Where Is the Real…

BRIGHTON & HOVE, England — Which version of Liverpool will we see today? The past four days have been a perfect illustration of the Reds’ unpredictable nature.

After a remarkable performance against Galatasaray midweek, Liverpool faltered again in Premier League play, suffering a 2-1 defeat to a strong Brighton & Hove Albion. The Reds’ frustrating inconsistency has cost them their league title this season, and this latest setback jeopardizes their chances of UEFA Champions League qualification.

As the match approached its conclusion, Liverpool had two midfielders filling defensive roles, and their most effective offensive threat was 17-year-old Rio Ngumoha. This situation highlights a season largely marked by confusion and a lack of the control that saw the Reds crowned champions last year.

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This season, Liverpool has now recorded 10 league losses, their highest since the 2015-16 season when Jurgen Klopp took over from Brendan Rodgers. Additionally, they’ve conceded 42 goals this season, already surpassing the totals from the last two campaigns.

Once celebrated for his achievements, Slot now faces criticism for breaking undesirable records. The convincing victory over Galatasaray helped alleviate some tension after the disappointing draw with Tottenham Hotspur, where some fans expressed their dissatisfaction with boos at Anfield. However, confidence remains fragile on Merseyside, and Liverpool’s latest display does little to reassure critics of Slot’s capability as head coach.

It should also be noted that Liverpool’s lead-up to their Brighton fixture was less than ideal, with both Mohamed Salah and goalkeeper Alisson Becker sidelined due to injuries. Furthermore, Slot’s squad had approximately 60 hours to recover from their European encounter. The evident disparity in fitness between the two teams—particularly as Brighton had not played since their previous match against Sunderland—was striking, but this does not excuse Liverpool’s subpar performance.

Though top scorer Hugo Ekitike left the match early due to a dead leg, this was one of several issues that harmed Liverpool’s performance. Their failure to communicate effectively between goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili and defender Ibrahima Konaté resulted in a needless throw-in, allowing Danny Welbeck to score against the run of play just 14 minutes into the match.

Milos Kerkez took advantage of a mistake by Lewis Dunk to equalize after 30 minutes. However, by the time Welbeck scored the decisive goal in the second half, it was evident Brighton deserved their victory. Without a few crucial saves from Mamardashvili after half-time, the scoreline could have been far worse for Liverpool.

One major concern for Slot is the lack of effectiveness in Liverpool’s offensive play. While Curtis Jones and Cody Gakpo managed to force saves from Bart Verbruggen, Brighton’s defense rarely appeared troubled.

Slot has often attributed his team’s creative struggles to opponents who sit back and absorb pressure, yet this cannot be used as an excuse here. Brighton is one of the few teams willing to pressure high in the Premier League, and still, Liverpool struggled to create significant scoring opportunities.

For the 27th time in 31 league matches this season, Liverpool found themselves outrun by their opponents, with only Chelsea (30) performing worse in this area. Although such statistics aren’t always indicative of success—Liverpool were outrun in 26 of their 38 Premier League matches in 2021-22 yet secured 92 points—combined with their poor results this season, these figures are concerning.

“I could provide you with all the reasons for our defeats this season,” Slot said. “You’ve heard about late goals, and I believe today highlights the toll injuries have taken on us this season. Losing three key goal scorers is a setback for any team, especially in the fullback area.

“It’s not my duty to make excuses; instead, I need to find solutions, and I believe my strategies worked reasonably well in the first half because we competed closely. However, they clearly performed better in the second half.”

This season, Liverpool has too frequently been second best. They’ve missed opportunities to turn their fate around when it appeared possible.

Ultimately, Slot and his players have not consistently delivered when it mattered. This, at present, is the true identity of Liverpool.