If anything, the Reds were even worse in Istanbul than they had been in London, because they weren’t just weak again from a defensive perspective, they were also insipid offensively, failing to score for the first time this season – and against a weak Galatasaray team that had been routed 5-1 by Eintracht Frankfurt in their Champions League opener.
As a result, a still-disjointed Liverpool never really looked like responding to the penalty converted by Victor Osimhen 16 minutes in, after Baris Alper Yilmaz had made the most of being flicked in the face by the hand of Dominik Szoboszlai.
Slot brought Mohamed Salah and Alexander Isak off the bench in the second half but, on this occasion, there was to be no late reprieve for the increasingly ragged Reds, with VAR overturning a penalty awarded for a ‘foul’ on Ibrahima Konate in the closing stages.
Below, BALLGM rates all of the Liverpool players on show on a hellish night for Slot at RAMS Park during which he also lost both Alisson Becker and Hugo Ekitike to injury…
If anything, the Reds were even worse in Istanbul than they had been in London, because they weren’t just weak again from a defensive perspective, they were also insipid offensively, failing to score for the first time this season – and against a weak Galatasaray team that had been routed 5-1 by Eintracht Frankfurt in their Champions League opener.
As a result, a still-disjointed Liverpool never really looked like responding to the penalty converted by Victor Osimhen 16 minutes in, after Baris Alper Yilmaz had made the most of being flicked in the face by the hand of Dominik Szoboszlai.
Slot brought Mohamed Salah and Alexander Isak off the bench in the second half but, on this occasion, there was to be no late reprieve for the increasingly ragged Reds, with VAR overturning a penalty awarded for a ‘foul’ on Ibrahima Konate in the closing stages.
Below, BALLGM rates all of the Liverpool players on show on a hellish night for Slot at RAMS Park during which he also lost both Alisson Becker and Hugo Ekitike to injury…
Alisson Becker (6/10):
The Brazilian very nearly got an outstretched hand to Osimhen’s penalty but made a couple of crucial stops and appeared to injure himself after making the second, from Osimhen.
Dominik Szoboszlai (5/10):
The penalty he conceded was incredibly soft but the Hungarian had already been done once for pace before his stray hand caught Yilmaz in the face. Unsurprisingly looked far more comfortable after being moved into midfield and whipped over a couple of good crosses.
Ibrahima Konate (3/10):
Not the response he would have wanted after his horror show at Selhurst Park on Saturday. Konate remains an accident waiting to happen and he was so lucky to get away with a dreadful pass to Gravenberch that should have led to Osimhen doubling Gala’s lead shortly after half-time.
Virgil van Dijk (6/10):
Once again visibly frustrated with those around him – and one could understand why. Van Dijk played reasonably well; many of his team-mates did not.
Milos Kerkez (5/10):
Definitely not offering as much offensively as we expected but can’t fault the left-back for aggression and he also did a decent job defensively.
Ryan Gravenberch (4/10):
Liverpool rarely play well if Gravenberch doesn’t play well, and the Dutchman was dreadful here. Never got to grips with the stop-start nature of the game and was uncharacteristically sloppy in possession. Rightly replaced as the Reds tried to turn things around.
Curtis Jones (6/10):
Jones was one of his team’s better players on the ball and also showed the requisite level of intensity in such a hostile atmosphere, as best illustrated by his brilliant, potentially goal-saving challenge on Osimhen.
Florian Wirtz (5/10):
The German had one of Liverpool’s better efforts in the first half but there’s just no disguising it: Wirtz is just not doing anywhere near enough for a £100 million player.
Jeremie Frimpong (4/10):
If Frimpong is meant to be the Salah replacement while the Egyptian is away on Africa Cup of Nations duty, Liverpool are in big trouble. The Dutchman did create one good chance for Ekitike but he was poor overall. His Liverpool career has yet to really get going.
Hugo Ekitike (6/10):
If we’re being brutally honest, the Frenchman should have scored after being put through on goal in the first half but he was one of the few bright sparks in attack for the visitors. Almost scored with a clever back-flick at one point before being forced off through injury – although it may have just been cramp.
Cody Gakpo (4/10):
Actually went closer to scoring in the opening 45 minutes, having an improvised effort cleared off the line, but this was another worryingly ineffective display from the Netherlands attacker. No surprise to see him subbed midway through the second half.
Conor Bradley (4/10):
Came on for Frimpong and took over at right-back from Szoboszlai. Made a mess of a clear header with 20 minutes to go and also picked up a booking for a rash challenge.
Alexander Isak (5/10):
Replaced Gravenberch and immediately went up front, with Ekitike moving out to the left. Got a sight of goal immediately after coming off the bench but didn’t make the most of it.
Mohamed Salah (5/10):
The withdrawal of Frimpong saw Salah slot into his usual berth on the right wing. Failed to get into the game, though.
Alexis Mac Allister (5/10):
Introduced in place of Ekitike but didn’t add much control to Liverpool’s loose play.
Giorgi Mamardashvili (6/10):
Took over in nets from Alisson early in the second half but actually had very little to do.
Arne Slot (3/10):
Staring Frimpong on the right wing and playing Szoboszlai at right-back instead backfired badly. We can only presume that Slot stuck with Konate in defence because Joe Gomez is still not match fit, as there can be no other excuse for persisting with such a liability in defence. Bottom line: this was another extremely concerning performance from the revamped Reds, who remain far less than the sum of their parts and could now be without both Alisson and Ekitike for Saturday’s Premier League clash with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Unless Slot finds some solutions, two consecutive defeats could easily become three…
