This is what we observed as Jürgen Klopp once more watched helplessly as several alarming patterns continued to develop for the Reds.
Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp. (Image: Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)
Somehow, it gets worse. Liverpool is simply not good enough at the moment, with their defensive work against Wolves leaving plenty to be desired.
Inside 10 minutes, Joël Matip had looked shaky and scored an own goal, making what is actually a relatively poor Wolves side look like the ones with European ambitions rather than the visitors.
Within 12 minutes, Joe Gomez had headed the ball out of the hands of Alisson Becker and into the danger area, with Craig Dawson able to volley home.
This is a Wolves side that simply does not score goals, and yet Liverpool had invited them to net two in the opening stages.
Meanwhile, at the other end, the Reds could not make a breakthrough of their own, despite chances falling to Darwin Núñez and others, and Rúben Neves made it 3-0 to the hosts on 71 minutes.
Here are the four things Liverpool.com spotted as the game unfolded at Molineux.
Defensive horror show
Between Matip and Gomez, Liverpool’s center-backs just looked a million miles off their top level. Both are Champions League quality at their best, but this was something closer to the Championship.
Error after error was made and Liverpool was just welcoming Wolves toward their goal at times, in a performance that was at least as bad as the Brighton defeat last month during the first half.
It got better in the second period, but Alisson saved Matip and Gomez from further embarrassment on a tricky afternoon. Having played 10 away games in the league this season, Liverpool has now lost six, drawn two and won two — just one of a number of alarming downward trends.
If you enjoyed this piece, you’ll love our latest project here at Liverpool.com — our LFC newsletter, which is sent each weekday only to people signed up for our mailing list.
Our newsletter subscribers get a rundown Monday to Friday from one of the best Liverpool FC writers — straight to your inbox, and completely for free.
Midfield lacking
Liverpool’s midfielders won only 40 per cent of their duels in the first half, and while Stefan Bajčetić, Naby Keïta and Thiago Alcântara had their moments, it simply was nowhere near enough.
That trio is the best combination of players available for Klopp to select at the moment, but that in itself speaks volumes. One of them is 18 and another is out of contract in a few months with no sign of an extension being in the pipeline.
That is what makes it staggering that Liverpool has not invested in that area of the pitch in the last 18 months or so, let alone in the transfer window just gone. They are, quite simply, a million miles off where they need to be.
And this time, Jordan Henderson and Fabinho cannot be blamed. The problems stem in that area, but go a lot deeper than just the experienced duo losing their legs.
Attacking trident not firing
There were a few little glimmers from Cody Gakpo, Darwin Núñez and Mohamed Salah, but nothing sustained.
Liverpool’s best bits of play came when Salah got hold of the ball but that was simply not often enough on the afternoon, with Wolves able to hold on to the lead that they got early on.
Gakpo cannot be properly judged yet in a malfunctioning side and Núñez had a couple of pot-shots but nothing more. Something just is not right.
The one-versus-one that the Uruguayan missed was a big moment that could have changed things but even that was at 2-0. Liverpool tried, but just were not good enough in attack to score a goal.
Klopp apoplectic
Jürgen Klopp, Jordan Henderson (from the touchline, as he warmed up), Pep Lijnders and many more could not believe what they were watching.
Klopp, in particular, was screaming at several players in the first half. Fabinho — often the target of his wrath this season — was not in the matchday squad, but there were plenty of others who were on the end of a berating, with Matip chiefly among them.
Quite what the solution is remains to be seen, but the drop-off continues to be incredible to watch. Players who were on top of the world just a few months ago are now a shadow of themselves.
If shouting at them from the sidelines was a potential fix, it would have paid off months ago at this point.
The shot of Klopp with his mouth wide open in shock after a 12-minute spell in which Liverpool shot themselves in the foot twice sums up what is happening at the moment: the Reds are terrible, and no one knows how to fix it.
source: www.liverpool.com
