Liverpool began the season wondering how many points they could afford to drop and remain in the title race.
Seven games in and Jurgen Klopp no longer knows his best team or best system.
Title race? He’ll never admit it, but it could be over by this Sunday or next.
The Reds visit current leaders Arsenal this weekend and host champions Manchester City a week later.
Two wins and they’d be back in it, of course, and you wouldn’t have put such a turnaround past the Klopp teams of the previous four years.
But on current form, it looks like a fantasy.
In personnel, this team isn’t much different – Sadio Mane apart.
But in performances, it’s unrecognisable.
Too many of the big names are limp imitations of their former selves, notably Virgil van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Andy Robertson, Fabinho and Mo Salah.
For Salah there is at least mitigation: he’s suffering from poor service and the malaise of others.
A year ago, he was scoring goals that were contenders for the Puskas award and being seriously discussed as the world’s best player.
This season, he’s on two in the league – level with the likes of Miguel Almiron and Taiwo Awoniyi.
But he’s still playing better than the other fading forces and is a victim of system failure.
The consensus in the game is that Liverpool have been sussed.
Carlo Ancelotti adhered to it after Real Madrid had edged Klopp’s men to the Champions League trophy in Paris.
“They’re easy to decipher,” said the Italian.
Only last weekend, Klopp admitted to being surprised by the way Brighton set up at Anfield.
Prior to that, they’ve laboured against lesser lights.
Even Fulham, against whom they were lucky to draw, had their measure for much of the game.
So, what hope is there against the table-topping Gunners?
At least, the Reds steadied the ship in midweek against Rangers.
Admittedly weak opponents posed little threat, but a new system was tried and a clean sheet was kept.
Arsenal will provide an entirely different task in front of their own fans buoyed by their thrashing of Spurs last weekend.
The slick-passing youngsters are already looking like a “City-lite” under Pep Guardiola disciple Mikel Arteta.
One advantage for the Reds is that it will be a genuine warm-up for the real thing seven days later.
The damage Erling Haaland might do to the Reds’ vulnerable defence doesn’t bear thinking about.
Previously against Borussia Dortmund, Van Dijk had held his own with the Norwegian.
But with City, this is a new, improved version while the Dutchman has gone backwards.
Before that, though, Van Dijk and company will be tested by the rejuvenated Gabriel Jesus leading a hungry, young Arsenal attack.
Haaland and Jesus have both hit the ground running in stark contrast to the way Darwin Nunez has begun at Liverpool.
He did better against Rangers and got a warm reception when pulled off near the end.
But his shredded confidence could have done with a goal.
Liverpool paid more for him than City did for Haaland and Arsenal did for Jesus, and have had precious little for their record fee.
He’s missed more games (three) through suspension than the solitary goal he’s scored, but it’s his rawness that is most troubling.
A red card waiting to happen is one thing; naivety on the ball is quite another.
This may be partly explained by his admission that he has “no idea” what Klopp is saying and relies on assistant boss Pep Lijnders to translate.
But Lijnders speaks some Portuguese, not Spanish which is the Uruguayan’s native tongue.
Football is an instinctive ‘language’ of its own in which many non-linguists are fluent with the ball at their feet.
Worryingly for a player who cost an initial £64m, Nunez has yet to show the right instincts.
Klopp has shown patience with several signings, notably keeping Robertson under wraps for weeks before he was unleashed.
He will have to give special attention to his big signing and hope nothing gets lost in translation.
Looking back now, it was probably unrealistic to expect Liverpool to just carry on where they left off after last season.
Coming as close as a couple of goals to a quadruple was an impossible act to follow – even for “mentality monsters” as Klopp dubbed them.
And with a big new striker to bed in as well, it was inevitable there would be a drop in standards.
It’s not a major crisis, but unless Klopp can conjure up back-to-back top performances, this season looks like one of transition.
The German boss has signed up until 2026 and expects more trophies before he ends his reign.
He has terrific prospects in Harvey Elliott and Fabio Carvalho, and wants to snare Jude Bellingham.
He can also eke out another season or two from the thirty-somethings.
But a top four place is the minimum requirement this season and the next two games should tell us if even that modest goal is realistic.
The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.
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