At the end of the 2019 Champions League final Jürgen Klopp Teva Slogan who led everyone to talk about Liverpool's sixth European Championship • Today, after six home losses in 46 days, the number 6 symbolizes the Mighty Reds crisis, who will try to get their season back on track with a win Tonight against Leipzig
Salah is desperate against Fulham
Photo:
IPI
At the end of the victory over Tottenham in the 2019 Champions League final, Jürgen Klopp drowned a sentence that became a slogan, that became a shirt, that became a bestseller.
"Let's talk about six baby," the German recited with a wide-toothed smile, and everyone did talk about the Reds' sixth European Championship.
The trial was printed on T-shirts, the T-shirts were snatched from the shelves and eliminated from the official website, but it is hard to believe that these days Liverpool fans are wearing them in public.
The loss to Fulham last weekend gave this sentence the opposite and unexpected meaning - it was Liverpool's sixth consecutive loss at Anfield in the league, something that has never happened to them in the Premier League and has not happened to them in the Premier League since 1954. And tonight's rematch against RB Leipzig does not feel closed, despite a 0: 2 victory in Germany.
Suddenly, "Let's talk about six baby" leads to a completely different conversation.
Today, the number six symbolizes first and foremost the extreme crisis of Liverpool.
After four years and 68 consecutive games without a home loss, Klopp's team has crammed six of them in a period of 46 days.
Anfield Stadium, which between April 23, 2017 and January 17, 2021, was a fortress where at most guests could leave with a point, has become an outbreak for anyone demanding.
Klopp. Already experiencing such a decline with Dortmund // Photo: Reuters
Not only did Manchester City and Chelsea come out on top with a win, but also Everton for the first time since 1999, Brighton for the first time since 1982, Burnley for the first time since 1974 and Fulham for the first time since 2012. The decline of the champions is even more pronounced when compared to last year.
Even if they win all their remaining games, Liverpool will end the current season with 26 points less than they had last year.
In 2021 alone, the team has lost eight times, having previously suffered such a loss in 106 games.
Within a year Liverpool had turned from rock to sand, and such a big and extreme crisis must happen for several reasons.
And really, Liverpool have a variety of issues that they are unable to deal with.
There are of course the many injuries, most notably that of Virgil Van Dyke, who was injured in October and has yet to return.
Thiago Alcantara has not yet managed to fit in as expected of him, many players are failing to restore last season's fitness, the team is starting lazy games and falling behind, and the front side players are not hurting anything at the moment.
Against Fulham, for example, Liverpool kicked 16 times for goal and did not score.
According to the data, this resulted in 115 consecutive kicks at Anfield without finding the net - a negative streak that has been unparalleled since they began measuring such statistics.
And as usual, the drought on the grass led to a flood in the media.
In recent days, there have been reports of Salah leaving, a quarrel between him and Mana, troubles that come in bundles.
"From a mental monster to a mental dwarf"
it is quite clear, Liverpool is suffering from a lot of professional problems this season, but it is even more obvious that this crisis is bigger than a list of injured and inaccuracy in front of goal.
"The team has gone from a mental monster to a mental dwarf," Jamie Krager analyzed, "they have not been able to face any obstacle in the last four months, and that is not acceptable at Liverpool."
Former coach Graham Sons added: "It raises a big question - how does such a good team suddenly become so mediocre?"
It seems that one answer does not exist, and that all the answers can be correct.
It should be remembered that Liverpool won their first championship last season after 30 years, a moment he was waiting and expecting, and because of the situation the event paid off for him.
No celebrations, no parade, little beer and a new season has begun.
Mana escapes to the hall in the first game against Leipzig // Photo: GettyImages
The absence of the crowd hit the Reds badly and motivated them so much that on Saturday one of the fans lifted a plane into the air with a sign "Unity is power, go ahead Reds".
The idea is nice, but a sign on a plane is reserved for desperate groups.
Liverpool, for those who forgot, won the championship just seven months ago.
The situation is really deceptive.
The memory of recent and successful seasons is still fresh, but reality suggests that it really is a memory.
Klopp has already experienced such a decline this season after leading Borussia Dortmund to the Bundesliga championship, and this precedent adds to the sense of end that has surrounded Liverpool in recent weeks.
In the current state of affairs Liverpool fans are trying to figure out if the concern is temporary or if this crisis is irreparable.
Tonight, against Leipzig, a kind of answer can be obtained.
A win at Anfield could get the season back on track, while a loss could send Liverpool and Klopp to a dead end.
