Gerrard Challenges Slot to Find Answers as Liverpool Struggle for Consistency
Liverpool icon Steven Gerrard has urged Arne Slot to stop pointing to low blocks as the explanation for his side’s uneven domestic form, insisting the Reds must find solutions as their Premier League title defence begins to wobble.
Slot’s team followed a commanding 3-0 Champions League win over Marseille with renewed debate about their league struggles, having dropped points again against deep sitting opposition. While the Dutch coach has highlighted tactical patterns behind the inconsistency, Gerrard believes the responsibility lies squarely with the manager and his players.
Liverpool’s current position marks a sharp contrast to last season’s title charge, when Slot silenced early doubts and guided the club to the crown in his first year after succeeding Jurgen Klopp. Heavy spending in the summer of 2025 was designed to build a new era of dominance, but the return on that investment has been limited so far.
High profile arrivals such as Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz have yet to consistently deliver, leaving the reigning champions scrapping to stay inside the top four rather than setting the pace. European form has provided some relief, yet domestic results continue to raise concerns.
Slot has argued that stylistic matchups are at the heart of the issue. Against Marseille, managed by the attack minded Roberto De Zerbi, Liverpool were given space to play and punished their opponents. That freedom was absent in the recent 1-1 draw with relegation threatened Burnley, a game that again exposed their difficulties against compact defences.
Anfield was subdued by recent standards during those league outings, with opponents content to sit deep and disrupt rhythm. Liverpool dominated possession but lacked incision, despite technically gifted midfielders and forwards tasked with breaking lines and accelerating the tempo.
Clear chances were scarce in those matches, with patient build up often ending in blocked shots or crowded penalty areas. The lack of sharpness in decisive moments has become a recurring theme, even as defensive solidity has largely been maintained.
Gerrard, speaking after the Marseille win, praised Slot’s approach in Europe but dismissed low blocks as a justification. He pointed out that such tactics have always been part of the challenge at Liverpool and stressed that elite teams are defined by how they overcome them.
The second half of the season now carries added pressure. Liverpool remain unbeaten in 13 games across all competitions, a run stretching back to late November, but the performances have not fully convinced. Manchester United sit just one point behind in fifth, with several rivals closing fast.
Saturday’s trip to Bournemouth looms as another test against organised resistance. For Gerrard, the message is clear. The obstacles will not change. What matters is whether Slot and his squad can turn control into goals and draws into wins as the race for Champions League qualification tightens.