Don Hutchison has claimed that there’s a ‘pretty obvious’ contributing factor towards Liverpool’s dramatic decline from last season to now.
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This time 12 months ago, Arne Slot was well on his way to winning the Premier League in his first season in charge at Anfield, but he now finds himself with a battle on his hands to earn Champions League qualification (and maybe to keep his job).
However, the Scottish pundit has pointed out that the Reds had substantially greater squad depth available to them last term compared to the present day.
Hutchison highlights ‘pretty obvious’ squad depth issue
In replying to a disgrunted Liverpool fan on X, Hutchison explained: ‘It’s pretty obvious mate. The amount of talent (1st team players) that’s been sold is untrue and left A Slot well short…
‘The bench last season. Gakpo, C Jones, Endo, Chiesa, Darwin, Jota, Gomez, L Diaz, at times Bradley, Quansah, H Elliott. Now it’s just mainly kids.’
Several factors explain Liverpool’s reduction in squad depth
Despite spending almost £450m on new signings last summer, there are several reasons to explain the differnce in squad depth between 2024/25 and now.
As Hutchison mentioned, numerous players were sold in the meantime, including Luis Diaz, Jarell Quansah and Darwin Nunez, and nobody could’ve legislated for the tragic loss of Diogo Jota eight months ago.
Injuries also haven’t helped, with Liverpool losing Giovanni Leoni, Conor Bradley, Alexander Isak and Wataru Endo to long-term layoffs while also having to manage without the likes of Florian Wirtz, Joe Gomez and Jeremie Frimpong at times this season.
For instance, in the recent 1-0 win at Nottingham Forest, the Reds’ substitutes bench included two goalkeepers, three teenagers, an inexperienced right-back (Calvin Ramsay) and a forward who Slot rarely trusts (Federico Chiesa).
It’s difficult not to feel that LFC would be comfortably inside the Champions League places if they had their full squad available for the bulk of the campaign, although it’s also a fair observation that they should still be doing so much better with the players they do have.
For all the valid excuses which could be offered, to not even finish in the top five this season would be a chronic and damaging underachievement by Liverpool.
More excuses, slot hardly played those players on the Bench, endo Elliott ect. Slot has said many times he doesn’t want a big squad, he sticks with a small amount of players and only changes come in the cups.
We have a much stronger squad than last season with more quality. Klopp was an Elite coach, manager. Slot is third rate that’s the truth nobody wants to admit.
I agree, he needs to go. I get he wants a smaller sqaud and his previous comments regarding a rebuild is in progress and takes a little time, but he has destroyed the team. It is not just him; Richard Hughes has a big say in this. Getting rid of Diaz (No replacement) looking for a defensive midfielder for months then spending 400m and no defensive midfielder, wasting 125m on ISAK (Seymeno, Cherki and Guehi all linked to LFC cost a combined 120m and all chose City) no Salah back up, Selling Quansah and keeping injury prone Gomez, BUT, Slott is at fault for the lack-luster performances which have been evident all season. Our fast paced, high pressing style has been changed to a pedestrian, predictable, BORING, possession-based style. Good for the Dutch league not the premier league. They also seem to be a yard or so off the pace in every department (fitness issue???). I think the players have no faith in slot, especially after his pandering to Salah’s tantrum, who has himself been terrible. Basically, they look bored / disinterested. It does not help when every time he opens his mouth to the press, he embarrasses the club. We can’t do this, we can’t do that, we struggle with this etc etc, you are the manager it is your job to make it into a can do. Injuries and Jota’s passing are no excuse. He has had his chance and failed badly, it is time for a change, Alonso is a good shout but I think Potch would be a better fit. He would shore up the defence and make the most of the attacking option we have already. I believe if we add Diomande, Barcola, Anderson and Bastoni (He would bring on Leoni) to the squad he would take us far in the years to come.
Same players are all performing well when they play for their national teams so looks more like a tactical problem. Build up is far too pedantic so that by the time the ball gets to attackers everyone is stopped and défense is in place. This us the opposite of what made this team good and what the fans want to see. Result is that all the players are frustrated and have lost their confidence: compare return from Salah with what he managed for Egypt recently. On the rare occasions they forget their orders and speed up the rhythm it begins to look better. So you either change the whole team or the coach.