Liverpool lost for the second time in Istanbul this season, with Galatasaray also losing 1-0 to Arne Slot’s side, whose Champions League hopes now depend on a special European night at Anfield.
Profligate, passive, porous. You can pick your poison, but the truth is that Liverpool have made any problems of their own making, and unless something changes, this team will not win silverware or really compete with Europe’s best next season.
Liverpool are not active or pressing enough. For Jurgen Klopp, the Reds did not confuse their opponents but they also surpassed them.
Even under the wing of Slot last season, Liverpool were flamboyant without the ball, desperate to win it and stay in the controlled, calculated patterns that decorated the Premier League title victory.
This isn’t good enough, and while you can pick out a few bad plays, this was a disappointing setback from Iraima Konate.
Konate’s performance in Istanbul
Although Konate has improved this season, it seems that Liverpool’s disastrous ways have stuck to the shirts of the players during the recent change in form, with errors and attacks flooding Galatasaray.
The French defender was adjudged to have handled the box in the second half and Liverpool’s equalizer went wide. He was unlucky in that. However, Konate made a number of mistakes and was unable to communicate well with Virgil van Dijk, who was also not at his best.
Although Jeremy Jacquet is expected to arrive this summer after a deal in excess of £50m was agreed with Rennes in January, this will do little to calm Slot’s nerves as he holds a position at Anfield that is far from secure.
Konate, of course, is out of contract in June, with no breakthrough in negotiations. So it’s worrying that he’s shouldering such a heavy burden during the business months of the campaign, there’s so much on the line and his defense is key to achieving those goals.
Konate has improved over the past few months, but old habits die hard and he’s back to his error-ridden ways on the big stage. Liverpool don’t really have much left of choice at the back, so Konate will simply need to regain his form – and quickly.
However, Slot has the luxury of playing elsewhere, and one of the team’s stars should be brought down over the weekend.
The slot must bring down the Liverpool star
Liverpool will be comforted by the fact that they will welcome Galatasaray at Anfield with only one goal deficit. However, their form on Merseyside has never been anything to write home about under Slot this season.
In Istanbul, Florian Wirtz praised the trickery, and while his trickery and ball creation may be needed in the return leg, it was clear that he could not speak well when he returned to the starting line-up after injury, missing two good chances early and later. On that evidence, the manager made a mistake in selecting him in the first place.
|
Liverpool vs Galatasaray player ratings |
|
|---|---|
|
The player |
Average |
|
(GK) Giorgi Mamadashvili |
7/10 |
|
(RB) Joe Gomez |
6/10 |
|
(CB) Ibrahim Konate |
4/10 |
|
(CB) Virgil van Dijk |
6/10 |
|
(LB) Milos Kerkez |
5/10 |
|
(CM) Ryan Gravenberch |
6/10 |
|
(CM) Alexis McAllister |
6/10 |
|
(RW) Mohamed Salah |
4/10 |
|
(AM) Dominik Szoboszlai |
6/10 |
|
(LW) Florian Wirtz |
4/10 |
|
(CF) Hugo Ekitike |
5/10 |
Although Cody Gakpo has not been in good form this season, it is clear that Liverpool need more direction in the final third, and there is always the likes of 17-year-old Rio Ngumoha to consider, as there is talk of youth emerging after a string of recent games.
Wirtz, however, has found things difficult this term, and while he’s gotten better, there’s still a lot more to do.
Galatasaray lacked sharpness themselves, especially during the early swings. Liverpool had their opponents there to take it, but again, as it was a boring theme, Slot’s side couldn’t find the barn door – let alone beat it.
Their German player, like Konate, was in the middle of their misery, unable to put together a crucial pass or cross. He completed 78% of his passes, lost the ball 14 times – once every five minutes on the field – and lost six of 12 duels. This was one of his more obscure club performances yet, and that’s saying something.
Should Wirtz make significant progress in training over the next few days, he should probably start against a struggling Tottenham Hotspur. But the difference between his performance and that of Ngumoha in recent weeks is night and day, and Slot may want to bite the bullet and make a change.
Wirtz is an excellent host. He joined Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen for £116m last year. But he had no success against the Turkish giants, and despite defending solidly, winning each of his four tries and coming out on top in six duels besides, Liverpool needed more offense and physicality to weather the Gala storm.
Liverpool must regret selling a £12m Liverpool flop who is now better than Gakpo
Liverpool must regret investing in this winger who is now much better than Cody Gakpo.
