Liverpool’s start to the season was always going to attract attention regardless of how good or bad it went.
The Reds have amassed just nine points from their first six Premier League fixtures. That leaves Liverpool in seventh place and six points adrift of top spot.
In the Champions League it’s not started well, either. The opening Champions League group match for Jurgen Klopp’s side ended in a 4-1 defeat away to Napoli.
READ MORE: Jurgen Klopp already has answer to Liverpool crisis and Thiago is only one part of it
As a result of Liverpool’s indifferent start to the campaign, plenty of pundits have had their say. Whether it be Jamie Carragher and Graeme Souness, or Gary Neville and Roy Keane, the Reds have been a big topic of debate.
Here, we take a look at what some pundits have said about Liverpool in recent weeks.
Graeme Souness - September 2022
“You can talk to all the modern coaches and analysts you like, apply the latest buzz terminology and fill these sports pages with all the data you can lay your hands on — but the one non-negotiable part of winning football matches is being first to the ball,” wrote Souness, in the Mail Online .
“At the moment, Liverpool are not doing that. And that’s why they are a mile off the team we have known them to be in Jurgen Klopp’s time at the club.
“That intensity of being first to everything is the reason why they have become winners again. They and Manchester City are by far the best two teams in the country at doing this and no one else comes anywhere near their intensity. They can squeeze the life out of teams.
“But they have gone from a team that can hustle and exhaust an opponent, from the first minute to the last, to a team suddenly second to everything. In doing so they appear to be vulnerable to every attack.
“There are all sorts of reasons for this being offered by the people with the data and the big theories. They will tell you about the Liverpool high line. About Mo Salah not looking the same player he was. About Trent Alexander-Arnold appearing to jog back when two of Napoli’s goals went in, during that 4-1 defeat on Wednesday night. But Liverpool just don’t seem to have the same energy.
“I’ve certainly not been seeing the same Salah. He has signed the big contract he wanted and I really hope we are not seeing him getting semi into his armchair because of that.
“The need for intensity is a collective thing. It has always been that way, going back to my time as a player at the club. They like to call it ‘pressing’ now but when I was playing we just called it ‘closing down’. If one person is not doing it, the whole system breaks down and you might as well drop off and be a team that plays counter-attacking football.”
Jamie Carragher - After Liverpool’s 4-1 defeat to Napoli
“Right now, Liverpool play a high-risk game, but they’re not pressing the ball to stop the high-risk game and causing themselves a problem,” Carragher told CBS Sports. “We mentioned before the game that they’re not getting pressure on the ball, and you look how high Liverpool’s line is - that is not a problem, it's about being compact and together.
“But when someone gets time on the ball - as the Napoli full-back does - and you watch Joe Gomez . He’s got a yard on the Napoli striker but he stops and puts the brakes on. You can’t put the brakes on when someone’s got time to get their head up. We said before the game that it's too easy to get through Liverpool's midfield. That didn't happen before so you could play a high line and be really compact, but if that's not happening, you have to adapt.
“Two minutes into the second half, after we’ve seen one of the worst halves defensively under Jurgen Klopp. When that ball comes back, and you know a player is going to play it first time, you have to go back. Liverpool fans may criticise me because this is what Liverpool have done and they've had great success, but all I'm talking about is five yards.
“When that ball is there, and you know he's going to kick it, go back and if he doesn't kick it, you’ve only gone back two yards and you can get back to your line. If he does kick it, you’re off. Matip doesn't run, Van Dijk doesn't run and they get in again. It’s embarrassing. It’s kids stuff.
“This is the big problem with Liverpool. They've built their success on intensity on the ball, always compact, at times a risk, but there's energy on the ball. That energy is not there now, so that back-four has to adapt and it has to go back three or four yards. If they keep playing like that, they're going to have a big problem in the Premier League and in qualifying for the next round of the Champions League, because that is suicide football.”
Gary Neville - After Liverpool’s goalless draw with Everton
“I think City, Liverpool and Tottenham will finish in the top three,” Neville told Sky Sports. “ [Then it’s between] Chelsea, Arsenal and Man United.
“You think Liverpool will come good don’t you because of what they’ve done. I think United will struggle to get into the top four personally. I just think Tottenham, Liverpool and City will.
“I think it’ll be between Arsenal, Chelsea and United, I just think the other two are slightly better. United will have to dig in really deep to win those two games against Arsenal and Liverpool. Liverpool could’ve equalised and Arsenal were good for large parts.
“There’s a long way to go, if you said to me a few weeks ago they’d finish fifth I’d bite your hand off. Fifth wouldn’t be a terrible result for Manchester United and Erik ten Hag from where they were.”
Roy Keane - At half-time during Liverpool’s 2-1 defeat to Manchester United
“If you analyse Van Dijk here, he’s been sloppy all season,” Keane claimed on Sky Sports. “He’s got to get out. He’s not moved his feet. It was excellent, the goal was coming. You thought every time United were coming [they would score].
“[Marcus] Rashford was making runs, stretching Liverpool and there was gaps everywhere. They made Liverpool look average. Sancho, for a player who’s not been playing well, showed great composure. Great finish and Liverpool will be disappointed. Trent again on his heels.
"The way I’d describe it is United are at it. They’ve been aggressive, stretching Liverpool, opening them up. Disappointing they’ve only scored one goal, decision-making, they look sharp, fresh, the manager must be delighted.
"[Bruno] Fernandes has been brilliant but they’ve gone back to basics. Out of possession and in possession they’ve been quality. Liverpool haven’t been great but they have quality. You need a bit of luck in this game, [James] Milner will be disappointed and United in their first-half performance deserve that. The plus for Liverpool for as poor as they’ve been it’s only 1-0, they’ll only get better but a slice of luck for United."
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