Arne Slot has admitted that opponents have “found a strategy” to exploit weaknesses in Liverpool, acknowledging that the team is “not competing up there” while continuing to concede too many goals. The Dutch coach spoke after a 3-2 defeat at Brentford, marking the reigning champions’ fourth consecutive Premier League loss. Despite the attacking threat, with Mo Salah and Milos Kerkez both scoring, defensive lapses once again proved costly.
Brentford capitalized early on a long throw-in, exploiting one of the weaknesses Slot had highlighted after previous matches. The 47-year-old did not shy away from the issue, acknowledging that rivals have figured out how to hurt the team.
“Teams have a specific way of playing against us, which is a very effective strategy, and we haven’t found a response yet,” he told Liverpoolfc.com. “Going 1-0 down after just five minutes doesn’t help either. Even today, when we didn’t play our best, we were able to score two goals and create chances, but you can’t compete if you concede too many — and that’s on all 11 players, not just the defense.”
It’s a worrying admission, especially as these defensive vulnerabilities have persisted across multiple games. While Slot’s honesty will be welcomed by supporters, many will hope it is soon followed by concrete improvements on the pitch.
Liverpool have faced considerable disruption since summer. The loss of Diogo Jota in July left a gap not only in goals but also in squad morale. The absences of Alisson and Ryan Gravenberch have added further challenges, while integrating new signings like Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike was always going to take time.
“If you make a lot of changes in the summer, it’s not surprising that things can go a bit like this,” Slot added. “But I didn’t expect four losses in a row — that’s clear.”
While recent results are concerning, the broader picture suggests a team in transition rather than decline. There are still encouraging signs, including Mo Salah ending his goal drought and the continued strong performances of Dominik Szoboszlai.
With Alisson, Gravenberch, and Jeremie Frimpong nearing returns, there remains every reason to believe this Liverpool side can turn things around once the team fully gels.
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