On the evening of August 17, in the first round of the 2024/25 Premier League season, Liverpool faced Ipswich Town. The “Reds” failed to score in the first half, which led to considerable dissatisfaction among fans with one player’s performance.
Although Liverpool controlled the game’s tempo in the first 45 minutes, they only managed three shots, fewer than their opponents’ four, and none were on target. Fans quickly focused their criticism on left-back Andy Robertson, believing his performance fell short of expectations.
Despite Robertson having played only 61 minutes during the preseason (in a friendly match against Las Palmas), he was still named in the starting lineup by head coach Slot. This decision immediately drew criticism from fans. One fan wrote on social media: “Just a few minutes into the season, I’m already frustrated with Robertson. His performance is far from meeting Premier League standards. His decline has been ongoing for years.”
Another fan commented: “The only benefit of starting Robertson might be that it allows Slot to see how poor his current form really is.” Another fan added: “Robertson’s performance in the first half was terrible. I wonder if it’s due to fitness issues.”
Post-match, a data website rated Robertson at 6.8, the second-lowest in the Liverpool team, just above McAllister, who scored 6.6.
The statistics showed that Robertson made 11 crosses during the game, with only one being accurate, and all three long passes were unsuccessful. Additionally, he lost possession of the ball 20 times.
While Robertson did join the team for training in the United States, he had only eight days to prepare for the season opener against Ipswich Town. Regarding Robertson’s late arrival at training, Slot explained: “Andy sustained a minor injury during the European Championship and has been recovering since.”