The Japan Times - Slot faces reality check at Liverpool as problems mount

The Reds travelled to Galatasaray on Tuesday eager to bounce back from their defeat at Crystal Palace at the weekend, which ended their perfect record in the Premier League.

But a first-half penalty from Victor Osimhen put the home side ahead and Liverpool were unable to reply despite dominating possession and having 16 shots in Istanbul.

There is no reason for Slot to panic -- Liverpool are still two points clear at the top of the Premier League and won their opening game in the Champions League league phase.

But a series of dramatic late winners have masked unconvincing performances since an expensive rebuild of the squad that strolled to the Premier League title last season, Slot's first as manager of the club since replacing Jurgen Klopp.

Liverpool uncharacteristically splashed out nearly £450 million ($606 million) on new signings as the club sought to build from a position of strength.

Florian Wirtz arrived from Bayer Leverkusen for £116 million to sprinkle creative magic but the German has yet to score a goal or even register an assist in the Premier League or Champions League.

Club record signing Alexander Isak, who joined for £125 million, is still short of full fitness after his protracted transfer from Newcastle.

Hugo Ekitike is arguably the only one of the new signings to make his mark so far, scoring three Premier League goals, but he was absent against Crystal Palace after being sent off in Liverpool's League Cup win against Southampton.

Much of the focus has been on Wirtz, who arrived at Anfield with a reputation as one of the most promising talents in world football.

But ex-England captain Wayne Rooney has questioned where the German fits in, saying on his show on the BBC that he "damages the balance of Liverpool and how they play".

Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher also believes the balance of the team is not right and says Wirtz needs to be taken out of the firing line.

"He's just not at the races at all," he told CBS Sports. "He's a young boy coming into a new league -- he has got plenty of time to go as a Liverpool player.

"But right now I think he needs to come out of the team, Liverpool go back to what they were last season and then go from there and build some confidence, build some defensive solidity.

"Because right now it is a mess. It's not the losses, it is not the defeats. This has been coming from day one."

Compounding the problems in attack, Mohamed Salah's form has dipped after a stellar campaign last season. The Egyptian was left out of the starting line-up in Turkey.

- Defensive problems -

Liverpool also look vulnerable in defence, with French centre-back Ibrahima Konate coming in for heavy criticism over his performance against Palace.

The club are light on options in central defence alongside captain Virgil van Dijk, having missed out on signing Palace's Marc Guehi on transfer deadline day.

Slot was given an extra headache when newly-signed Italian defender Giovanni Leoni, 18, suffered a knee injury on his debut last week that will sideline him for up to a year, while Joe Gomez has been a peripheral figure so far.

Liverpool are also getting used to a new pair of full-backs after years of sterling service from Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson.

Slot has brought in Jeremie Frimpong for the departed Alexander-Arnold at right-back and has preferred new signing Milos Kerkez to veteran left-back Andy Robertson.

Frimpong was criticised by the Dutch boss for his positioning in the late loss at Selhurst Park and was used as a winger in Turkey.

To make matters worse for Slot, influential goalkeeper Alisson Becker will miss Saturday's tricky trip to Chelsea after picking up an injury in Istanbul while Ekitike is being assessed after limping off.

Van Dijk ssid "there shouldn't be panic" and it would be absurd to suggest Liverpool are in crisis after such a short blip.

But Slot certainly has food for thought as he faces his first major challenge on the pitch since he arrived at Anfield.

M.Matsumoto--JT