It cannot be called a crisis, but Liverpool's streak of 3 consecutive losses is enough reason to look back. It is true that both defeats in the Premier League have come from last-minute goals, and if we consider each match alone, all three of these matches can be explained relatively easily.
However, the new context is a factor of concern. The truth is that although Liverpool have won all 5 of their first matches of the season, they have not played really convincingly.
The new recruits are having difficulty adapting, while the process of rearranging the squad of coach Arne Slot has not yet brought clear results. Some key players have also often shown inconsistent form.
Last season, Liverpool won the championship thanks to their extremely tight ball control style of play, with 2-0 victories almost becoming a brand - creating an advantage in the lead and then proactively slowing down the pace of the match.
However, this season, they have not maintained that identity, nor have they lost their inherent confidence. The style of play has become too open in the midfield area, and most of their victories have come from late goals. Liverpool are playing wildly, almost like Slot is going through a late transfer window.
Putting any new player in a team always has certain potential problems. Players have to get used to the new environment, while their teammates also need time to adapt to them. Even in the most ideal cases, adding a new face to a team that is operating stably often leads to a slight decline in performance in the short term.
Liverpool avoided that last summer when they only signed Federico Chiesa. However, adding up to 5 new players this season means many interruptions. And of course, this is also a team that is facing the tragic loss of Diogo Jota.
Mohamed Salah's tears on the pitch after the opening whistle of the season were a reminder. The Reds still have to move forward, but the impact of Jota's departure is unpredictable and could continue.
Initially, Liverpool's biggest tactical problem seemed to be shifting from a 4-3-3 to a 4-2-3-1 formation for Florian Wirtz to play as a center forward. The balance that the trio Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai created has disappeared. Especially when Mac Allister has not yet regained his best form after a muscle injury, while Wirtz still shows instability.
In recent matches, Slot has returned to the familiar 4-3-3 formation of last season, but many old problems have not been fixed. Liverpool's centre-backs have been constantly isolated, and the situation has become more serious as Ibrahima Konate's form has declined.
So what has changed? Why is the central defender pair and the midfield trio that were very effective last season suddenly no longer effective? The answer lies in two aspects.
First, Liverpool's attack is no longer as sharp as before. In the 2020-2021 season, this team finished in third place in the Premier League, quite far behind Manchester City. This is a clear warning about the consequences when the attack line loses its effectiveness.
The second is the change of the full-back pair. Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong have a completely different style from Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold, significantly affecting Liverpool's attacking structure and ability to transition.
Any team that has made many changes like Liverpool cannot avoid problems in the early stages. However, it is worth noting that their current troubles do not come from the players who are staying, but from those who have left. The special ability of Alexander-Arnold - who shaped Liverpool's playing style - is not easy to replace.
