Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak classes for Arne Slot in Liverpool defeat to Galatasaray
Liverpool were beaten 1-0 by Galatasaray in the Champions League on Wednesday night, with Reds’ boss Arne Slot having to face up to some difficult truths
Istanbul may be the site of Liverpool‘s most memorable European night, but the Turkish capital has otherwise been a source of disappointment for the Reds, with this marking their third consecutive defeat in the city.
More concerning, however, is that this was only the fifth time in 66 games under Arne Slot that Liverpool failed to find the back of the net. It’s not that they were without opportunities in the first half, one of which saw Ibrahima Konate epitomise another worryingly lacklustre performance by heading a corner wide from close range.
Hugo Ekitike showed promise in the opening 30 minutes and there was a sense that with a bit more precision, the Premier League champions could break down a Galatasaray side who hadn’t won at home in the competition proper in seven years.
However, Liverpool’s attack lost its edge when Alexander Isak came on, highlighting a concern that Slot has long held – the £125million man hasn’t had enough time to gel with a team still adapting to several other new arrivals, reports the Liverpool Echo.
Isak issues
Isak managed a shot with his first touch, but only had three further touches during his 38 minutes on the pitch – Mohamed Salah, who came on at the same time, had 19.
With questions over Ekitike’s fitness, Isak will likely have to shoulder the number nine role for the foreseeable future. The Reds need to figure out how best to utilise his talent.
Wirtz’s struggles continue
A moment that perfectly summed up Florian Wirtz’s initial months at Liverpool occurred when, after Ekitike was overwhelmed and Cody Gakpo’s shot was cleared off the line, the ball landed with Wirtz in the box.
Instead of aiming for goal or opting for a simple pass, the German international decided to blindly roll the ball behind him, hoping a team-mate would be there to receive it.
However, Galatasaray simply scooped up the loose ball and within 20 seconds were awarded a penalty by the whistle-happy referee Clement Turpin. This exposed Dominik Szoboszlai’s lack of experience at right-back and ultimately determined the outcome of an otherwise low-quality match.
Wirtz was central to Liverpool’s first-half threat, even managing a clever shot on the turn that was saved and player a series of fine passes.
However, his performance noticeably declined in the second half, with injuries to other players being the only reason he lasted the full 90 minutes – a first since his move to Anfield.
He did manage one good cross for Conor Bradley to head wide, but by the end, he was guilty of the same careless possession that plagued most of his team-mates.
A booking in injury time elicited a look of disbelief from Wirtz, who had earlier been upset by some rough play. He is becoming a target in more ways than one.
Alisson deepens woe
Paris Saint-Germain proved last season, much to Liverpool’s detriment, that merely finishing in the top 24 of the Champions League opening stage can be enough to go on and win the tournament.
While the Reds’ second consecutive loss – only the second under Slot’s management – will undoubtedly cause some discontent, the immediate worry is about Alisson Becker’s fitness.
The sight of the Brazilian goalkeeper signalling an apparent issue with his arm after saving a one-on-one from Victor Osimhen would have sent shockwaves all the way back to Merseyside.
Slot has already confirmed that Becker will miss Saturday’s match against Chelsea, marking a significant challenge for Giorgi Mamardashvili. The Georgian had little to do during his brief time on the pitch.
In other news, Alexis Mac Allister’s lacklustre appearance underscored that the Argentine is far from being fully fit.
However, amidst a night of few positives, Curtis Jones managed to hold his own and is now a strong candidate to retain his spot at Stamford Bridge this weekend.
