Liverpool's Quest for Perfection: Analyzing the Reds' Recent Struggles and the Road Ahead

Liverpool's Recent Form

Liverpool have had an exceptional season, but recent results have given credence to the view in some quarters that the team are far from the finished article. After losing just one game in 27 in all competitions before January, Slot's side have been beaten six times in 22 since the turn of the year, although two of those defeats (away to PSV Eindhoven in the league phase of the Champions League and Tottenham Hotspur in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semifinals) ultimately proved of little consequence.

Potential Reasons for the Drop-Off

Fatigue has been mooted as one potential reason for Liverpool's drop-off, though Slot dismissed this suggestion after the loss at Craven Cottage. According to Opta, only 10 outfield players in the Premier League have started all 31 games this season, three of whom play for Liverpool: Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Ryan Gravenberch.

The Attacking Woes

It is also no coincidence that Liverpool's dip has coincided with a rare barren spell in front of goal for Salah. The Egypt international has enjoyed one of the great individual Premier League seasons, registering a mightily impressive 27 goals and 17 assists, and has contributed to a whopping 61% of Liverpool's 72 league goals. But he has gone without scoring in his last four games in all competitions and his last league goals were a brace of penalties against strugglers Southampton in early March.

The Summer Transfer Window

Despite Liverpool having dominated in the Premier League, this summer promises to be one of the busiest in years at Anfield. The first, and perhaps most important piece of business has been done with Salah signing a new contract, ending a months-long saga over his future. Next, Liverpool must establish the futures of their other out-of-contract stars: Van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold. While a source has told ESPN that Real Madrid are confident of landing Alexander-Arnold on a free transfer, there remains optimism on Merseyside that Van Dijk will commit.

The Need for Reinforcements

Assuming that's how the situation plays out, Liverpool will need to dip into the market for a right-back to provide competition for the 21-year-old Conor Bradley. The Northern Ireland international has proved a capable deputy for Alexander-Arnold since his breakthrough last season and has the quality to establish himself as Slot's first choice. But his injury record -- coupled with a lack of experience at elite level -- means it would be a risk not to bolster that position.

The Left-Back Conundrum

On the opposite flank, the need to freshen up at left-back is glaring. Andrew Robertson has been a tremendous servant for the club since joining for £8 million from Hull City in 2017, but he has struggled for form this term. The Scotland captain's catalogue of errors in the buildup to Fulham's second goal were emblematic of his difficult campaign, while back-up Kostas Tsimikas is not viewed as a long-term solution and may be tempted to leave in search of regular minutes.

The Midfield Makeover

AFC Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez has been heavily linked with a £40m move to Anfield and, at 21, aligns well with Liverpool's traditional recruitment policy of signing young players who already have a significant wealth of high-level experience. Ajax defender Jorrel Hato, 19, also fits that profile and is capable of playing as both a full-back and a central defender, while his transfer is valued at around £30m.

The Striking Dilemma

At the other end of the pitch, Liverpool's forward line is also in need of surgery. Darwin Núñez has endured another turbulent campaign and, after three seasons at Anfield, looks no closer to developing into the prolific No. 9 the club hoped he would become when they spent an initial £64m to sign him from Benfica in the summer of 2022.

Conclusion

While the club are unlikely to sign more than three or four new players, it would be shrewd for Liverpool to recruit a midfielder to help lighten the load on Gravenberch. And the Reds have not signed a center-back since Ibrahima Konaté in 2021, so could benefit from a reshuffle there too, even if Van Dijk stays on. Considering this squad is likely to be crowned champions of England in the not-too-distant future, it's clear there is still plenty of room for improvement. For now, though, Liverpool's focus must be on returning to winning ways -- starting with this weekend's visit of West Ham United to Anfield. Anything less than three points against Graham Potter's side and there will be concerns that the Reds' slight malaise is descending into a mini-crisis which could leave scars that even a summer of good transfer business can't fix.