From Heavy Metal to Smooth FM: Anfield unrest grows at passive play and late collapses under Slot | OneFootball

The unrest at Anfield was audible at full-time against Tottenham. Loud boos greeted the final whistle, after Liverpool let another result slip late on.

For the second straight game, Liverpool conceded a last-minute goal to drop points. Across the entire season, the Reds have conceded eight goals in the 90th minute or later, their most in a singlePremier League campaign to date.

Arne Slot said he understands the reaction, as Liverpool's season stutters towards emptiness. Their title defence has long been over, and while success can be salvaged in the Champions League and FA Cup, few are optimistic right now.

Slot has continually pointed towards encouraging underlying data, but underperformance in both penalty boxes has undone any statistical merit. The numbers make for grim reading. Liverpool have taken just five points when conceding first this season, and have dropped 19 points against the Premier League's bottom eight teams.

The optics, arguably, have been even worse than the results. Anfield has become stale, its fear factor is gone, and its attendees are frustrated.

If Jurgen Klopp brought a 'Heavy Metal' brand of football, Slot's side has become Smooth FM; Predictable, passive, and causing few headaches. You only need to look down the East Lancs road to find the dangers of comparing current coaches to former greats, but comparisons are inevitable.

Slot's success last season ensures he has credit in the bank, but there's no doubt it is depleting. Despite a record-breaking recruitment drive last summer, his squad lacks balance, and the in-game adaptability that was prevalent last season seems to have disappeared. As a result, Liverpool have often resorted to Joe Gomez's long throws or bringing on Federico Chiesa with minutes to go, desperate dice rolls to change a game.

The elephant in the room is that there is an obvious candidate to replace Slot should a change be deemed necessary.

Xabi Alonso was rumoured to be the club's top target to replace Klopp, with a pivot to Slot once the Spaniard had decided to remain with Bayer Leverkusen. Fresh from delivering the club's first-ever German title, the first in Bundesliga history achieved unbeaten, Alonso had become Europe's most-coveted coach.

His decision to wait was arguably fuelled by the likely vacancy at another of his former sides, Real Madrid, which came to fruition last summer. It was a short-lived return with Alonso departing by "mutual consent" in January, after less than eight months in charge.

His struggle in Spain has not overly damaged his stock and there are plenty at Liverpool who would be fascinated by the return of a former favourite. Alonso's Leverkusen were a thrilling watch, while two of the protagonists of their success, Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong, now reside in Red. There isn't a coach in world football who is better suited to bringing the best from last summer's signings.

Alonso would bring change, a stylistic shift, and risk. But his appointment would also invoke optimism and intrigue that has been lacking of late. Slot was identified as Klopp's successor due to similarities in shape and principles, but Liverpool have drifted further and further away from the team once feared across Europe.

Unless there are shoots of recovery across the run-in, the powers at Anfield have a decision to make.