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It seems that Mohamed Salah's lack of defensive contributions is emerging as a minor issue for Liverpool, particularly against top-tier teams.

It's understandable if manager Arne Slot has directed Salah to avoid defensive duties, because positioning himself advanced on the right side during transitions has established him as one of the global deadliest strikers.

But, the teammates in support fail to offer adequate defensive support, creating numerous challenges for whoever is playing at right-back this season.

Be it Jeremie Frimpong or another player, they end up in difficulty due to facing a numerical disadvantage on that flank.

It proved a clear weakness in the recent match, resulting in Chelsea's decisive goal – and the worry is that more teams will smartly target this weak spot.

{'Salah Has Freedom to Skip Defensive Duties'

First of all, I doubt that the manager is telling Salah to help defensively and support his defender.

Should he had been instructed to mark Chelsea's left-back his direct opponent, then it was extremely obvious he did not comply, and Slot would not accept that.

Instead, the manager is allowing him the liberty to concentrate solely on offensive play, which is acceptable – we've seen numerous instances of different clubs adopting similar tactics, with individuals who prefer to conserve their energy for forward actions.

Certainly, there are still certain situations in a match when you are conceding chances and you might feel compelled to track back.

I know Salah can do it, since when Liverpool triumphed at Manchester City previously, his work rate was among the best I've seen from him.

However, he must have been specifically asked to do so on that occasion, which is why I don't blame him if he is asked to remain advanced.

'The Real Issue Is The Way Liverpool Are Set Up Behind Salah'

The concern with Salah is more about how Liverpool are organized in defensive support, particularly against top opponents.

His teammates need to provide better and faster help, because it seemed like Chelsea were advancing the ball upfield and then shifting it to their left side, because that's where the space was.

If a Liverpool central player moved wide too late – be it Ryan Gravenberch – then he created openings in central areas ahead of the defence because Liverpool were losing a player from the center.

All this becomes less of a problem when playing opponents that you dominate possession against – evidenced by Liverpool previous league wins using such tactics – but they need to tighten up as the top sides will capitalize.

'Liverpool Have Lost Command of Games'

It isn't as if he has changed his role recently, but because he is failing to find the net at the other end, maybe the defensive side of his performance is amplified.

I'm not overly worried about his current performance, as he will improve – history shows – in terms of his finishing.

He found great situations versus their opponents but maybe took a chance when he could have assisted, and the opposite, but those opportunities will continue and the goals will come.

My main concern with Liverpool at the moment is their reduced control in games compared to last season.

This has been a frustrating week for them, naturally, not just to suffer three games in a row in the Premier League and Champions League but because the display standards have not been what we expect.

There are extenuating circumstances, of course, with the numerous squad adjustments in the summer and the several of individuals who did not have preparatory training, but last season the manager's Liverpool appeared very good at controlling matches and that is not the situation.

It seemed like their defensive shape was solid, and his more ball-retention approach brought greater control.

It was something that people instantly saw he had introduced to the team, in contrast to what it was like under the former coach.

Now, though, I watch them and it looks somewhat disorganized. The final 30 minutes of the recent match was hectic it felt like a cup tie – they had opportunities to secure victory, but gave away several opportunities too, which is why they ultimately defeated.

{How Can Slot Address The Team's Issues?

We can identify a several things that are not right about Liverpool, and repeatedly notice them losing possession, but I don't see an hopeless situation.

Just because Liverpool have several new additions – and varied profiles too – they don't need to change their playing style. They simply require to get back to being a bit more patient and calm.

Good news is they are only one point adrift of table-toppers the front-runners and have time to correct the things that are underperforming.

Fitness aspect they are missing will come as the players who did not have a full pre-season, such as midfielders and defenders, will attain peak fitness shortly.

Building effective relationships on the pitch always takes patience too, be it between the defender and Salah or additional important pairings.

Therefore, there is no need to overreact. It feels like currently in the top flight, and not just with this team but with every side, you are a single match away from 'crisis' and criticism.

The truth is the recent results to Liverpool recently will probably occur at some point to other contenders and rivals as well.

I didn't previously thought that side would be in the championship chase, but if their star striker stays motivated and healthy they will be in contention.

Arsenal, in defence, look excellent again and, in general, after several matches they seem very comfortable in their performances across the pitch – it seems a extension of last season, with an extra layer of quality and squad strength.

For them it feels like more of a rebuild right now. But while there is ongoing work to do for them to establish the optimal equilibrium and partnerships, it is expected everyone expects them to improve as the campaign advances.