Despite admitting “poor Salah form” currently

In a harsh analysis reflecting the depth of the crisis facing the Premier League titleholder, the British newspaper The Telegraph highlighted the sudden collapse of Liverpool

Dutch coach Arne Slot faces severe criticism

Amid this collapse, the Dutch manager appears to have finally decided to change his approach

Identity crisis: Did Liverpool need all these stars

The article points out that the radical changes made by Slot are at the root of the crisis

In the miserable recent defeat in London (against Brentford), only four players from the starting lineup that played against Tottenham Hotspur on the day the team clinched the title last April were on the pitch

While some of these changes are attributed to injuries, The Telegraph confirms that “structural changes have been apparent since the Community Shield match”

Here comes the key question: “Did Liverpool, last season’s champions, really need all these changes and signings?”

From Hugo Ekitike to Alexander Isak, and from Florian Wirtz to Milos Kerkez, among others

On paper, player-for-player, the current Liverpool squad clearly outmatches Crystal Palace, Manchester United, and Brentford

Yet the team has not shown this superiority in any of these matches

On the contrary, Slot’s team appears “ready to maximize opponents’ chances of winning” as much as it is ready to maximize Liverpool’s own

Tactical chaos: Danger of repeating Nunez tragedy

The problem extends beyond names to tactical philosophy

The article criticizes Slot’s insistence on playing in a way that doesn’t suit his tools

Where “Liverpool prefers not to risk losing the ball rather than sending high balls to tall forwards to create chaos”

The newspaper warns that if this approach continues, striker Alexander Isak may carry a “cursed” label, like Stan Collymore or Darwin Nunez

Salah “hides the flaws”… and the problems are deeper

Then there is Mohamed Salah

Many still argue that if the Egyptian star had seized his chances, Liverpool would be leading the league

But The Telegraph sees this view as an oversimplification

“It could have hidden broader flaws”

Despite admitting “poor Salah form” currently, the newspaper confirms that “the difficulties the team faces currently go beyond him”

The bottom… and the new goal (Top 4)

Slot hopes that the catastrophic performance against Brentford represents “rock bottom” or the lowest point in this “difficult transitional period

But with a tough Carabao Cup match against Crystal Palace and a growing injury list, there is “no evidence that the worst is over

At present, the message is clear: Liverpool must “forget about defending the title

They are not performing close to the level of rivals, and need to start taking “steps” before achieving “leaps

The “reality check” provided by Brentford is as follows

If Liverpool finishes the season in the top four from this point, it will be considered a “radical improvement

It is a clear declaration that the champion has fallen and now needs a complete rebuild