Liverpool are far from their best level and yet they have started their title defence with back-to-back wins, their new £79million striker scoring in both and a 16-year-old kid making records.
Not bad, some might say, and that would be true. Scoring winners in the 88th and 99th minute to start the season is the hallmark of champions and, despite being in the embryonic stages of this title race, those goals could be hugely important come May.
There is a ‘but’, though, if it was not obvious…
For all the heroics, emotion and high-octane drama that has been experienced in the first fortnight of the season, there have been several teething problems for Arne Slot and Co.
After winning the title at a canter last year, the chasing pack have all strengthened. Arsenal, who come to Anfield on Sunday as the Premier League leaders, look stronger and now have a No 9. Manchester City, despite their annual defeat by Tottenham, have improved, while Chelsea look a contender under Enzo Maresca.
So if Liverpool are to go back-to-back and defend their Premier League crown, they need to sort out a few issues. Chief among them is the shaky defence, despite a busy summer that saw them sign two new full backs and a young centre half.
Rio Ngumoha’s 100th-minute winner made him Liverpool’s youngest ever goalscorer and also snatched a second win from two games to start the Premier League title defence
But the late winners have papered over the cracks in Liverpool’s defence, letting a 2-0 lead slip in both of their league games so far
Liverpool have shipped six goals already this term in three fixtures, including the Community Shield defeat to Crystal Palace at Wembley. Last year, it took until October 27 and the 13th match of the season to concede their sixth goal.
The foundations of the title win, a table-topping Champions League group phase and run to the Carabao Cup final were built on a solid defensive structure. Blowing teams away was rare, it was more about fine margins.
A year on, Liverpool have needed late winners to prevent them dropping points in the first two league games, having let slip 2-0 leads in each. You make your own luck in football, so take nothing away from those fine goals from Federico Chiesa and Rio Ngumoha, but will they have such luck in the coming weeks?
What if they sail too close to the sun and allow Arsenal to run away with the game at Anfield on Sunday? What if, in search of another late winner, they just cannot break down Scott Parker’s stubborn Burnley in gameweek four? Then it’s the Merseyside Derby, which is never easy…
Slot himself will be irked by the holes in his defence, including conceding goals from set-pieces. Ibrahima Konate has been far from his best.
For Antoine Semenyo’s equaliser in the opener against Bournemouth, the Frenchman never engaged and let the Ghanaian run amok and dart through the Reds defence. ‘What is he doing, oh my God, he has been absolutely shocking,’ said Jamie Carragher on Sky Sports.
He was not much better for William Osula’s equaliser for Newcastle on Monday, beaten far too easily in the air for that goal after a poor performance in which he lost possession cheaply and picked up a silly yellow card. ‘He’s not at the races at all,’ was Carragher’s verdict this time.
Three matches is definitely not a fair sample size to overly criticise Konate, but given there has been no breakthrough in talks over a new contract – discussions started in late 2024 and his deal expires at the end of this season, with Real Madrid sniffing around again – it is fair to say his future is uncertain.
Ibrahima Konate looks off the pace in the opening few games and his contract expires next summer, amid interest from Real Madrid
Konate was also caught cold by Antoine Semenyo in the opening game of the season as he fired Bournemouth level at Anfield
Liverpool have had a long-term interest in signing Marc Guehi, the Crystal Palace captain, and will make another move to do so this week in the hope that Selhurst Park chief Steve Parish reduces the asking price. Like Konate, the England international’s deal expires next June.
Guehi is keen to make the move but he is also happy to wait until next summer when he can move on a free. Many think he would be coming in as a deputy option but the former Chelsea academy star would fancy his chances of making the best XI. Especially with Konate in his current form, and new £26m man Giovanni Leoni still raw at the age of 18.
There have also been question marks over new left back Milos Kerkez, the £40m signing from Bournemouth. Signed as the long-term replacement for 31-year-old Andy Robertson, the best verdict on the Hungarian so far is probably ‘mixed reviews’. Some good bits, some bad.
Liverpool’s defensive worries are not individual problems, though. It is the collective that is causing issues, which includes the midfield base and new No 10 Florian Wirtz. The settled duo of Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch are yet to play together owing to suspension and injuries.
Slot’s men have conceded 3.7 ‘big chances’ (as defined by stats gurus Opta) per 90 minutes so far this season, compared to 1.9 last year. They are facing more shots, their xG against is higher and the headline number is the goals conceded per game is more than double last year’s 0.98.
Delving even deeper into the data, Liverpool have conceded two goals from fast breaks, which are effectively counter-attacks. Last season, they let in just three goals from such instances all year. The door to transitioning against the Reds is more open than ever.
Gravenberch’s absence in the Community Shield (his partner was giving birth) and the league opener (suspended after a red card in the final game of last season) is the ultimate factor behind this. Had he been there at the base of midfield, the chances of those counter-attacks would be much lower.
There has also been some criticism of £116m man Wirtz, with some fans wondering whether he puts in the same hard yards as Dominik Szoboszlai, who played in the same No 10 role for most of last season.
Running data suggests Wirtz is Liverpool’s hardest-working player this year, covering 11.4km per game – slightly more than the rates of Szoboszlai and Mac Allister for last year.
Another problem for Slot is the lack of attacking depth. It may sound daft given Chiesa and Ngumoha have come off the bench to win two games, and Hugo Ekitike has slotted in so smoothly, but the Reds have lost Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez and, tragically, Diogo Jota, this summer. Quality has improved but are they lighter?
Florian Wirtz has come in for some criticism for his work rate, but the stats tell a different story
Ryan Gravenberch’s return should lead to a lot more defensive solidity to stop Liverpool being caught on the counter
Ngumoha, the youngest scorer in the club’s history, is one of the most talented teenagers in the world and will have a part to play this season, but coaches are keen to not overuse him. And how long can one rely on Chiesa’s fitness, given he managed just 104 league minutes last term across one start and five substitute outings?
Most people concerned with Liverpool will not be worrying about the nit-picking negatives, of course. Instead, they will be waxing lyrical about their new hero Ngumoha who, as a reminder, was poached from Chelsea a year ago for a six-figure sum.
Still on a scholarship contract (for now at least), he is the reason why the club have batted off suggestions they may sign Bradley Barcola of Paris Saint-Germain or Real Madrid’s Rodrygo. Ngumoha is the man they are banking their future on.
But the present is what the coaches will be thinking of, even though Ngumoha has proven he can be an option for now, too.
The manager knows his team needed to cash in some good luck in the first two games. Knowing what we know about Slot, he will right these wrongs soon.