Liverpool grapples with life after Diaz as scrutiny grows around Slot
Liverpool’s uneasy 2025/26 campaign has become a story of questions rather than answers. A run of just three wins from 12 matches, their bleakest sequence since the 1953/54 relegation season, placed Arne Slot under an unforgiving spotlight. The mood around Anfield darkened quickly, with frustration spilling over into debates about leadership, recruitment and identity. Even as results have steadied with an unbeaten run of five across all competitions, the sense of something missing has not entirely lifted.
Much of the criticism has centred on Slot’s handling of personnel, particularly Federico Chiesa, yet the deeper issue appears structural rather than tactical. Liverpool look like a side still adjusting to the aftershocks of a summer that removed key components from their collective rhythm. Among those departures, the exit of Luis Diaz has become a reference point for understanding why this Liverpool team feels subtly diminished.
Diaz departure and pressing balance
Diaz’s move to Bayern Munich has proved lucrative for the German champions and uncomfortable viewing for Liverpool supporters. The Colombian has thrived in Bavaria, scoring 12 goals and providing seven assists in 21 appearances across all competitions. His numbers tell part of the story, but his influence extended beyond goals. Diaz brought an intensity without the ball that shaped Liverpool’s attacking structure and eased the burden on those around him.
Ryan Babel, speaking on the FILTHY @ FIVE podcast, articulated that absence with clarity. He said: “And sometimes if the right puzzles are not together, like I think one of the mistakes I believe is leaving Diaz, you know, letting him go.
“And even with Nunez, he was maybe not the striker Liverpool needed, but the work ethic he did, and had took a lot of work off Mo Salah’s pressing as well, right?
“And now you have different types of players and Mo Salah has to do more and the overall, yeah, it can eventually make the manager look bad.”
It is a neat summation of how Liverpool’s balance has shifted. Diaz’s relentless pressing once allowed Mohamed Salah to conserve energy for decisive moments. Without that support, Salah’s role has expanded, drawing criticism from figures such as Wayne Rooney, who has questioned the Egyptian’s defensive output during a mixed season for the 33 year old.
Salah burden and tactical strain
Salah remains Liverpool’s talisman, yet the ecosystem around him has altered. With Diaz gone and Darwin Nunez no longer sharing the workload, the demands on Salah have increased. That strain has been visible in performances that feel heavier, less fluid. It has also fed a narrative that Slot’s approach is flawed, when in reality the manager is adapting to a squad reshaped above him.
This is where context matters. Slot inherited not only expectations but decisions already set in motion. The idea that tactical shortcomings alone explain Liverpool’s struggles simplifies a more complex picture.
Hughes influence on summer decisions
Responsibility for Diaz’s departure does not sit neatly at the manager’s door. Richard Hughes, the club’s sporting director, played a decisive role in sanctioning the sale, despite Slot’s preference to retain the winger. In that sense, Liverpool’s current discomfort reflects a disconnect between vision and execution.
