Anchor Great Manager. Won the league in England and Holland. Needs to be given more time. We did our homework and got the best candidate available.
Slump wise... (short version):
We sold some players we shouldn't have. We bought some players we shouldn't have. Some older players have lost around 5% and are on the wane. Jota died. We remind the team of this on minute 20 of every game. His empty space in the dressing room is still there. We play our best midfielder (and our future captain) at right-back. We make mad substitutions that don't help, as opposed to last year.
I think when we get all players fit we will be fine. We are not playing too badly, we just get carved open and then shit ourselves
Slump wise... (long version):
Trent, Jota and Diaz gone from regular starters. Two of those you can't do much about, one more debateable.
Quansah and Elliott gone from the bench, squad players. Manager lukewarm on both and one chose to go in a bid to start more.
A combination of Bradley and Frimpong are supposed to cover the unique and irreplaceable Trent. (Both injured)
A combination of Gapko, Ekiteke and Wirtz to cover Diaz left slot. (Two of three now injured).
A combination of Ekiteke and Isak are supposed to cover the Jota slot. (One now injured, one lacking match fitness).
Elliott is supposed to be covered by a combinaton of Wirtz, Frimpong and the Rio lad off the bench. (Two of those injured).
Quansah is replaced like for like by Leoni (injured).
You've also got Gomez (injured a lot) and whether he should have been replaced, but that's more change.
On top of that you've got four of the key of Klopp's first team still on board, - but all are 32+. Supposed long term replacements for Alisson and Robertson have already been bought in.
But in the next year you will probably need at least two centre halves and a right sided attacker.
The area that was neglected in the summer and the previous summer was in midfield. I thought as Slot was coming in, Liverpool looked light for cover in midfield. There are four who are good for 3 spaces, so if 1 or 2 go down injured, you've got an issue. Plus this is an area where you need legs and need to rotate. We were in for Zubamendi last year, but curiously quiet this summer, despite Slot admitting the midfield had started too many games and that it showed towards end of last season.
Apart from the injury/ fitness crisis highlighted above, and Liverpool have one right now, but nobody is talking about it, I think the midfield is where the mistake really lies. The intensity of press from the foward players has dropped for a host of reasons, - an ageing Salah, Ekiteke working it all out, Isak unfit, Wirtz adjusting, Gapko losing a bit of form, - that puts more onus on already jaded and now grieving midfield to work even harder.
Throw in Van Dijk and Konate being a bit lethargic and down on their physical levels and there is your perfect storm.
I think the summer transfer stuff is overblown. I am not sure realistically what could have been done differently (apart from picking different players, but a case for all of them can be made). I'd have like to have seen an athletic all action midfielder, who could screen and protect the back four brought in.
As for avoiding all of this, it basically boils down to an argument over what more you think could have been done to keep Diaz and the extent to which he was already of the door due to his own volition. I don't know the answer to that.
But the point is the summer was always going to be a summer of change and most of it was unavoidable
I thought last year would be the 'transition' year. Turns out it's this year.