Don Hutchison cites ‘pretty obvious’ explanation for Liverpool’s alarming decline this season
Don Hutchison has claimed that there’s a ‘pretty obvious’ contributing factor towards Liverpool’s dramatic decline from last season to now.
DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL EMPIRE OF THE KOP APP FOR ALL THE LATEST & BREAKING UPDATES – STRAIGHT TO YOUR PHONE! ON APPLE & GOOGLE PLAY
This time 12 months ago, Arne Slot was well on his way to winning the Premier League in his first season in charge at Anfield, but he now finds himself with a battle on his hands to earn Champions League qualification (and maybe to keep his job).
However, the Scottish pundit has pointed out that the Reds had substantially greater squad depth available to them last term compared to the present day.
Hutchison highlights ‘pretty obvious’ squad depth issue
In replying to a disgrunted Liverpool fan on X, Hutchison explained: ‘It’s pretty obvious mate. The amount of talent (1st team players) that’s been sold is untrue and left A Slot well short…
‘The bench last season. Gakpo, C Jones, Endo, Chiesa, Darwin, Jota, Gomez, L Diaz, at times Bradley, Quansah, H Elliott. Now it’s just mainly kids.’
Several factors explain Liverpool’s reduction in squad depth
Despite spending almost £450m on new signings last summer, there are several reasons to explain the differnce in squad depth between 2024/25 and now.
As Hutchison mentioned, numerous players were sold in the meantime, including Luis Diaz, Jarell Quansah and Darwin Nunez, and nobody could’ve legislated for the tragic loss of Diogo Jota eight months ago.
Injuries also haven’t helped, with Liverpool losing Giovanni Leoni, Conor Bradley, Alexander Isak and Wataru Endo to long-term layoffs while also having to manage without the likes of Florian Wirtz, Joe Gomez and Jeremie Frimpong at times this season.
For instance, in the recent 1-0 win at Nottingham Forest, the Reds’ substitutes bench included two goalkeepers, three teenagers, an inexperienced right-back (Calvin Ramsay) and a forward who Slot rarely trusts (Federico Chiesa).
It’s difficult not to feel that LFC would be comfortably inside the Champions League places if they had their full squad available for the bulk of the campaign, although it’s also a fair observation that they should still be doing so much better with the players they do have.
For all the valid excuses which could be offered, to not even finish in the top five this season would be a chronic and damaging underachievement by Liverpool.
The post Don Hutchison cites ‘pretty obvious’ explanation for Liverpool’s alarming decline this season appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.