Liverpool’s 5-2 loss to Real Madrid in the Champions League has sparked talk of the end of an era for the club. After going two goals up at home, the Reds fell apart, conceding five goals in a European competition at home for the first time in their history. Arsenal legend Thierry Henry and Liverpool hero Jamie Carragher both described the team and its performance as “fragile,” “broken,” “absolutely shambolic,” “embarrassing,” and a “disgrace.”
Carragher launched a scathing attack on Liverpool’s defence, declaring that he could do a better job than Dutch centre-back Virgil van Dijk. He also criticized the midfield for lacking energy and the front three for not pressing or having the same cohesion as before. Carragher believes that Liverpool’s defence, which was once considered one of the best in the world, is struggling without the front six who previously worked harder and smarter than any other team in world football.
Thierry Henry also got in on the criticism, calling the team “more than fragile” and stating that something needs to change. He suggested that some of the players no longer have the level required to play for Liverpool, and that it’s the end of an era for the team. However, Henry doesn’t think that coach Jurgen Klopp needs to go.
The defeat to Real Madrid came after Liverpool had won two league games, raising hopes that they might be turning a corner. But Carragher dismissed this as “absolute nonsense,” and stated that Liverpool’s defence has been an “absolute shambles” all season.
Mark Bosnich, an Australian legend, also weighed in on Liverpool’s performance, stating that he would be “absolutely burning” if he were Klopp, given the way the team started, allowed Madrid to get back into the game, and then capitulated at the end.
Liverpool’s season has been a disappointment so far. The team sits eighth in the league, has been knocked out of both domestic cups, and is now all but out of the Champions League. The performance against Real Madrid has raised questions about whether the team has reached the end of an era. Klopp built a team when he first came in, taking them from seventh or eighth in the Premier League to winning the Champions League and Premier League in consecutive seasons. But with Liverpool’s defence struggling and the front three lacking cohesion, the team may need to start again to recapture their former glory.
