Anfield has long been a fortress where even the best teams struggled to leave with a point. But according to Lewis Steele, that intimidating aura has vanished under Arne Slot's management.
Speaking on the Media Matters podcast for Anfield Index alongside Dave Davis, Steele delivered a scathing assessment of Liverpool's recent form, particularly after Chelsea's draw at Anfield. "Chelsea are a bad team who came to Anfield and looked like a good team," Steele said bluntly.
The pattern, Steele argued, has become all too familiar this season. "He's made pretty average teams look good. Slot is making bad teams look pretty all right, and that is the biggest legacy of this season for me."
Davis observed that Liverpool typically start matches brightly, take the lead, and then inexplicably stop playing. Steele agreed, noting that the Reds "play well for 15 minutes" before they "seem to just forget that they're good."
His most damning critique? Liverpool "retreat back on the pitch and they invite pressure." Against Chelsea, Steele felt "you could see that Chelsea goal was coming for 10 minutes before it did go in." This speaks to a deeper anxiety surrounding Slot's tactical approach—when the team struggles, Steele argued that Slot "didn't know how to fix it," calling that "a microcosm of the whole season."
The conversation took a sharp turn when Davis asked whether Anfield had lost its famous fear factor. Steele didn't hesitate: "The fortress is completely gone."
He compared this Liverpool side to previous iterations, noting that even during the club's worst moments over the last decade, Anfield remained a venue no team relished visiting. "If I supported any team in the Premier League, I would now look at Anfield and go, oh we could win there," Steele said.
This shift isn't just about results—it's about mood, belief, and authority. Steele pointed to fans leaving early and the full-time boos, saying Liverpool's decision-makers "can't not hear the negativity towards Arne Slot."
For a club built on the roar of the Kop and the belief that Anfield is a place where comebacks happen, the suggestion that the fear factor has evaporated is a worrying sign. As Liverpool look to rediscover their identity, the question remains: can Slot restore that aura, or has the fortress truly fallen?