I’m struggling to see how Liverpool beat the very top sides in this current form. Not because the squad lacks talent, but because too often it feels like we’re scraping through on moments, the odd bit of brilliance, or the opposition doing us a favour. That might get you over the line now and then, but it’s not a sustainable way to live in the Premier League.

There have been spells where we look a touch sharper going forward, and you can see ideas trying to form. But if we’re honest, a lot of our threat still looks improvised. One player beats a man, another finds a pass, someone produces a finish. It’s exciting in isolation, but it doesn’t always scream “system clicking into place”.

Tempo has to come back

The biggest thing for me is speed of play. Faster, more direct, more purposeful. Not reckless, not hopeful punts, just moving the ball with intent and getting to the point before teams can get set. When we’re at our best, we play like we mean it: quick decisions, runners arriving, pressure coming straight back if we lose it.

At the moment there are games where we look like we’re dragging ourselves through the last 20 minutes. That’s the part that’s hardest to swallow. These are elite athletes. Match fitness shouldn’t be a talking point deep into a season. Under Klopp, whatever else was going on, Liverpool could usually maintain a proper pace for 90 minutes. It was a weapon. Now we can look a bit leggy after 70, and that changes everything: your press drops off, your distances get bigger, and suddenly you’re defending your own box far more than you want to.

Set pieces and the little basics

Another frustration is set-piece delivery. You don’t need to be reinventing football here. Give us balls with pace, with purpose, into areas where defenders actually have to make decisions. When set pieces feel like wasted moments, it adds to the sense that we’re not squeezing enough out of the margins.

And yes, there are bigger conversations to be had about defending and what it means when the manager mentions a low block. But even without going down that rabbit hole, the main point remains: Liverpool shouldn’t be choosing caution because we’ve run out of gas.

Adapt to the players, not the other way round

It comes back to Arne and how flexible he’s willing to be. Good managers have principles, but they also adjust. If the system is making the side look blunt or tired, then tweak it to suit what’s actually in the building. Lean into the strengths, protect the weaknesses, and get the team playing on the front foot again.

Because the worrying bit isn’t one off day. It’s the feeling that if the approach stays stubborn, it’ll keep costing us against the best teams. And at Liverpool, that’s the quickest way for the noise to build.

Written by chewysuarez7: 31 December 2025

Tags: efl injury tactics