Slot Blames Liverpool Forward for Transition Breakdown vs PSV

Liverpool’s struggles in transition remain a major talking point following our heavy loss to PSV, and manager Arne Slot has provided more clarity on why things went so wrong at Anfield.

 

Speaking to CBS Sports Golazo, Slot rejected claims that PSV were far superior in transition, saying the team’s first-half performance was closer to his expectations.

 

“I really liked how we reacted in transition in the first half,” the 47-year-old explained. “Almost every time we won the ball back, we were able to keep them in their own half.”

 

However, he admitted the second half was a different story. “There were moments, especially at the start of the second half, when we just couldn’t maintain that. I kept asking myself, ‘what’s wrong with Hugo?’ He didn’t move like he did earlier.”

 

Slot revealed that French forward Hugo Ekitike had been struggling with a back issue from the very beginning. “He told me within the first five to ten minutes of the first half that his back was bothering him, which is why he had to come off.” This adds context to Sky Sports’ earlier praise, which described Ekitike as having a “livewire display” before his substitution.

 

His absence puts even more responsibility on Alexander Isak, who again struggled to make an impact after coming on, continuing his difficult adaptation period.

 

Other areas of concern include the left-back position, with Adebayo Akinfenwa criticizing Kerkez on X: “I’m sorry but Kerkez needs to do & be better. It’s really not good enough.”

 

These struggles are reflected in the statistics, highlighting the club’s worst run since 1953. Slot’s comments show that while the explanation is understandable, they also reveal how fragile our system becomes when one pressing unit member falters.

 

If Ekitike remains sidelined, and with Isak still regaining full fitness, Liverpool risk losing one of the few forwards capable of consistently stretching defences. With Kerkez under scrutiny and several senior players out of form, the team’s overall level must improve quickly.

 

Slot emphasized that the first-half performance was stronger than many give credit for, but the collapse in the second half remains a serious worry ahead of the West Ham clash.