Arne Slot has a “lot of problems to solve” after “terrible week”

Liverpool’s wobble now arguably feels like a crisis, with the watching media full of criticism after losing 2-1 at Chelsea.

The Premier League champions have lost three games in a row heading into the international break, following yet another unconvincing performance.

Here’s how the media reacted to another bad day for Arne Slot and his Liverpool players.

This now feels more than just a blip…

On X, the Mail‘s Lewis Steele described Liverpool as “toothless,” which seemed fair:

“For the first time in his career Arne Slot has lost three in a row and has an awful lot of problems to solve.

“A tiny bit better overall but still toothless in attack, Robert Sanchez barely made a save. Can have no complaints.”

The Athletic‘s Andy Jones assessed another bitterly disappointing late defeat:

“How the tables have turned. After being the kings of late goals, Liverpool have become the fall guys of it.

[…]

“This has been a terrible week for Liverpool as they suffered a third successive defeat and, after equalising, they did not control the game. They continue to look disjointed and are not functioning.”

The Mail‘s Harry Bamforth bemoaned another ineffective performance from Mohamed Salah:

“Mohamed Salah is a sensational football player. Last term, he had one of the all-time great Premier League seasons; he was unstoppable for the majority of it.

“But, my word, he looks far from that player this campaign.

“Just the two Premier League goals, and one of them was a penalty. Salah just isn’t affecting Premier League games this season; nothing he does is coming off.”

For the first time, Slot is receiving real criticism…

The Athletic’s James Pearce felt Slot’s substitutions simply didn’t work:

“Even when Liverpool were on top in the second half, they were still so open defensively.

“Always looked as likely to lose it as win it. Some of the subs just didn’t work. Strange not to bring on Chiesa for either Salah or Gakpo rather than make the Endo sub.”

Genuinely like Slot went 'see everything that worked well last season, let's not do any of that again'.

— Matt Ladson (@mattladson) October 4, 2025

BBC Sport‘s Phil McNulty believes this is now a key time for Slot to regroup during the international break:

“It concluded a miserable week for Slot and Liverpool, in which they have twice received a taste of their own medicine – the side who had made a habit of scoring late winners having been on the receiving end in two straight league games.

“After the last seven days, Slot may just be glad of the international break to try to regroup and fire up his side once more.”

Finally, Sam McGuire claimed that the head coach is his own worst enemy:

“Expected there to be teething problems this season. Can’t change so much and not suffer some repercussions in the short-term. But this isn’t that.

“Slot isn’t helping himself here with most of these decisions.”