Mac Allister’s Struggles Highlight Liverpool’s Midfield Dilemma
Liverpool’s recent dip in form has sparked serious debate among supporters and analysts alike. After four consecutive defeats to Crystal Palace, Galatasaray, Chelsea and Manchester United, questions are being asked of Arne Slot’s selection choices, particularly his unwavering faith in Alexis Mac Allister. Speaking to Dave Davis for Anfield Index, respected journalist David Lynch delivered a brutally honest assessment of the Argentine midfielder’s performances and Slot’s tactical decisions.
Form, Fitness and a Faltering Engine Room
Mac Allister’s difficulties this season have been both visible and costly. Once seen as a reliable link between defence and attack, he has struggled to impose himself under Slot’s system. As Lynch told Davis, “The longer it goes on, when is Mac Allister going to play well?” His form has been inconsistent, his passing subdued, and his defensive work far from the intensity Liverpool fans have come to expect.
Lynch did not hold back in his analysis. “He’s been fit for a lot of the season and has been very, very poor.” The blunt truth is that Mac Allister, who arrived with high expectations after his World Cup-winning exploits, has not lived up to his billing in recent months. Injuries earlier in the campaign offered some leeway, but as Lynch added, “You can give him some space because of the fitness issues but you’re going to keep losing games if you have him in midfield at the moment because it just isn’t working.”
Curtis Jones Making a Case for Change
The situation becomes even more complex when considering the form of Curtis Jones. The academy graduate has quietly built a reputation for being tactically intelligent and progressive in possession. Lynch made a strong case for his inclusion, noting, “Every time Curtis Jones come on, he’s showing that he deserves to start games. He’s a massive solution to Liverpool’s build-up problems and they’re ignoring him.”
Jones offers control, movement and an understanding of how to help balance Liverpool’s pressing structure. His tendency to drop deep to receive the ball could prove invaluable to a side struggling for fluidity. “The way he drops into left-back to get the ball, I mean how much would that help Kerkez? It would let him be right up where he wants to be on the pitch,” Lynch explained. It is an observation that resonates with many supporters who see the tactical logic in restoring Jones to the starting line-up.
Slot’s Selection Challenge
Arne Slot’s first season at Anfield delivered the ultimate reward, a Premier League title, but his second campaign has started with turbulence. Persisting with Mac Allister when his form clearly dips has raised eyebrows, especially when the solution, as Lynch put it, seems obvious. “These solutions are staring Slot in the face now.”
Slot’s challenge lies in balancing loyalty to key players with the need for form-based decisions. Mac Allister’s technical quality is undeniable, yet his current performances are undermining the collective rhythm. The Dutch manager has built his reputation on adaptability and clarity, and this next stretch of fixtures will test whether he is prepared to make bold adjustments in midfield.
Liverpool’s supporters crave a return to the high-energy dominance that defined their title-winning campaign under Slot. The tools are there, the depth is available, and perhaps, as Lynch suggested, the answers lie in plain sight.
