Liverpool’s issues in transition continue to dominate the conversation after our heavy defeat to PSV, and the most recent explanation from our manager offered a clearer picture of why we struggled so badly at Anfield.
Speaking via CBS Sports Golazo, Arne Slot pushed back on the claim that PSV were miles ahead of us in transition, insisting the first-half work was closer to what he expects.
“I liked the way we reacted in transition in the first half a lot,” the 47-year-old said. “I think almost every time we won the ball back, we could keep them in their half almost all the time.”
His tone changed when addressing the second half, where everything fell apart for us.
“There were parts of the second half that we weren’t able to, especially the start of the second half,” he admitted. “I constantly felt ‘what’s wrong with Hugo?’ It felt as if he couldn’t move as he did in the first half.”
Slot then revealed that the French forward had been carrying a problem from almost the first whistle.
“He just told me that in the first five to 10 minutes of the first half, he already felt his back too much. That’s also why he had to go out.”
Ekitike injury gives Liverpool fresh concern after PSV defeat
This admission adds new context to the night, particularly as Sky Sports’ live web commentary said “Ekitike has justified his inclusion too with a livewire display”, which highlights how the 23-year-old had been praised shortly before his withdrawal.
His injury now places even more pressure on Alexander Isak, who came on again but struggled to impose himself, continuing a difficult settling-in period for the Sweden international.
We also cannot ignore other issues, including the left-back performance, with Adebayo Akinfenwa publicly stating on X that “I’m sorry but Kerkez needs to do & be better. It’s really not good enough.”
Those observations feed directly into the numbers which stress how this run is the worst since 1953.
Slot’s transition comments highlight Liverpool’s wider problem
The Dutchman’s explanation makes sense, but it also underlines how fragile our structure becomes when one part of the pressing unit falters.
If Ekitike is sidelined, and with Isak still chasing fitness, we risk losing one of the only forwards consistently stretching defences and setting the tone from the front.
With Kerkez also under scrutiny and several senior players out of form, the collective level has to rise quickly.
Slot was keen to stress we did far more right in that first half than outsiders are willing to acknowledge, but the second half remains a major concern as we prepare for West Ham.
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I’m now more worried about how long is Ekitike going to be out for. Without him, isak not match ready, gakpo too predictable, we are really light on forwards. Unless slot starts to play Chiesa and ngumoha or change the formation/tactics.
Exactly, if fede and ngumoha is not ready to be starter. What’s the point to let Diaz and Nunez go as we have already lose Jota in a such tragedy….😔
The transfer policy is really poor…… It’s not playing fifa….. Spend big doesn’t guarantee you anything…..
Salah is’the unpredictable one”
At the moment he relies on trying to set up his left foot.
He needs to make early passes into the box.
But he’s too selfish to do that.
He needs to accept that his game needs to change – or be a (very, very expensive) substitute.
Rio + Fede. Ramsay at back with Endo. Bench VVD and Ibou
All of this tactical theory is why he keeps deceiving the hierarchy to buy more time. How do you explain a team that won 6 strait matches and all of a sudden is struggling for their lives in the last 12 run of games. Let him tell this theory to the marine. Chesa is there and Rio to but the stubborn dutch will not use them because of his orthodox way of doing things.