After another worrying defeat against
Brighton (2-1),
Liverpool is about to move onto the lawn of the
Paris Saint-Germain
in a particularly tense climate, at the end of the international break on behalf of the quarter-final first leg of the Champions League. Between an XXL transfer window which is slow to produce its effects and a cascade of injuries, British observers fear a serious disappointment against the Parisians.
The euphoria that reigned at Anfield last summer already seems to be a thing of the past. Buoyed by an exceptional previous season under the orders ofArne Slotconcluded with a Premier League title in its first year, Liverpool had made an impression with a colossal recruitment, close to 500 million euros. The arrivals of
Florian Wirtz,
Alexander Isak And
Hugo Ekitike were to propel the Reds towards a new national coronation and a European conquest.
But a few months later, the observation is clear: the alchemy is slow to work. This collection of talents is struggling to transform into a coherent collective, while injuries accumulate and the decline of
Mohamed Salah weighs heavily on the club’s ambitions.
Recent dynamics have only accentuated this unease. This weekend, Liverpool sank against Brighton, recording another poor performance before the international break. Deprived in particular of Alisson and Salah – both doubtful for the clash in Paris – the Reds have won only one of their last four matches in all competitions. With ten defeats on the clock this season, a total not seen since the 2015-2016 financial year, the club seems to be sinking into a disappointing campaign.
If a place on the podium remains mathematically accessible despite a current fifth position in the league, hopes now rest mainly on the Champions League. However, a major challenge awaits Liverpool, opposed to a PSG in great shape, who had already eliminated them last season.
Growing pessimism across the Channel
On the other side of the Channel, criticism is becoming more and more virulent. On the airwaves of 5 Live, the former side
Stephen Warnock did not mince his words: “If they play like that in Paris, it could end at 10-0. This shows how bad Liverpool were today. Brighton lacked efficiency, but PSG will be ruthless. This is extremely worrying. »
Same story with the ex-goalkeeper
Rob Greenwhich denounces a collective loss of bearings: “It’s a real step backwards. We don’t know what to expect from this team anymore. There is no more spine. The players seem lost, without answers. »
Faced with this media storm, Arne Slot is trying to stay the course. Under pressure, the Dutch coach highlighted the numerous absences after the defeat against the Seagulls: “Above all, it shows how successful Liverpool have been over the last ten years. I could list all the reasons for our ten defeats this season. Being without three major strikers like Ekitike, Isak and Salah obviously doesn’t help. But my role is not to make excuses, it is to find solutions. (…) We are analyzing the difficulties encountered internally in order to better understand this season. But whatever the explanations, they will never be sufficient given the current situation. »
It now remains to be seen whether Liverpool will be able to reverse the trend before their trip to the Parc des Princes. For lack of reaction, the mythical “You’ll Never Walk Alone”
could well resonate like the echo of a predicted shipwreck.
