Post Match RAW: Liverpool Lack Identity As They Draw With Leeds | OneFootball

Liverpool Stumble to Goalless Draw as Leeds Expose Ongoing Questions Under Arne Slot

Liverpool’s 0-0 draw with Leeds United offered little in spectacle but plenty in subtext. On the Post Match Raw podcast, Guy Drinkel was joined by Mo Chatra and Hari Sethi to unpick a performance that left Anfield flat and wider concerns unresolved. The discussion repeatedly returned to identity, risk and direction under Arne Slot, with Liverpool struggling to impose themselves despite territorial control.

As Hari Sethi put it early on, “it just all feels thoroughly underwhelming at the moment… it’s absolutely turgid”. That sense of dissatisfaction framed much of the analysis, not purely because of the scoreline, but because of what it suggested about Liverpool’s attacking cohesion.

Game Lacked Substance Despite Control

Mo Chatra highlighted the lack of attacking clarity, saying, “there is like no Liverpool way of playing now, it genuinely just feels like we just see what happens”. While Liverpool kept a clean sheet, he added, “that is literally probably the actual only one” positive to take from the night.

Photo: IMAGO

Leeds, for their part, were described as coming with limited ambition. Mo noted they “very much looked to park the bus and try and get a point”, while Hari observed that Leeds “clearly didn’t turn up to attack in any great sense”. Despite that, Liverpool failed to consistently stretch them, relying instead on isolated moments.

Hari summed up the frustration by saying Liverpool were “getting by game to game on moments of individual quality rather than any kind of systemic pattern”. When that quality dipped, “there’s very little else to hang your hat on”.

Arne Slot and the Question of Direction

The conversation inevitably turned towards Arne Slot and whether Liverpool are progressing towards a recognisable style. Mo offered context, suggesting Slot has “looked to do is to try and stem some of the bleeding”, adding that Liverpool are on an “unbeaten run, quote unquote”, even if the football has lacked spark.

However, Hari was unconvinced by the longer term picture. “I’ve seen absolutely nothing during this run… to indicate that there is any kind of pattern that we’re trying to move towards”, he said, later adding that it feels like Liverpool are “just trying to hobble to a destination, whether that be top four or whatever it might be”.

There was also concern about reliance on pragmatism without visible evolution. Mo stated, “this is something I don’t think will be resolved in a matter of a couple of weeks”, while warning that Liverpool appear “a mile off the team at the top of the table”.

Atmosphere, Identity and What Comes Next

Both contributors pointed to the link between performance and atmosphere. Hari remarked that “the atmosphere and the performance, they feed into each other”, later describing Anfield as lacking its usual edge. He added, “I don’t want this team to become so devoid of identity that we start losing certain things that we spent a long time building”.

There were individual positives. Curtis Jones was praised, with Hari saying he is “playing some of his best football for Liverpool”. Jeremie Frimpong also caught the eye, described as “someone who can burn a defender for pace”, a quality Liverpool have lacked.

Still, the overriding mood was concern rather than anger. Mo captured that balance, saying, “I’m not at this stage calling for the manager to go”, but also stressing that “the jury is clearly out on him”.

Liverpool, Leeds and Arne Slot will all move on quickly from this stalemate, but the questions raised on Post Match Raw linger. As Hari concluded, “you have very little to hang your hat on”, and until that changes, draws like this will feel heavier than the points they bring.