Liverpool spend £390 million and the rebuilding crisis
The 0-3 defeat at the Etihad exposed Liverpool's £390 million project: lackluster new signings, Salah's decline, injuries eroding the squad. Arne Slot needs to restore his connection immediately.
The 0-3 defeat to Manchester City at the Etihad was not only a stumble, but also exposed the problems of Liverpool's £390 million rebuilding project: new signings have not integrated, the structure is not aligned and Mohamed Salah's decline has left the reigning Premier League champions struggling to find their rhythm.
The attack line must be rebuilt from scratch.
Instead of just strengthening their weaknesses after winning the title, Liverpool were forced to restart their attack. In the same summer, the Merseyside team lost three of their four main strikers: Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota. Arne Slot faced a rare problem for a champion: not to strengthen, but to rebuild the foundation.
£390m and five loose pieces
Liverpool spent around £390m on five new players this summer: Hugo Ekitike, Florian Wirtz, Milos Kerkez, Jeremie Frimpong and Aleksandar Isak. Halfway through the season, the impact of this group has been lacklustre.
At Etihad, only Ekitike and Wirtz played and neither made a difference. Kerkez was tested early in the season but soon gave way to Andrew Robertson. Frimpong and Isak are injured. These cuts show that the rebuilding project is still messy and lacks a clear shape.
Form drop: energy drops, structure skewed
The tense run of games against Aston Villa and Real Madrid has drained Liverpool of energy and balance. Salah, once a key player, is now considered to be a step behind compared to last season. He is also no longer enthusiastic about dropping back to support Conor Bradley, disrupting the right-back defence and opening up space in the middle for the opposition to exploit.
The moment doesn't decide, it's the whole that matters.
Virgil van Dijk was denied an equaliser at 0-1, Cody Gakpo missed a golden chance at 0-2. But those moments do not mask the reality: a team that has spent nearly £400 million still has not found a stable operating rhythm.
The lackluster rookie: a matter of adaptation rather than talent
This is not a story about individual quality. Expert Ian Ladyman believes that Liverpool still has a squad with great potential: Ekitike is 23, Isak is 26, Wirtz is 22, Kerkez is the same age as Bradley. The problem is that the integration speed in the modern football context does not allow for waiting too long.
Without a bond in place, Liverpool are not only held back, but risk ruining their season. New players are failing to connect with the old ones, while replacements (like Kerkez) are being replaced by safer options (Robertson), disrupting the rebuilding process.
Tactics through a pragmatic lens
The Etihad exposed two problems at once: a lack of support on the right flank, and a lack of man-to-man transitions due to a depleted fitness schedule. When Salah did not drop deep enough, Bradley was often left 1-vs-2, pulling the centre-backs wide and leaving the inside lane open. As a result, Liverpool lost control of key spaces, losing control and confidence.
Key data
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Total reconstruction investment | ~390 million pounds |
| Number of new recruits | 5 |
| Results at Etihad | Lost 0-3 to Manchester City |
| Newcomer on the field at Etihad | Hugo Ekitike, Florian Wirtz |
| Force status | Jeremie Frimpong, Aleksandar Isak injured |
Impact and immediate actions
Liverpool are running out of steam in their quest to defend their Premier League title. Arne Slot needs to quickly restore Salah's form, rebalance the right flank to protect the middle, and shorten the adaptation time for Ekitike and Wirtz when Frimpong and Isak have not returned. That is a prerequisite for the £390 million investment not to become a burden at Anfield.