Liverpool's downfall due to 'blockbuster' signings.

From aspiring to dominate European football, Liverpool now faces the risk of a disastrous season due to the "blockbuster" signings they made this summer.

Wirtz (right) had another disappointing match - Photo: Reuters

Liverpool's 2-3 defeat to Brentford in the ninth round of the Premier League on the morning of October 26th extended their losing streak in the domestic league to four matches. They have also dropped out of the top four.

There's no more time for Wirtz and Isak.

The three players who received the best ratings in this defeat were Szoboszlai (Sofascore gave him 9.1 points), Jones (7.2 points), and Bradley (7 points). All are veterans left behind by manager Jurgen Klopp for his successor, Arne Slot.

In yesterday's defeat, coach Slot fielded four expensive new signings: Mamardashvili, Kerkez, Wirtz, and Ekitike. Mamardashvili didn't play badly, but he conceded three goals and naturally didn't receive a high rating (6 points). Kerkez played extremely poorly, but was lucky enough to score one goal, earning a score of 6.8. Wirtz and Ekitike were a major disappointment, receiving scores of 6.2 and 5.8 respectively.

This was a huge disappointment for Liverpool fans. Just a few days earlier, the duo had shone brightly in the emphatic 5-1 victory over Frankfurt. Ekitike scored one goal in that match, marking his sixth goal of the season for Liverpool. Wirtz also contributed two assists, ending a run of 10 games without any goal contributions for the team.

The psychological burden was lifted, seemingly allowing the duo to play more freely, but then they completely became mired in the team's problems. Ekitike, in particular, has yet to regain his composure after being unfairly benched in favor of Isak.

As for Wirtz, it's simply that the German midfielder isn't good enough, hasn't adapted to English football, and hasn't been able to overcome the immense psychological pressure from his record-breaking transfer fee.

Including Isak, who has only scored one goal for Liverpool, the trio of "big-name" new signings have yet to live up to expectations. According to Sofascore's Premier League ratings, Ekitike has an average rating of 6.86 since the start of the season, the highest among the new signings, but only ranks 8th in the team. Wirtz received even less, only 6.49 points, ranking 17th. And in 19th place – the bottom of the table – is none other than Isak (6.4 points).

Slot is facing a crisis at Liverpool - Photo: REUTERS

Whose fault is it?

On forums and social media, Liverpool fans vented their anger at Salah – a player criticized for his selfish, overly ambitious style of play and his dramatic drop in form compared to last season. Salah is certainly to blame, but directing all the anger at him is incredibly unfair. The Egyptian superstar is 33 years old and has consistently shone for Liverpool for over eight years. In a demanding league like the Premier League, it's extremely difficult for a 33-year-old player whose every move is "knowed by heart" by every opponent to maintain such high performance.

Those who bear the greatest responsibility for Liverpool's current dire situation are manager Arne Slot and the club's transfer team – chief executive Michael Edwards and sporting director Richard Hughes.

Liverpool spent around €500 million on transfers this summer, with over 70% of that going to the trio of new signings: Isak, Wirtz, and Ekitike. All are attacking stars. Even after deducting the money from player sales, Liverpool still spent nearly €300 million this summer. Yet, entering the season, they still built their game around a "past his prime" Salah. And when Salah truly declined, Liverpool had no other solution.

Why? Because those players had to be sold to make way for blockbuster signings. In theory, Isak and Ekitike were to replace Nunez (who was sold) and Jota (who died in an accident), while Wirtz was intended to upgrade the midfield.

However, in the trend of modern football, the heart of the attack always lies in the center forward position. Fans can attest to this through big teams like Barca (Yamal is the brightest star), Bayern Munich (Olise), Arsenal (Saka), or even PSG (the trio of Dembele, Kvaratskhelia, and Doue are all wing forwards).

Last season, when Salah was inconsistent or absent, Liverpool had Diaz on the left wing, or Elliott as Salah's replacement on the right. This season, however, both of those players have been let go, freeing up the budget for Liverpool's big-name signings.

That's the downside of blockbuster transfers. No team in the world is rich enough or has sufficient funds under Financial Fair Play regulations to both buy expensive new players and retain their familiar faces. Liverpool sacrificed a number of safe options to bring in superstars. And when those superstars haven't adapted yet, they have no safe options left to rely on.

Isak and Wirtz may eventually adapt, but by then, Liverpool's season will be over.

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HUY DANG

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/liverpool-sup-do-vi-nhung-bom-tan-20251027092813111.htm