Chaos, Confusion and a Crumbling Structure
Liverpool’s 2-1 defeat at Stamford Bridge was more than a frustrating result, it was a revealing one. A team that once thrived on clarity and intensity now drifts through matches, reliant on instinct instead of instruction. Chelsea were missing key players, including their best, Cole Palmer, yet they looked the more coherent side.
This was not a match decided by brilliance, but by basics. And Liverpool fell short.
Slot’s team started well enough, but quickly unravelled. Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sánchez, not known for his passing, played through Liverpool’s press with minimal resistance. Marc Cucurella, unmarked and untroubled, found time and space on the left, as Mohamed Salah offered little defensive cover.
That is not new. Salah has long been allowed to conserve energy out of possession. The trade-off has always been worth it, provided his attacking output remained elite. Now, though, the numbers tell a different story.
Salah’s Output Drops, and So Does Liverpool’s Edge
The numbers are stark. Salah’s dribbles attempted per 90 have dropped from 4.88 last season to 2.15. Shot assists are down, and his xT per 90 is less than a quarter of what it was last season. Even his total shots and shots on target have halved.
He has now played more than 53,000 senior minutes for club and country. After consecutive seasons with no break, a World Cup, and an AFCON, this decline might be more than temporary.
It would be premature to write him off, but Liverpool must start preparing for the version of Salah they have now, not the one they hope returns.
Tactical Breakdown Across the Pitch
Chelsea’s opener came from a pressing trap that never sprung. Szoboszlai stepped out to press, Gusto inverted into midfield, and Liverpool’s shape fell apart. Gravenberch was drawn to Enzo Fernández, leaving Mac Allister completely isolated. It was a coaching issue as much as a personnel one. The gap was too large to cover, and Caicedo punished them with a stunning but low-probability strike.
Liverpool’s off-ball structure continues to break down in predictable ways. Even though Chelsea created just two big chances, the hosts were able to bypass Liverpool’s press repeatedly, especially down the flanks.