Liverpool’s defensive problems hit a new low in the 3-2 defeat to Brentford and one of our own has had enough.
Ex-Red John Aldridge didn’t hold back on X as we fell to a fourth consecutive Premier League defeat, calling the team’s defending “naive”, “shocking”, and “unbelievable”.
Aldridge: “Arne has to step up big time” after Brentford defeat
The former striker’s frustration began early.
“When you know a team’s a big danger off long throws!! You gift them two in the first six minutes. Unbelievable folks!!!”
It didn’t improve as the match went on. Brentford once again scored from a long throw, the eighth time they’ve done so this season, while Liverpool conceded first for the sixth match in a row.
Aldridge’s second post at half-time pulled no punches.
“Defensively we’re so naive, so bad it’s unbelievable!
“Decision making and basic defending is what we can’t do! I’m not blaming the defence alone but the team’s strategy when we lose the ball. I’m numb from what I’ve seen there.”
That word, numb, sums up the mood among many supporters as we slipped to our worst league run since February 2021.
The 65-year-old’s final message after full-time was even more direct.
“That’s so disappointing and concerning in many, many ways — not just tonight but this season defensively. Shocking. No cohesion, desire, taking responsibilities etc! Arne has to step up big time.”
Liverpool’s defensive frailties must be addressed quickly
As reported by Opta Analyst, we’ve now conceded two or more goals in nine Premier League games since May – more than any other side.
While we continue to score freely, it’s the organisation at the back that’s holding us back.
Dominik Szoboszlai’s performance and the end of Mo Salah’s goal drought felt like positives, but as Aldridge hinted, without defensive discipline, our title defence could fade fast.
The need for leadership has rarely been clearer. As Aldridge put it, the solution isn’t individual brilliance – it’s about cohesion, responsibility, and working hard together.
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How long has the manager got to turn it around that’s what most Liverpool fans are thinking, because you can’t carry on like this. Four consecutive premier league defeats means it’s a monumental task now to retain the league, especially when you look at the way arsenal are winning. We are at risk of not getting champions league next season, which will be a disaster for the football club, that will now be the concern for fsg. I would bring in gomez, play three central defender’s, change the system, pack the midfield, and for the time being be hard to beat, forget about good football, do the basics build confidence, work on set piece’s in training. With three central defender’s you can slow the game down, and have better possession out from defence. Something needs to change from slot, big games coming up.
the format we are playing right now isn’t the best at this time and am suggesting that we should stick on our old system of 4-3-3, instead of using 4-2-3-1 which shakes our midfield and defense mr. arne slot must think of it as immediate effect, otherwise he might end up losing his job if he continues up with 4-2-3-1, coz this premier where there’s no need of testing formations unless you apply those formations during in friendly matches please mr. Arne slot help us.
This is all on Slot and his coaching staff if they have any input … the shape and tactics of the team are naive beyond belief with everyone allowed to just run forward with little in defensive responsibility or awareness of the team shape and tactics … they play like it’s a basketball game … also they are very different from the Klopp era which was based on two main things hard work, pressing and getting the ball forward quickly … Slot teams do neither atleast not consistently… he was fortunate to win the league last year with Salah performing remarkably tell January and Arsenal and Man City being well below par … I was not convinced by Slot winning the title … his test is now … if he can turn it around that means winning major trophies from her that will tell me if he is good enough to manage Liverpool
Yes one agrees with all of you.
And I agree with you too.
Let’s action it.
Times are difficult, but I feel slot did not do the actual diagnosis of the teams problems. For instance, allowing Diaz to leave was a major concern. Sending quansah out and not replacing him was another howler. He has to get a natural CDM and two good center backs to help us out through the season. gravy is a just makeshift and we need an additional option in midfield.
Slot is doing the best he can in the times we are in.
To linger on who we should’ve kept and who we shouldn’t have signed is counterproductive.
The TRUTH is, we have better players than we had up front, but have falls foul of dips in form with Mo’ and similar, plus an unfortunate loss with cover at the back.
We still have a great team. We are just losing focus at selected moments in games that are unfortunately decisive. That is all.
Diagnose and scrutinise the detail instead of hysterically knee jerking and it will all make sense.
This is something to weather is all.
Replace van dijk. Too old now can’t keep pace with young strikers.
Yes replace him. Right now, Wan ?
Or will LFC have to wait until January at the earliest ?
Is replacing Ibou (if he’s off to RM or elsewhere) a bigger priority ?
sadly VVD is in a nightmare position. He has Kerkev who at present is useless in defence on one side and Konate who does not want to even be there on the other side leaving everything to VVD who cannot cope with the huge workload he is being given.
Yes. Aldridge is correct 100%
He is with the “unbelievable”.