Is the Liverpool squad which faced Ipswich in Arne Slot’s first game stronger or weaker two years on

Below is a summary of the full article. Click here for the full version from Rousing the Kop or go back to LFC Live.

What changes would you make if not? 👀 Liverpool potential XI In the eyes of many supporters, Liverpool have a weaker squad now than the one which ended last season, let alone the group which played the year before.But is that true? Two years on, are Liverpool better or worse than Slot’s first Premier League game in charge?Defence – Reds are unrecognisableOf the five outfielders and one goalkeeper which make up Liverpool’s defence, only two who started the win over Ipswich in 2024 are still at the club.

Joe Gomez is Joe Gomez, and there is no change there.Verdict: Weaker – Liverpool have had a positive overhaul at centre-back, but a huge drop-off in quality at full-back make their defence weaker than two years ago.Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty ImagesMidfield – Liverpool fail to make the necessary changesTwo years ago, Liverpool’s midfielders were about to embark upon personal best seasons that played a big part in the Reds winning the Premier League.Ryan Gravenberch was the big story, with the Dutchman moved back into a deeper position following the failure to sign Martin Zubimendi. He now looks a shadow of that player and has started the season out of the team.Dominik Szoboszlai has improved at least, and the Hungarian is a better and more decisive player than he was in 2024, but having been deployed further up the pitch, he was arguably more effective than Florian Wirtz, who is struggling to make the desired impact.On paper, Wirtz makes any squad in world football better, but that has not been the case in practice, and though Liverpool are stronger for having him around, they are yet to see the true benefits.In reserve, Wataru Endo barely played in 2024, but he was still a more regularly-used option than he is likely to be in 2026, while Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliott – who were on the bench for Slot’s first match – have left.

Though they could never break into Slot’s starting XI, Jones and Elliott were still more experienced than Trey Nyoni and James McConnell, who have nominally taken their places.Verdict: Weaker – Wirtz’s arrival is a big positive, but the German has not shown enough yet, while the departure of Jones and the decline of Gravenberch and Mac Allister have made Liverpool’s midfield worse.Attack – Big-money signings replace tried and tested starsThe attack is the one area of the team where Liverpool fans can at least be excited this season after the arrival of Bradley Barcola.Barcola has essentially replaced Luis Diaz one year later, and, whatever he has been doing in Munich, many supporters will see the Frenchman as an upgrade.Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez were Liverpool’s centre-forward options in 2024, with the former starting – and scoring – last time out against Ipswich. They will not hit Salah’s numbers, but they will offer plenty regardless.Verdict: Stronger – Liverpool had some proven performers two years ago and losing Salah is a huge blow, but while the big-money additions are yet to fire, on paper they do make the Reds look a stronger proposition.Overall verdict – Liverpool are weakerIt is rare for a successful football team to see so much change over such a short period of time, but if you are going to make the alterations, then at least strengthen the team in the process.Though they have more firepower in attack, and the defence has better quality in central areas, Liverpool have undoubtedly made their team worse over the past two years.Some of that was unavoidable, with Alexander-Arnold and Konate determined to join Real Madrid, while nobody could have foreseen the horrendous loss of Jota.Players such as Kelleher, Jones and Diaz were also keen to leave, but Liverpool simply have not got it right when trying to replace them, or have acted too late in doing so.