LONDON — Oh for the halcyon period of eight days in the past. Earlier than Selhurst Park, Rams Park and Stamford Bridge, Liverpool had causes to consider. That they had not been enjoying to their collective stage, however irrespective of. That they had frequently discovered methods to win. Possibly they might maintain getting away with it?

Or maybe when your video games maintain going into the ninetieth minute and past you would possibly uncover that there’s nothing particular about Slottage Time, that if the opposite staff are nonetheless in it on the dying they will swing a haymaker or two as effectively. And so the champions discover themselves overwhelmed for the third time in a row, all of them video games by which those self same points from the profitable run have reared their head. We are actually almost 20% of the way in which by means of the season and Liverpool seem like a dramatically inferior model of their title profitable aspect.

That’s all of the extra worrying when Arne Slot gravitated again in the direction of that XI as a lot as he might tonight. In sensible phrases that meant Florian Wirtz dropping out after a furore over what won’t have been something greater than his staff mates lacking the probabilities he created for them. Definitely, transferring Dominik Szoboszlai to the quantity 10 did nothing for Liverpool off the ball, Moises Caicedo cruising by means of midfield earlier than larruping in from vary to offer Chelsea an early lead. 

It was one of the best of a handful of possibilities Chelsea created till late on, however crucially Liverpool by no means actually obtained shut — one blocked shot for Szoboszlai apart — till Slot turned to Wirtz on the break. Szoboszlai shifted to proper again and a cross on the overlap was flicked on to Cody Gakpo by an Alexander Isak mistouch and impulsively the match was tied.

The stage appeared set for an additional late particular. In spite of everything, eight targets had been scored after the eightieth minute within the Reds’ first six video games of the season. There was just one staff, nonetheless, who appeared to consider that quantity 9 was coming. Chelsea attacked and attacked and attacked, focusing on the weak spot on the Liverpool proper, the half defended by Szobaslai and after one other flurry of modifications both Ryan Gravenberch or Wataru Endo. After what appeared a number of crosses crying out for a Blue shirt Estevao gambled on a again publish run as Chelsea broke down Liverpool’s proper, hooking in at shut vary to inflict a 3rd defeat in a row on Slot.

That has by no means occurred earlier than in his Liverpool tenure and the fear is that the woes won’t cease but. For a staff who sit second within the desk, not less than till Crystal Palace play on Sunday, there appear to be profound points that would not be addressed even by reverting again to virtually the closest approximation of final season’s staff that Slot might handle. They begin on the finish of this recreation:

1. Lacking Alexander-Arnold in each method

It was affordable to imagine that, after Trent Alexander-Arnold confirmed what the soccer world had lengthy since knew was taking place and made his transfer to Actual Madrid, by this stage of the season Liverpool wouldn’t have discovered a approach to change their proper again’s ball development and creativity. Alexander-Arnold is one in all a handful of gamers who can declare to be one of the best passer on the planet. The likes of Gravenberch and Virgil van Dijk are progressing the ball about as often this season as they did final, what’s lacking is the primary passer, one who can have a protection reeling with one sweep of his foot. That a lot was all of the extra obvious with out Wirtz, who not less than delivered invention across the last third.

What was not so affordable to imagine, not less than earlier than Jeremie Frimpong signed, was that by this stage of the season Liverpool wouldn’t have discovered a approach to change the protection Alexander-Arnold supplied. Which may generously have been termed enhancing in his last years, but it surely was higher than what Conor Bradley supplied for 45 making an attempt minutes beneath Alejandro Garnacho’s examination. Withdrawn in order to keep away from getting a second yellow he might need narrowly prevented, the 22-year-old was changed in protection by Szoboszlai, who might need supplied an approximation of Alexander-Arnold’s attacking qualities with the aim that led to the equalizer however was not capable of sluggish the tide down his proper.

If something it obtained worse. Szoboszlai was flat-footed when passes have been sprayed out to his flank and located himself overwhelmed after Jamie Gittens‘ introduction. He was completely static and poorly positioned when Enzo Fernandez slide a ball previous him for Marc Cucurella to supply the help for Estevao. The Liverpool of years passed by knew the best way to defend their weak hyperlink at proper again; even the introduction of Wataru Endo to take a seat in that place did not ease the strain on that space of the pitch. As soon as extra Ibrahima Konate regarded a shadow of the person who as soon as lined for Alexander-Arnold.

Chelsea knew this was the place their pleasure would come. “We tried to assault at all times [that side] as a result of we all know Salah is at all times able to play counter-attack,” stated Cucurella. “So we practiced, and the supervisor advised us the areas is likely to be there.” Liverpool did not react in recreation and it’s arduous to see how they will squash this concern extra broadly.

2. Salah’s slide

There may be a method Liverpool have mitigated the hazard posed to their proper again. and till fairly just lately and it was fairly efficient. Let your left again overlapped, they stated to opponents. Salah will probably be ready up subject for those who make the slightest mistake. Only some months in the past, permitting him to assault open area was a dying knell. Proper now, possibly it’s a gamble price taking.

Since Liverpool’s elimination from the Champions League Salah has been nothing like his imperious greatest. Sixteen Premier League video games have delivered 4 targets (one a penalty) and three assists, a drop of three.7 pictures per 90 to 2.2, a broader cratering of his performances that means that the Egyptian king might need delivered his final elite season final 12 months in pursuit of yet one more title, yet one more large contract.

The very best that might be stated of this efficiency was that there one or two momentary flashes of the outdated Salah. An out of doors of the boot cross requested a variety of Alexander Isak, leaning again and heading over. He anticipated that Wirtz would discover a approach to get the ball to him moments into the second half however drove huge. 

Slot insisted he might see indicators within the 4 possibilities he created and two pictures he took. “Did he create right now a lot as a result of he did not play within the week [against Galatasaray, where he was a substitute], or did he miss the probabilities as a result of he missed a little bit of sharpness? We introduced him many occasions within the positions he’d prefer to be in. Immediately he had many alternatives to do what he is carried out so typically… It is not like each probability he will get is at all times a aim, we really feel like it’s due to what he did final season, however he can have a recreation the place he has possibilities in promising positions.”

And naturally even at his relentless greatest 12 months in the past Salah did not rating every part. It certain felt prefer it although, did not it? That was what took Liverpool’s darkish horses 5 furlongs clear. Inevitably they are going to be a shadow of their former selves if their greatest participant is.

3. Defending from the entrance

It’s curious to see that Liverpool permit fewer passes per defensive motion and a decrease go completion for his or her opponents this season than final. Maybe that displays the truth that they don’t seem to be getting out in entrance in video games and easing off the power early on. Whenever you invariably should work until the final minute you’re inevitably going to be chasing the ball for lots longer. That does not imply they’re defending effectively.

Liverpool are averaging about 10% fewer recoveries within the attacking third, no marvel once they have swapped out the diligent urgent Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez whereas additionally dropping Diogo Jota in tragic circumstances. These have been all gamers who would do the arduous yards with out the ball final season, typically masking for a extra lackadaisical strategy by Salah, who was entitled to avoid wasting his power for profitable time. Isak appears intent on doing the identical, nonetheless, and it was often staggering how straightforward it was for Benoit Badiashile to choose a go by means of the traces and into the ft of Joao Pedro.

Get by means of that preliminary barrier and Liverpool appeared unclear what got here subsequent. A fast sideways flick from Malo Gusto in midfield and Caicedo was working into open area. Alexis Mac Allister is likely to be a way from full health, in such circumstances another person ought to not less than be scrabbling into that area. From entrance to again within the first half particularly there was a outstanding lack of depth to Liverpool’s play. Was this staff actually coached by Jurgen Klopp as just lately as 18 months in the past? Even of their greatest moments, the guests couldn’t match Chelsea for aggression.

Their hosts have been there to be obtained at. By the top of this recreation they have been lacking six central defensive choices, Reece James tasked with holding the fort alongside Jorrel Hato with starters Badiashile and Josh Acheampong withdrawn to protect their health for the weeks forward. In different phrases, Chelsea have been there to be discombobulated by a little bit of oomph once they had the ball. Liverpool by no means regarded like displaying that. For all the problems laid out above, that is likely to be probably the most worrying for Slot.