Liverpool fans speak out on 'completely unacceptable' season as club direction questioned

Liverpool fans have their say in the ECHO's latest Reds Letter Day feature

Liverpool's 3-2 defeat to Manchester United on Sunday was their 11th of what has been an abysmal defence of their Premier League crown.

Not since the 2014/15 campaign, in the dying embers of the Brendan Rodgers era, have the Reds lost as many matches in a league term and Arne Slot's men have lost 18 across all competitions.

The less generous of you might even suggest that figure is 19 dating back to to their penalty shootout loss to Crystal Palace in August's Community Shield and it has been a season to forget for the club, even if they ultimately secure passage to the 2026/27 Champions League.

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The ECHO has opened the floor to Liverpool fans near and wide to have their say on what is going wrong, what needs to change and how the club are heading for another major summer period.

We won the league. We basically smashed the squad to pieces. Why? We are letting Salah and Robertson go for free. We sold Kelleher, a great keeper. We missed out on Marc Guehi because of our stupid pursuit of a crock who was always injured at Newcastle, Alexander Isak. Much like Andy Carroll. What a waste or money. We bought Frimpong to replace Trent, he isn’t good enough otherwise we would play him instead of playing midfielders there. Of the new signings I don’t really rate any of them so who made the decision Slot or Hughes and Edwards? I’ve heard they don’t train as much and have a lot more free time for luxury holidays now. Even Salah has alluded to this and said basically players aren’t fit. What a total farce we’ve no style of play and no guts. Salah will leave as a legend. He won't be the last. Alisson will be next. Janet Smith, Lancashire

The rumours and the tabloids have it that Arne Slot is staying. The same tabloid says that Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes will be leaving next year. Too little, too late, perhaps? Between Edwards, Hughes and an out-of-his-league coach, Liverpool is struggling to get UEFA Champions League participation for next season.

It sounds diabolical when actually put in writing, but I wonder whether this collapse was orchestrated? But I’ve promised to be kind. We have three more games to play. If Slot gets a few brainwaves kick in, we might still make it.

But I do know this. It has hurt so much that we are where we are today. Sure we have had Hicks and Gillett and some awful times but this time it feels different. This season has really hurt, and since Jota left us, it feels like too many kicks in the stomach.

But we are Liverpool and our anthem says that when we walk through this storm, we will hold our head high….and so we will. All the best for the rest of the season, everyone. YNWA.

Jennifer Soars

As a lifelong Liverpool supporter, I have to be honest this season has been completely unacceptable. The number of matches we've lost and the overall performances have been far below the standards expected of a club of Liverpool’s stature.

I don’t believe we have shown a clear identity or style of play. Week after week, the team looks disjointed, and there’s no consistency in how we approach games. That lack of direction is deeply concerning.

For me, the board needs to make a strong decision and consider a managerial change before things decline further. At the same time, recruitment must improve. Someone who would bring much-needed energy, physicality, and control to our midfield, which has been a major weakness.

Liverpool is a massive club with high expectations, and as fans, we deserve much better than what we’ve seen this season. This rebuild needs to be handled seriously with the right manager and the right players brought in to restore our identity and competitiveness.

Captain Yaw Donyina, Ghana

The problem with Slot is simple, things are bad, Liverpool have injuries, we get it. But why bring young lads on to the bench to then not use them, he has zero interest in developing these guys for the first team, he plays players well out of position and has no back up plan, subs are too late or when we need a striker to go for it he'd rather bring on a defender and sit on it.

Jonathan, Limerick

All the noises from the club seem to be they're 100% behind and keeping Slot next session...why? And are they watching the same team we are? We've not been that good since about February or so of last season. Imagine where we'd be in the league if we didn't have those crazy first five wins.

Glenn Sargent, Belfast

I don't want to be too harsh on Slot but this is really bad and after what happened to Diogo Jota in the summer, it becomes even harder and more complicated to understand what is really not going right.

But even after all this, there should be a reason for Slot to stay at least some performance that will make us believe that this thing can be turned around. It's not there and I don't see it coming so Xabi Alonso is available and it's an opportunity that won't come again.

I think we need to give Slot the best kind of respect as possible but changes need to be made. For Mo Salah, we don't need to go big but just the right players at the right price like Yan Diomande and Mika Godts of Ajax. They are young but exciting to watch.

Red Pulse LFC, Sudan

My son and I watched the latest in what has become a season of way too many debacles. I nearly shut it off after United's second goal, but decided to hang in. As I said to my son, all too often, IF we score, it seems to be more a matter of an individual making a brilliant, inspired play or an opponent’s mistake, rather than the result of any end product, derived from an impressive attack.

I refuse to accept that Jurgen Klopp wouldn’t have gotten appreciably more out of this team this year than Slot has managed to extract, doing his best impression of “a deer in the headlights” on the touchline.

The thought of sitting through (enduring) another season of this excuse for a cohesive, determined, accomplished, confident, aggressive Liverpool side is more than I can bare.

I don’t know WHAT the LFC decision-makers can be thinking, watching this but if they think that this is acceptable and that a substantial amount of the responsibility DOESN’T belong at Slot’s feet, then they are CLUELESS!

Roger Barzelay, Maine, USA

I am convinced now that this is on the players. Kerkez and Rio look exciting for next season down the left. Wirtz isn’t a number 10 no matter how much he likes to think he is. Let Madrid or Bayern have him. Swap him for Michael Olise. He needs to go in my opinion.

Big clear out in the summer. Jones and Mac Allister need to go too along with Salah and Robbo. I think we need a new captain too. Our number 8 (Szoboszlai) would be a good choice. Also, Frimpong won’t get a look in when Bradley is back and will then be sold next summer. Not good enough either. 100% this season is on the players.

Carlos Ramos, Milton Keynes

Poor decisions, I totally accept the injury situation, Klopp had the same, he developed and trusted the kids and took a League Cup. No centre-backs, no problem - enter rookies and get fourth place.

Slot, changed training regime to reduce injuries. How'd that work,? Failed to use bench, why name and destroy Ramsay if you don't intend to play him? If second string don't get chances, then why train hard?

That causes no pressure on first XI and the malaise sets in, less running, fitness is poor, which causes poor decision making and more injuries.

Team lacks identity and fight, leaders have gone. Milner, Henderson. Strategy is chaotic, playing five attackers in one match with no midfield! Best player moved to right-back and we lose our energy in midfield.

Laughing and smiling at post match sends the wrong signal to everyone. The sign post was there, no one concedes three goals to Nottingham Forest at Anfield and should survive.

Ray Jobsz-Keegel, London

Starting with Slot, his main problem is man management. He needs to build a relationship with every player not to focus any of his native players. If players can’t feel that bond, he won’t get the results. Perfect example is Michael Carrick. I think he gave importance to every player and overnight team vision changed.

Second, his tactics: his main players duty is to keep ball and giving back and forth pass without any reason. It looks so boring and disgusting during crucial moment. His biggest negative impact are Kerkez & Wirtz’s play. Kerkez can only defend and bit of sprint but he can’t pass/cross like Robertson did. Robbo gives 15+ cross in every match if plays full time.

Wirtz is not fit for EPL. His legs are super weak. He can’t compete with any players of EPL to get competitive ball in free zone due to lack of faster movement otherwise he is good player.

Moonabar, Bangladesh.

Seeing the state of Liverpool FC at the moment is painful. I genuinely can’t see a way Slot brings us out of this rut and kick on next season. He won us the title, which was amazing, but Claudio Ranieri was sacked after winning Leicester the league.

Not a single one of the players looks good enough, Szoboszlai is brilliant in flashes, putting Jones at full back and Frimpong further up is criminal. It feels like we’ve got a ship with no captain. For as long as I remember we have always played aggressive, pressing football. We have completely lost our identity and I think we need to change it fast.

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