Slow Starts, Tired Legs and Set-Piece Panic

I keep coming back to it: the loss of Diogo Jota and the constant reminders around it. Even now, it’s hard not to think about the impact that has on a group of players and staff who are still expected to turn up every three days and perform like nothing’s changed.

You’d assume support is there for everyone behind the scenes, and you’d hope it is. Arne Slot will have felt it too, because managers aren’t immune to that sort of thing. So yes, context matters and it has to be factored in when we’re judging the general mood and sharpness.

Fitness isn’t the full explanation

Where I struggle is when “we’re unfit” becomes the neat answer for everything. At this stage of a season, Liverpool should be able to manage loads, rotate where possible, and keep some life in the legs. If there’s a drop-off, the coaching staff and analysts will see it instantly. That’s literally their job.

And it’s not just about running numbers anyway. It’s what the game looks like. We’re starting matches slowly, and once you do that, you hand the opposition time to settle into their shape, get compact, and block the middle. Then you’re trying to pick your way through a crowded defence at a tempo that suits them, not us.

The “horseshoe” and the tempo trap

The horseshoe stuff is the bit that does my head in. Side to side, patient, safe. It can have a purpose, to be fair, but it can’t be the default setting when the whole stadium can see the game drifting away from you.

Because from that point the pace is set. You can’t spend an hour playing at walking pace and then suddenly decide you’re going to finish fast. Football doesn’t work like that, especially not if you’re also claiming tiredness is the problem. If you’re saving energy early, fine, but you still need intensity in the moments that matter: pressing triggers, counter-pressing, and moving the ball with intent.

Late-game nerves at corners and throw-ins

The other worry is how panicky we look when it’s tense late on, especially defending corners. Even a throw-in in our half can feel like an event. That’s not just “a bad bounce” stuff, it’s organisation and calm. It’s who takes charge, who wins first contact, who makes sure we’re not all attracted to the same ball like kids.

And when the legs go late, those situations get worse. In years gone by we didn’t just beat teams because we were better, we beat them because we could keep coming, keep pressing, keep making the right decisions when others were hanging on.

Hopefully, we find a way to finish stronger and build a bit of momentum in the Champions League and FA Cup. But it probably starts with fixing the basics: start quicker, move it with purpose, and defend set-pieces like a side that trusts itself.

Written by Chrisymate: 5 January 2026