Following Liverpool's Champions League exit to Paris St-Germain, Arne Slot expressed his disappointment, citing missed chances, injuries, and VAR decisions as key factors. We examine the validity of his claims, starting with the team's lack of clinical edge in the final third.
Despite creating 1.92 Expected Goals against PSG, Liverpool failed to score, a recurring issue this season. Slot noted, "Unfortunately, it's one of the many examples of this season where we weren't able to score from the many chances we had." This underperformance is particularly evident in the Champions League, where Liverpool scored 24 goals from 27.8xG, the largest underperformance among quarter-finalists. However, in the Premier League, Liverpool's goals total is only 0.65 below their xG total, with nine teams having a worse differential.
The missed big chances are a significant concern, with Liverpool converting only 27 of 86 clear-cut openings in the top flight. Players like Curtis Jones, Florian Wirtz, and Alexis Mac Allister have underperformed their individual xG totals, while Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk have been particularly costly in missing big chances.
Injuries have also hindered the team, with Alexander Isak struggling with a broken leg and other key players like Hugo Ekitike and Alisson missing game time. Slot has also been critical of VAR decisions, citing several instances where the officials' calls have gone against his team. Despite these challenges, Slot remains optimistic about the team's future, highlighting the quality of young players like Ryan Gravenberch, Ekitike, and Wirtz. With six games left in the Premier League campaign, Slot and Liverpool need to secure a top-five finish to ensure a Champions League place for next season.