Who is really to blame for Liverpool’s unsteady title defence?

November 21, 2025 Oliver Obel

Liverpool have already taken five league defeats, more than they suffered across the whole of last season. The worrying part is not just the number, but the manner of those losses: the team has been outworked, outpaced and outmuscled far too often.

Opponents like Crystal Palace and Brentford have disrupted Liverpool with relative ease, exposing a side that no longer looks as sharp or aggressive as the group that stormed to the title. That shift points to a collective problem rather than an isolated collapse.

Players searching for rhythm

Liverpool’s expensive summer window raised expectations enormously. Major signings Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak arrived with big reputations, but their early weeks have been uneven.

Calum Ritchie of GiveMeSport argued that Wirtz has struggled in part because Arne Slot has not given him a consistent position, moving him around the pitch in search of the right fit. He also suggested that Isak’s disrupted pre-season increased the pressure on Wirtz to perform immediately.

Beyond those observations, Liverpool’s squad as a whole looks like a group in transition. Established players are adjusting to new arrivals, while the new signings are still trying to find chemistry and rhythm within Slot’s developing system.

Slot’s decisions under scrutiny

Any fair assessment must also look at the manager.

Ritchie criticised Slot for rotating his starting XI too often, arguing that the constant changes have prevented Liverpool from finding continuity. That critique reflects a growing concern among supporters: the team lacks the settled patterns of play that defined Slot’s title-winning campaign.

Outside of Ritchie’s points, Liverpool’s broader structure has looked uneven. The pressing game has lost cohesion, and the build-up phases often lack clarity. Those issues point to tactical adjustments that haven’t yet clicked.

The human factor: Jota’s tragic loss

Liverpool are also dealing with an emotional challenge no tactics board can fix. The death of Diogo Jota continues to weigh on his teammates, several of whom have spoken openly about how deeply the loss has affected them.

For a squad built on intensity and connection, that kind of grief naturally influences mentality and performance.

Ownership and future pressure

Fenway Sports Group are unlikely to act impulsively, but any ownership group that invests heavily will monitor direction closely. Liverpool have spent big, changed part of the squad and expected a smoother start. The coming months will shape how they view Slot’s long-term stewardship.

So who is the problem?

There is no single culprit. Liverpool’s early struggles appear to stem from several overlapping factors:

Players still adjusting and lacking confidence
Slot implementing changes that have yet to settle
Tactical structure that looks less polished than last season
Emotional strain following Jota’s death
Pressure created by major summer spending

Calum Ritchie highlighted some of these concerns in his GiveMeSport column, particularly around rotation and Wirtz’s role. But beyond his perspective, it is clear Liverpool are confronting a broader mix of tactical, emotional and transitional challenges.

The squad has the talent to recover. What remains uncertain is whether they can regain the clarity and cohesion required to stabilise their season.

Sources: Transfermarkt, GiveMeSport.