The gaps were there early, and they still are

You didn’t need a microscope for it. From the first five games the problems were sat right there in front of us: big gaps when we lost it, lads not quite getting back in, and that familiar wobble at set pieces where concentration just drifts for a second.

And once you start seeing it, you can’t unsee it. The frustrating bit is how quickly it turns into a pattern: concede once, heads go, and suddenly the game feels like it’s slipping through your fingers even if there’s loads of football left to play.

Open on the turnover

I keep thinking back to that early chat Jamie Carragher had with Arne Slot, the one where the point was basically: we can’t be that open when it turns over. Because Premier League sides don’t need an invitation. Give them a two-on-two, or let them run into space, and you’re asking for trouble.

It’s not even always about tactics on a whiteboard. It’s the moments. A full-back goes, the cover doesn’t quite shuffle across, the midfielder doesn’t track the runner, and suddenly it’s frantic defending. That’s the bit that makes it feel like we can’t see games out. Not because we don’t care, but because we’re constantly having to put out little fires.

Fitness and focus are linked

People sometimes treat fitness like it’s only about running more. Truth is it’s also about thinking clearly when you’re tired. When legs go heavy, you stop getting set, you stop communicating, and your first step is half a second late. That’s exactly when set pieces become a nightmare, because they’re all about concentration and starting positions.

If you’re not at the level physically, the mental recovery after conceding is harder too. You can see it in the body language: shoulders drop, the next duel gets lost, the next pass goes loose. Then the crowd gets edgy, and it feeds itself.

Missing Diogo’s passing

There’s also a footballing point in here that gets overlooked: we’ve missed what Diogo gives you on the ball. Not just a tidy pass, but the kind of link that slows the game down for a second and lets everyone breathe. When you’re under pressure, that matters. It helps you keep the ball, win territory, and reset your shape rather than living in permanent transition.

I keep coming back to something I said at home: I’d be happy if we just survived this season. It sounds dramatic, but it’s probably the right reminder before going too hard on judgement. There’s a rebuild feel to it, and that takes time, even at Liverpool.

Written by CharliesGrummpyDad: 5 January 2026