Dominik Szoboszlai stood with his hands on his hips, gazing up at the sky. Once again, Liverpool had found a way to drop points in stoppage time — this time for the fifth occasion in the Premier League this season — as Bournemouth capitalized on a long throw. The Reds’ struggles in the final moments of matches have become an alarming trend, raising questions about their consistency and resilience.

Arne Slot attributed the loss to his players being tired after a midweek trip to Marseille in the Champions League. However, that explanation feels insufficient. Virgil van Dijk started the game with uncharacteristic sloppiness, though he managed to redeem himself slightly by scoring just before halftime. Milos Kerkez struggled for 45 minutes before being replaced by Andy Robertson. The defensive issues were compounded by Wataru Endo stepping in after Alisson Becker collided with Joe Gomez.

The attack, too, was underwhelming. Szoboszlai tried his best, but Mohamed Salah and Florian Wirtz were largely ineffective. The lack of creativity and pace in the forward line left the team reliant on a misfiring attack, which proved costly in the end.

Key Issues Facing Liverpool

There are growing concerns about whether Arne Slot is maximizing the potential of the players he has at his disposal. The performance of players like Wirtz and Cody Gakpo suggests that there may be a lack of depth and variety in the squad. While Hugo Ekitike has been a bright spot in recent months, his role has often been overshadowed by the inconsistency of others.

Midweek, Liverpool looked impressive in Marseille, but it’s worth noting that Roberto De Zerbi’s team played in a way that suited the Reds’ style. That doesn’t excuse the stark contrast between their European and domestic performances. The gap between the Champions League and Premier League versions of Liverpool is simply too wide.

Squad Depth and Injuries

Slot bears some responsibility for not getting the most out of his current roster. However, he can only do so much with the players available. Against Bournemouth, Liverpool was missing five key players: three long-term, one short-term, and one on compassionate leave. While this isn’t a crisis, it highlights the lack of depth in the squad.

Federico Chiesa, the short-term issue, rarely starts anyway, and Giovanni Leoni is still a young player. Although Liverpool has faced some unfortunate injuries, the reality is that the squad lacks the necessary options to make a fair assessment of Slot’s performance.

Defensive and Midfield Concerns

In defense, Liverpool is lacking in center-backs. The midfield also needs a more reliable option than Wataru Endo when he’s not filling in elsewhere. In attack, the team is desperately short on pace and the ability to beat defenders one-on-one.

Liverpool made the right decision to sell Luis Diaz to Bayern Munich for a fee that could reach $88 million (£65 million). The Colombian wanted to leave, and his contract was running down, making the move logical. However, the mistake was not securing a suitable replacement at the time. Diaz’s dribbling and creative ability have diminished, and Rio Ngumoha’s game time needs to be carefully managed given his age.

Need for More Investment

It’s hard to argue for a team that spent $600M in one summer on new players, but the truth is that Liverpool needs more investment. It needs more bodies and the ability to rotate effectively. If the club had either kept Diaz or brought in a similar player, Gakpo might be performing at a higher level, Wirtz would have more options to pass to, and Ekitike wouldn’t be overplayed.

With Salah potentially leaving at the end of the season, Liverpool may need two wide forwards in the next transfer window. Adding more depth in defense and midfield will likely make it another busy summer for the club.