Liverpool’s summer rebuild has been bold, expensive, and ambitious. Almost £300 million has been spent on fresh faces, including Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitiké, Jérémy Frimpong, and Milos Kerkez. Yet, as the Premier League opener looms, and when it mattered at Wembley, Liverpool fell short to Crystal Palace, failing to win the Community Shield in what was meant to be the first glimpse of their bold new era.
The Community Shield defeat, coupled with some of their preseason matches, exposed a fundamental truth about modern Liverpool. They can spend eye-watering sums on attacking talent, but their defensive structure remains vulnerable to well-organised opponents. Palace exploited these weaknesses with clinical efficiency; their fast attacks kept breaking through
Liverpool’s defense, who were forced into 26 clearances despite controlling most of the ball.
As Jamie Carragher pointed out in his post on X, “A lot of the goals conceded by Liverpool have come from going man-to-man, really aggressively, and leaving space in behind,” which is exactly how many fans see it: a very weak defense.
At the heart of Liverpool’s defensive concerns lies an uncomfortable truth: Virgil van Dijk, now 34, remains commanding but can no longer cover the ground he once did. The absence of Trent Alexander-Arnold, who joined Real Madrid for free, remains glaring. While Frimpong offers pace and attacking threat from right-back, he lacks the pinpoint delivery and leadership that Trent provided. His defensive positioning against Palace raised questions about whether Liverpool has actually improved or simply spent money to mask their problems.
Manager Arne Slot clearly recognises the issue, admitting: “It needs maybe a little bit of adjustment defensively at the moment…” while speaking with Journalists post-match.
Slot has responded to this loophole by signing 18-year-old Giovanni Leoni from Parma, while also pursuing Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi. Leoni, who made 17 Serie A appearances last season, has composure on the ball and aerial presence, suggesting a high ceiling, but his age means he’s unlikely to be the instant fix for a title-chasing defence. It’s a gamble that smacks
of desperation rather than careful planning.
Guehi represents a more sensible option, but the irony is glaring: they’re chasing a defender from the very team that exposed their weaknesses at Wembley. Liverpool’s £300 million summer was meant to signal their intent to dominate English football. Instead, it’s highlighted that throwing money at problems doesn’t solve underlying tactical issues. Until Slot finds the defensive balance that eluded his team at Wembley, this expensively assembled squad will continue to look better than they are.
