New players have come in, too many of them, and has meant a dilution of the collective will instilled by Klopp
Before this game Arne Slot had announced that he was “almost confused”. Which does at least raise some tantalising questions. Mainly, what is this Liverpool team going to look like when he gets there, when a state of full confusion is finally attained, when even Slot’s confusion stops being confusing and reveals its diamond-cut final form.
A 4-1 home defeat, Liverpool’s ninth in the past 12 games, felt like a step towards that promised end. Or at least confirmation their season has now reached the gallows humour phase – one of those periods where events haven’t just run away from you, but appear to be openly mocking your best efforts to catch up.
Virgil van Dijk had called for a back-to-basics clarity against PSV Eindhoven, doing the simple stuff, paring it all back. Cue an extraordinary overhead netball‑style Van Dijk handball five minutes in, followed by a bafflingly entitled whinge at the referee over the ensuing penalty kick.
He has always been the barometer of this team’s good health. Less Van Dijk is always more. Ideally, he is not playing at all, just chugging about in a vaguely supervisory role.
