Slot’s Struggles With Liverpool’s Number Nine Spotlighted
Liverpool’s title defence has unravelled at an alarming pace and the scrutiny around Arne Slot’s attacking blueprint is intensifying. Spending over £450m in the summer promised evolution, but results have fallen off a cliff. The 3-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest, their sixth loss in seven league games, has ignited serious questions about the structure of this side and, crucially, the usage of the centre forward.
Credit goes to David Lynch, speaking to Dave Davis for Anfield Index, for framing the debate with clarity. His assessment of Alexander Isak’s latest outing was particularly pointed and, frankly, difficult to argue with.
Isak’s Integration Exposes Structural Issues
Isak’s arrival for £125m was expected to reshape Liverpool’s frontline, yet the numbers tell the opposite story. No goals, no assists and no clear signs of synergy with the midfield or wide forwards. Against Forest, the problem crystallised.
Lynch noted: “He ends the game with 15 touches. So, you can talk about his fitness all you want but if you’re only giving him that many touches, then there’s obviously problems behind him.” Those touches encapsulate Liverpool’s disjointed build up. The number nine is supposed to be a reference point, a springboard for creative phases. Instead, Isak is isolated and peripheral.
As Lynch added: “It’s the way that he’s being used, or not being used we should say.” This is not about sharpness or conditioning. It is about structure, spacing and patterns that do not feed the striker.
Squad Planning Under The Microscope
Liverpool’s recruitment should have shifted the dynamic. Two natural number nines were signed in Isak and Hugo Ekitike, theoretically a reinforcement of Slot’s preferred profile. Yet the issues from last season cling on.
Lynch captured this contradiction with precision: “One thing we constantly saw last season was the inability to get the number nine involved in the game. So it was puzzling that they went out and signed two number nines in Isak and Ekitike.”
That puzzlement has now morphed into exasperation. “They’re still not getting the number nine in the game and you’ve got two of the most expensive parts of this team just being wasted.” For a club that historically prides itself on smart planning, this is a painful indictment.
His criticism of the selection call was even sharper: “I thought it was a shocking decision to start Isak by the way. I was expecting to see him start against PSV.”
And the context made it worse. “It was incredibly foolish to think that a game against a Sean Dyche team that are fighting for their lives was the one to start him in. You’ve got to pick and choose your games.”
Long Term Concerns Mount
The blunt truth is that Liverpool built a squad that should lean heavily on its number nines, yet they hardly feature within the system. Lynch summarised the anxiety clearly: “It’s a real concern because we’ve got a squad built to utilise the number nines and they can’t get them involved. So it leaves real questions over the summer plans.”
His final warning hits even harder: “In the long-term, I’m really worried about how they use the number nine.”
Slot’s debut season delivered a Premier League title, but the current campaign trails far below expectations. Unless the structure shifts and the number nine becomes central rather than ornamental, Liverpool risk drifting further away from their ambitions.
