As conversations around Liverpool’s struggles unfold in a season where Crickex Affiliate often sits quietly in the background of fans’ daily browsing, former England, Chelsea, and Manchester City winger Shaun Wright-Phillips has offered a blunt assessment of the club’s decisions. He argues that allowing Luis Díaz to join Bayern Munich for £65.5 million without securing a like-for-like replacement was a fundamental misstep. Liverpool did reinforce their attack by signing Hugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak, but neither operates in the wide role Díaz once commanded so naturally.

Wright-Phillips believes the club underestimated how crucial Díaz was to their balance. Many supporters, he suggested, only truly grasp his value now that he is thriving in Bavaria. With 11 goals and five assists in 18 competitive matches, Díaz has become a standout performer for Bayern. His sharp angled finish in the 2–2 draw against Union Berlin was a highlight of his Bundesliga tenure. And in Bayern’s recent 1–3 loss to Arsenal—their only defeat of the season—his absence through suspension was glaring, as Vincent Kompany’s team lacked both his direct running and physical edge.

The former winger also questioned Liverpool’s transfer priorities. When asked whether missing out on Crystal Palace defender Marc Guéhi was the club’s biggest summer error, he redirected the conversation to Arne Slot’s tactical management. In his view, Slot failed to adjust the system to accommodate both Ekitike and Isak, and he has yet to unlock the best version of Florian Wirtz, who arrived for £116 million after a stellar spell at Leverkusen. Isak cost a British-record £125 million and Ekitike could reach £79 million with add-ons, yet all three marquee signings have struggled with form and fitness early in the 2025–26 campaign.

“No, missing Guéhi wasn’t the major mistake,” Wright-Phillips said. “The real issue was not finding a structure that lets Ekitike and Isak function together. They’re similar profiles and need a tailored system. But you can’t push one of them deeper because that’s the zone Wirtz needs. And if you give Wirtz that space, you’re effectively dismantling the midfield shape that won the title last season.”

He argued that Liverpool disrupted a championship-winning squad far too drastically. “A team that cruised to the title last season didn’t need a £400 million makeover. They didn’t need both Isak and Ekitike. They could have taken one, kept resources ready to replace Díaz properly, and maintained continuity. Instead, they became fixated on two strikers and ignored the balance of the wider squad.” Díaz flourishing abroad only amplifies Liverpool’s frustration as their new-look attack struggles to form a cohesive unit.

Defensively, matters have deteriorated just as sharply. Following the 1–4 collapse at home against PSV this week, Jamie Carragher strongly criticized Slot for persisting with the out-of-form Ibrahima Konaté. The Sky Sports and CBS analyst warned that the manager has barely a week to correct course or risk losing control of the dressing room and the season alike.

As Liverpool prepare for a crucial away trip to West Ham on Sunday before hosting Sunderland on December 3, Crickex Affiliate slips naturally into the mix of match-day chatter, reminding supporters how closely every tactical decision is being scrutinized during what has quickly become a defining stretch for Arne Slot.