Liverpool’s campaign continues to be defined by fine margins, shifting momentum and a growing sense that repeating last season’s ease was never going to be straightforward.
Speaking with Sky Bet via the Liverpool ECHO, Sol Campbell offered a detailed assessment of where things have changed for us under Arne Slot.
The former Arsenal defender began by acknowledging just how smoothly everything fell into place during our title-winning 2024/25 season.
Campbell on Liverpool momentum shift under Slot
“The first season winning [the Premier League] was amazing for him [Arne Slot] – all the players were up for it,” Campbell said.
He suggested that the simplicity of that first year may have masked how fragile momentum can be in football.
“It was almost too easy the first season,” the ex-centre-back added. “It’s almost like everything just fell into place.”
According to Campbell, the combination of new signings, off-field noise and heightened expectation has subtly altered the environment around us.
“What’s happened now is they’ve brought in some new players, it’s been a little bit of uproar,” he explained, referencing the volume of television, radio and newspaper discussion surrounding Liverpool.
He also pointed to the tragic loss of Diogo Jota, noting that “that can affect people in different ways as well,” and hinting at the emotional toll it has taken across the squad.
“But football and life – things come and clash and turn your world upside down without you even seeing it coming,” Campbell said.
Campbell highlights pressure Liverpool must respond to
The 51-year-old believes the Premier League landscape itself is amplifying the challenge.
“There’s another four or five teams at the top fighting to get into the Champions League, win the Premier League, get into a good position,” he said.
That context matters when assessing recent performances, including the disciplined 0-0 draw at the Emirates.
Liverpool left north London without a shot on target for the first time in a league match since 2010, yet the result extended an unbeaten run that quietly stabilised our season.
Jamie Carragher captured that nuance when he described the Arsenal draw as “a very good performance,” especially with us missing Mo Salah, Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike.
Campbell, however, was clear that results alone are not enough.
“Turn around the results, and the performances,” he said. “Once the performances start turning around into a more positive territory, he’s going to be a lot happier.”
That demand for consistency has been complicated by setbacks such as Conor Bradley’s season-ending knee injury, which has already forced us to plan the remainder of the campaign without the Northern Ireland international.
“Football can turn easily if you’re not careful,” Campbell warned.
For Liverpool, the message is simple.
Momentum has shifted, the margin for error has narrowed, and under Slot’s leadership, digging in again is now unavoidable.
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It has been an inexcusabe fact that LFC decided to concentrate and spend big dollars on in their mind an unstoppable attack by buying Wirtz, Ekitike & Isak.
It is not the first time LFC have prioritised attack over Defence.
It can be argued that buying Kerkez Leoni ans Frimpong was strengthening the defence – but I would argue that LFC have spent poorly in purchasing those three In Kerkez I cannot fr the life of e see how a player with such strength and explosiveness when with Bournemouth can be so ineffectual for LFC – if I had a dollar for every time he receives the ball free of a defender/stiops the momentum/turns back and passes the ball back to VVD I would be a very rich man/I really think he is frightened of taking on any opposition defender one on one, somehow I think it harks back to the earlier games when he did try and was beaten hands down – I put this down to Slot and bad man management of Kerkez/because I think he a far better player than we have so far seen…also I notice when he does make those overlapping good runs/he never ever gets the ball?
As for Leoni well he is a youngster that has had that bad injury. And for Frimpong – was he bought as an attacking right back/if so for me sorry he is too small.
Now abut Wirtz – I believe the form seen this season has said we made a mistake in not buying Cherki – instead of Wirtz…but will accept time in the future may prove me wrong/but if they continue on the path shown thus far/then Cherki is the better player hands down!
Further I cannot understand if we sold Diaz why Rio Ngumoha has not been given more of a run.
:astly for me now with the injuries IT IS A NO BRAINER THAT CURTIS JONES BE GIVEN THAT SPOT AS A STARTER EVERY MATCH – the best games I have watched Jones play have come when he plays as a fullback- he will handle the tackling – make forward runs and pick out players. YNWA!!!
If Sol Campbell is so good, why isn’t he manaageing some team? Answer: Because he is not good enough. Case over.