A wave of frustration washed over Jamie Carragher following Liverpool’s devastating Champions League defeat. It wasn’t the manager, Arne Slot, bearing the brunt of his anger, but the players themselves. A sense of disappointment hung heavy, fueled by a performance that felt like a stark warning about the club’s direction.
Carragher didn’t mince words, suggesting a painful truth: key figures like Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah may be showing signs of decline. The legendary defender spoke of witnessing a shift, a glimpse into a future where the pillars of Liverpool’s recent success are no longer able to carry the same weight.
Despite the crushing result, Carragher staunchly defended Slot, emphasizing Liverpool’s historical loyalty to its managers. He pointed out the club’s unique approach – a belief in giving leaders time – and recalled that no manager who’d won the league had ever been dismissed. The focus, he insisted, needed to be elsewhere.
“I’m angry with the players,” Carragher confessed, a raw emotion cutting through the analysis. He acknowledged a growing sense of unease, a feeling that the situation was approaching a point of no return. While not yet there, he understood the rising discontent among the supporters.
He vividly remembered the turning point under Jurgen Klopp in 2018, sparked by the arrivals of Alisson, Van Dijk, and Salah. Now, years later, he saw a troubling reversal. Alisson’s injuries were frequent, and the once-impenetrable Van Dijk appeared a shadow of his former self. Even Salah, a symbol of relentless energy, seemed to be losing his explosive pace.
Carragher called for leadership, specifically urging Salah to address the fans directly. He wanted to hear a commitment, a plan, something to offer hope amidst the growing despair. He recognized their legendary status but acknowledged the undeniable reality: their physical peaks had passed.
The concern extended beyond the star duo. Carragher questioned the quality of the supporting cast, suggesting they had thrived in the shadow of Van Dijk and Salah’s brilliance. He wondered if they could perform at the highest level without being carried by those exceptional players.
He recalled underwhelming performances against Newcastle and PSG, moments where the team faltered despite the presence of their star players. These instances, he believed, revealed a deeper issue – a reliance on individuals that masked underlying weaknesses.
The defeat felt like a preview of a potentially difficult future, a glimpse of Liverpool after Salah, Van Dijk, and Alisson have moved on. It was a sobering thought, a challenge that demanded honest assessment and decisive action. The question now wasn’t just about the present, but about building a foundation for sustained success beyond the current generation of stars.
Carragher’s frustration stemmed from a fundamental belief: the current level of performance was simply unacceptable for a club with Liverpool’s history and ambition. He questioned whether some players were truly capable of delivering the trophies the club craved, even with their star players at their best.
