Before Sunday’s clash with Manchester City, Florian Wirtz was arguably in the form of his life. With five goals in ten matches, the £116m German international finally looked like the superstar Liverpool fans expected. However, the 1-1 draw at Anfield served as a reality check; Wirtz struggled to create, missing a golden opportunity that Marc Guehi brilliantly blocked.
But as disappointing as Wirtz’s afternoon was, he isn’t the primary concern for Arne Slot. That title belongs to two players who are becoming increasingly “frustrating” for the Anfield faithful: Cody Gakpo and Ibrahima Konaté.
Gakpo’s Goal Drought
Cody Gakpo’s inconsistency is reaching a breaking point. The Dutchman hasn’t registered a goal or an assist in his last five Premier League outings. Even more damning is his record of just three goals in his last 20 appearances across all competitions. While Gakpo’s struggles are at the sharp end of the pitch, it’s a veteran at the back whose errors are becoming impossible to ignore.
The Konaté Collapse: Error-Prone and Expiring
Ibrahima Konaté was once seen as the immovable partner for Virgil van Dijk. Now, the £35m Frenchman looks like a liability.
In the draw against City, Konaté was slow to react to the play, losing a crucial aerial duel to Erling Haaland that led directly to Bernardo Silva’s equaliser. Writer Graeme Kelly noted that the defender “constantly gets beat” in the air a scathing but fair assessment for a player of his stature.
The Data Behind the “Flop” Label (2025/26):
- Errors leading to shots/goals: 4 across PL and UCL.
- Aerial Duels: Caught out in key moments against top-tier opposition.
- Consistency: 6 major errors this term compared to 5 in the entire previous season.
Enter Jeremy Jacquet
With Konaté’s contract set to expire this summer, Arne Slot faces a monumental decision. While “talks are ongoing,” the arrival of Rennes starlet Jeremy Jacquet already agreed for the summer suggests the writing is on the wall.
At 20 years old, Jacquet represents the future. Konaté, at 26, should be in his prime, yet he is regressing. Instead of handing a lucrative new deal to an error-prone defender, Liverpool must be ruthless.
Parting ways with Konaté on a free transfer might be a tough pill to swallow financially, but for a club chasing Premier League titles, individual errors are a luxury they can no longer afford. This summer, it’s time for FSG to bin the “flop” and let the Jacquet era begin.
Siara Costa is a football editor and writer covering both European men’s and women’s football, with a focus on league competitions, match coverage, and in-depth storytelling.
