“How hard are Liverpool working?” – BBC journalist’s question raises new concern after fourth straight defeat
Liverpool’s recent run of results has sparked widespread debate, but according to one journalist, the real question might not be about attitude – it might be about balance.
BBC Sport report highlights effort levels amid Liverpool’s slump
As reported by Nicola Pearson on BBC Sport, the Reds were outrun by more than seven kilometres in the 3–2 defeat at Brentford – covering 114.08km compared to the hosts’ 121.41km.
That headline figure has led to questions about our intensity, but the underlying data tells a more complex story.
On a per-game basis, we are actually ahead of last season’s title-winning side in several key areas: more duels (98 vs 91), better duel success (51.8% vs 49.2%), and even slightly higher sprint numbers (158 vs 156).
Liverpool have also increased the overall distance covered per match (109.2km up from 107.7km), which suggests effort is not the root cause.
Federico Chiesa has already stated that the players will now work even harder to rediscover our form, though it appears that this isn’t the issue.
The table below shows how those numbers compare year on year:
| Metric | 2024/25 (Title-winning season) | 2025/26 (Current season) |
| Average distance covered (km) | 107.7 | 109.2 |
| Duels per match | 91 | 98 |
| Duel success rate (%) | 49.2 | 51.8 |
| Sprints per match | 156 | 158 |
| Passing accuracy (%) | 86.3 | 84.9 |
The numbers make clear that our players haven’t “downed tools” – they’re still running, still duelling, still pressing.
What’s changed, however, might be the shape of the side.
Evolving identity under Arne Slot
With nearly £450 million of new arrivals and the departures of long-serving figures, there’s no denying we’re in a period of transition.
Nigel Reo-Coker has said that this attempt to ‘be like Real Madrid’ and splash the cash this summer, has backfired massively.
After sticking with what worked during his first year at Anfield, Arne Slot is now stamping his own identity on the team – and that inevitably takes time.
The signing of Florian Wirtz was meant to bring new creativity and his understanding with Mo Salah and Hugo Ekitike could prove vital in rediscovering our cutting edge.
But as Nicola Pearson points out, evolution always brings growing pains and unless we quickly rediscover our defensive discipline, those small details could continue to cost us points.
Join our channel of readers on WhatsApp to get the day’s top stories straight to your mobile
The post “How hard are Liverpool working?” – BBC journalist’s question raises new concern after fourth straight defeat appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.