Liverpool’s Second-Season Syndrome—What Has Happened to Arne Slot’s Side?

The Reds have lost more games than they did throughout 2024–25.

Things have gone awry for Liverpool for most of the season. | Shaun Brooks/CameraSport/Getty Images, James Gill/Danehouse/Getty Images

“Maybe that sums up our season,” the forlorn Arne Slot admitted after Liverpool’s last-gasp defeat to Bournemouth. “The only ones to blame are ourselves,” added the Dutchman.

The end of one of football’s least convincing 13-match unbeaten runs came as a hammer blow for Liverpool. A fifth straight Premier League match without victory arrived in heartbreaking circumstances, Amine Adli bundling home the decisive goal with the final kick in a 3–2 defeat for the Reds.

After yet another false dawn in which Liverpool strolled to an impressive victory in Marseille, the dramatic defeat at the Vitality Stadium brought with it some familiar sights. Blunt forward play was compounded by an unconvincing midfield performance and series of disastrous defensive mistakes in a tenth loss since the Community Shield—one more than during the entirety of Slot’s debut season in charge.

Some now characteristically sloppy defending from Virgil van Dijk and Liverpool’s continued inability to defend set pieces bookended a sorry affair for the reigning Premier League champions, but it was the game’s second goal which epitomised a campaign of epic failures.

---

Six Minutes of Madness

Things are unravelling for Slot. | Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images

Joe Gomez had suffered his umpteenth injury setback of the season in trying to prevent Bournemouth’s opener, colliding with Alisson while attempting an ultimately unsuccessful last-ditch block. The centre back was led off the field for medical treatment and Slot first decided against an immediate substitution, after which his players failed to act on his instructions to kick the ball out of play to allow for the alteration.

All the while, Liverpool were playing with ten men. Not for 30 seconds, or even a minute, but for six whole minutes. They have been dismal enough defensively with their full complement this season, so it was hardly surprising when Bournemouth took full advantage of their extra man to double their lead.

Álex Jiménez’s strike characterised the disorganisation of Liverpool’s season. Slot must shoulder blame for delaying Gomez’s withdrawal, those on the field deserve scrutiny for failing to recognise the danger and fire the ball out of bounds, Van Dijk and Milos Kerkez must accept criticism for playing Jiménez onside and failing to track his run respectively.

It was a strike enabled by Liverpool’s soft centre. It’s no secret that they have lost the killer edge that helped crown them champions last season. Individual mistakes and collective confusion have resulted in an alarming decline, with all three goals conceded at Bournemouth exemplifying just how far Liverpool have fallen.

Slot cited the windy conditions, congested schedule and Liverpool’s injury issues when fielding questions about another worrying setback at the Vitality, but such excuses serve no purpose after another embarrassing display and a summer spend of just under £450 million. Liverpool are regressing at a rapid rate and their inability to do the basics cost them once again.

---

The Descent of an Unbalanced Squad

Alexander Isak was a signing Liverpool didn’t need. | Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images

The daggers are being sharpened. After the dismissals of Ruben Amorim, Enzo Maresca and Xabi Alonso—all of which have prompted an upturn in form for the sacking clubs—the pressure continues to intensify for Slot. But those above him must also reflect on their role in the malaise.

Liverpool’s summer business was very uncharacteristic of the typically astute Reds. £241 million spent on Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak, the recruitment of two incredibly offensive-minded full backs, the inability to replace Luis Díaz and the humiliating collapse of the Marc Guéhi transfer have all left the Reds unbalanced.

It was obvious to most that Liverpool needed two new central defenders and a holding midfielder over the summer. The signing of Giovanni Leoni was a promising start and his subsequent ACL injury could hardly be accounted for, but Liverpool’s arguable arrogance in their pursuit of Guéhi—leaving the transfer so late in the window that Crystal Palace were unable to source an adequate replacement—is inexcusable. A defensive-minded midfielder was never even considered.

A Football Manager-esque spree that was heralded as one of the greatest windows in Premier League history has underscored the importance of cohesion and balance at the elite level. Liverpool have seemingly opted against reinforcing the senior squad during January, too, only exacerbating frustrations among supporters.

If Liverpool can salvage something from the remainder of a glum campaign remains to be seen—progress straight through to the Champions League round of 16 helps— but there remains sympathy for Slot in certain corners. Had the Dutchman boasted a greater option in reserve than Wataru Endo as Gomez’s weekend replacement, perhaps he would have made a swifter substitution. For that, the Liverpool hierarchy must take responsibility.

Nobody is exempt from blame as Liverpool’s freefall continues.

---