The scale of Arne Slot's rebuilding challenge laid bare by PSG defeat

First of all the positives.

For a while during the second half of their Champions League quarter-final second leg against Paris Saint-Germain at Anfield Liverpool looked like the better team.

PSG were caught in a bind, unable to make it out of their own half. The European champions had no easy out ball and the Reds turned the screw.

And just for a moment - when Alexis Mac Allister was fouled in the box by Willian Pacho - Arne Slot’s had the lifeline they needed. That was until the penalty decision was overturned following a consultation with VAR and the wind went out of Liverpool sails.

Had that penalty been given and been scored - who knows what might have come out of this time. Minutes later however and Mac Allister was sent packing on the edge of his own box by Ousmane Dembele - who rifled home the third goal of the tie.

He added a fourth in injury time - completing a 4-0 aggregate win for the French aristocrats.

Liverpool end with nothing

Liverpool got what they deserved out of the tie overall; absolutely nothing. And it’s the same that Slot will have to show for his team’s endeavours in the Premier League, the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup for that matter.

No chance of a trophy this season and Tuesday night exposed a gulf in class between the Premier League champions and the real contenders for the European crown.

That alone is a damning indictment - for Slot and for the rest of the people in charge of putting this squad together. PSG had it a lot harder last year against Liverpool - and this tie showed how much the English side have regressed.

The squad depth just isn’t the same. When Liverpool needed half-time subs they turned to Joe Gomez and Cody Gakpo as No9. Some of the players brought in right now do not appear to be of the requisite standard to bring this club to the next level.

That goes for Jeremie Frimpong and Alexander Isak alike. The jury is also very much out on Giorgi Mamardashvili while Florian Wirtz needs consistency.

Slot's rebuilding job

Isak started here with Slot stating beforehand he only had 45 minutes in him. And when Hugo Ekitike suffered what looks like a terrible achilles tendon injury it meant that Gakpo would have to be utilised at centre-forward when Isak’s race was run.

There was still no discernible pattern in Liverpool’s attacking play. Individuals pressed well and made chances but nothing you could pick out as a coherent pattern.

Mo Salah was good - after replacing Ekitike - creating the odd chance for his side. But overall there is so much work on for Slot - or for whoever comes to replace him - in order to get this right.

We are led to believe right now that the Dutchman will still be in charge next season as FSG do not want to risk any more instability.

But Slot rebuilding after Slot is looking like a harder task than Slot rebuilding after Klopp.

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