Liverpool have lost six of their previous seven Premier League games and there is a concern about the lack of physicality in Arne Slot’s squad.

In the post-summer debrief, if fans across the country were asked which club had the strongest transfer window, many would have likely named Liverpool. Given what has transpired so far this season, it is a reason why those sorts of questions should not be posed. Deals can look clever on paper but not work out - and vice versa.

So far, Liverpool’s business has failed to bear fruit. They started the new campaign as Premier League champions. As things stand, they will be lucky to finish in the top four. After a £450 million outlay, the Reds are weaker than they were when they lifted the English championship in May. Only Hugo Ekitike can so far be deemed a success.

Jury remains out

Despite smashing the British transfer record and spending £125 million on Alexander Isak, he has so far proven largely anonymous because of fitness issues. Florian Wirtz has not hit the ground running like some might have expected from a £100 million player. Milos Kerkez has been a shadow of what he displayed at AFC Bournemouth and Jeremie Frimpong has been plagued by hamstring injuries. The jury remains out on Giorgi Mamardashvili after he deputised for Alisson Becker, while Giovanni Leoni suffered a cruel ACL blow on his eye-catching blow.

After a sixth loss in seven Premier League games, a chastening 3-0 defeat at home to Nottingham Forest, all of Liverpool’s problems were exposed in 90 minutes and head coach Arne Slot has come under pressure.

Supporters have rued how the Reds failed to sign Marc Guehi on transfer deadline day given Ibrahima Konate’s shaky performances. It remains to be seen whether Liverpool make a second bid to recruit Guehi from Crystal Palace in January. The Eagles may look to cash in with the centre-back’s contract expiring in the summer.

Antoine Semenyo appears to be a player Liverpool hold genuine interest in. The winger has been superb for AFC Bournemouth and with Mo Salah’s form dipping markedly, Isak struggling and Cody Gakpo yet to convince, Semenyo would add a new dimension to the Reds’ front line.

Midfield issues

But the Forest performance exposed a position that the Reds have tried to bolster previously but failed to do so. Not for the first time this campaign, the midfield’s lack of physicality was there for everyone to see.

Ryan Gravenberch excelled in the No.6 role last term. Yet that was when Liverpool were dominating most opponents. Under more pressure, his defensive flaws have been somewhat exposed.

Against Forest, Gravenberch won just two of the seven duels he contested. During the 3-0 loss at Manchester City before the international break, the Netherlands international came out on top of two of nine duels. Given Gravenberch has played as more of a box-to-box role for much of his career, it was perhaps inevitable that it would become a problem at some point.

Alexis Mac Allister proved not much better. The Argentine won three of eight duels against Forest and two of five at City. Curtis Jones, operating in a more advanced position, proved better as he won eight of 12 duels in the Forest reverse.

There is only one natural defensive midfielder in Slot’s squad. That is Wataru Endo, who has made only one Premier League start under Slot. Aged 32, the Japan international is evidently not in Slot’s prominent plans.

In truth, Liverpool have known they are short of an out-and-out police enforcer in the engine room for two years. They failed to sign both Moises Caiceco and Romeo Lavia in the summer of 2023. Both opted for Chelsea. While Endo was recruited and established himself as a fans’ favourite in his maiden campaign, he was always going to be a stopgap.

And in Slot’s maiden transfer window, the interest in Martin Zubimendi was public knowledge. Zubimendi opted to stay at Real Sociedad before joining Arsenal ahead of the 2025-26 season. The Spain international has started 11 of the runaway league leaders’ games so far.

Assessing the Premier League table, the majority of teams currently in the upper echelons have a proper defensive midfielder. Arsenal have Zubimendi, Chelsea boast Caicedo, Man City brag Rodri while Aston Villa (Boubacar Kamara), Crystal Palace (Adam Wharton) and Brighton (Carlos Baleba) have adept options.

It is generally accepted that English football has become more physical this season and Liverpool are short of muscle. If they are open the cheque book again January, an additional midfielder is what should be the priority.