break.

In his absence, the polarizing Cody Gakpo was drafted into a central role alongside Hugo Ekitiké. The Dutchman’s underwhelming form is attracting plenty of unwanted attention, and it may well be time for Slot to change things.

The boss appears reluctant to put too much faith in young Rio Ngumoha, despite the teenager looking increasingly ready for a major role, but allowing Gakpo to continue his disappointing run of performances isn’t helping anybody.

The imminent return of Alexander Isak opens the door to a change in system but, as Slot has correctly warned, anybody expecting the Sweden international to return to top form immediately after so long on the sidelines is set to be sorely disappointed.

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Stop the Late Goals

Defending has been a real problem for Liverpool. | Simon Stacpoole/Offside/Getty Images

Never before had a Premier League team lost five games to goals in the 90th minute before this iteration of Liverpool.

The Reds have looked stunningly vulnerable all season. Regular watchers will know their team is never too far away from a defensive scare, but that danger level ramps up to 11 whenever the clock hits 90 for some reason. Opponents are willed on and encouraged, and Liverpool have made a nasty habit of floundering.

Is it a fitness issue? A problem with the players’ mentality? Whatever it is, it simply cannot be allowed to continue.

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Let Players Rest

Milos Kerkez has admitted struggling with fatigue. | Molly Darlington/Getty Images

“I think you could see some of us were maybe a little bit tired,” Milos Kerkez admitted after the recent defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion.

Separate from the last-minute struggles are wider concerns about the general wellbeing of the Liverpool squad, with many players clearly in need of a rest that the modern calendar rarely provides.

Kerkez is one of 14 senior players called up for international duty, meaning Slot will have no control over their recoveries. For those who remain with the club, rest has to be a top priority.

Quarterfinals against Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain, in the FA Cup and the Champions League respectively, are on the cards immediately upon the return of domestic action, as is a Premier League meeting with a Fulham side threatening to make some noise in the European race. We’re heading into a period that will define Liverpool’s season, and Slot needs as many players feeling on top of their games as possible.

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