When a national team comes back from behind to claim a 4–1 victory, you would usually expect the post-match headlines to focus entirely on the resilience shown during an impressive second-half turnaround.
Deployed on the left side of a front-three alongside Rennes striker Esteban Lepaul and Paris Saint-Germain's Ousmane Dembele in Zinedine Zidane’s 4-3-3 setup, the 24-year-old French international endured a thoroughly frustrating 72 minutes before being hooked.
At the time of the substitution, Les Bleus were trailing1–0 after an uninspired opening hour where the attack looked completely toothless.
What followed was an instant, jaw-dropping turnaround: Desire Doue replaced the £120m+ summer signing, equalised within minutes of entering the pitch, and then went on to assist two goals for reported Reds target Michael Olise as France scored four unanswered goals from the 77th minute onwards to seal the 4–1 win.
While the French media noted a relatively quiet evening highlighting two shots (one on target), one chance created, and 31 passes completed at an 83.9% accuracy rate it was on social media where Liverpool fans unleashed their true, unvarnished frustration.
For Kopites, this wasn't just an off-night under the Stade de France lights during a routine international window. It was a worrying, ongoing continuation of a deeply concerning start to life on Merseyside.
When Liverpool splashed out an eye-watering £120m to bring the 24-year-old winger from Paris Saint-Germain part of a huge £250m double-swoop alongside Newcastle United's Alexander Isak the expectations were naturally astronomical.
During his time in Paris, the French international had established himself as one of Europe’s most dynamic wide talents, registering an impressive 21 goals and 21 assists in 90 appearances across all competitions, alongside 2 goals in 14 caps for Les Bleus prior to the move.
Yet, since stepping into English football and trying to adapt to Andoni Iraola’s high-intensity physical system, that explosive output has completely dried up.
Combined, Isak and the 24-year-old wide man have managed just eight goals between them a minuscule return on a quarter-of-a-billion-pound investment. For the former PSG forward individually, the tally now stands at a miserable, alarm-bell-ringing run of nine consecutive games without a single goal or assist for both club and country.
That stark, undeniable contrast in form has sparked an explosion of fierce debate across the fan base, with supporters openly questioning whether the recruitment team made a catastrophic error in judgment.
Kopites react to Form
Taking to X (formerly Twitter) immediately after watching France's 4–1 match, supporters didn't hold back in their assessments:
@Ful_ler: "Since he's signed I've only seen him miss chances. Am I allowed to speak yet or not?"
@TacticNotes: "People see a big chance wasted, but look at that deep, penetrating run, creating separation and putting himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper. In any case, #BB29 needs to improve his finishing quality #LFC."
@Said227_: "Seeing all that, I just can't understand how Liverpool managed to splash 140M on Barcola."
@Dat_boy_nino: "Barcola is a very good player and can do things with the ball effortlessly, but the moment he enters the 18-yard box, his brain completely shuts down."
@OginiSolomon: "Whoever was actually responsible for Liverpool spending over £120m on Barcola, I could sell that person an airport on Facebook Marketplace and they’d buy it without verifying twice. Barcola has been an absolute eyesore, and spending that kind of money on him tells you everything you need to know about Liverpool’s recruitment. We talk endlessly about Manchester City’s 114 charges and every scandal surrounding them, but one thing you simply cannot take away from City: they know how to identify and sign the right players. Every time I remember Liverpool spent over £120m on Barcola, it just boils down to laughter. What an absolutely ridiculous recruitment decision."
@zoneoccupation: "Someone needs to get Barcola to learn how to fix properly. Opens up a completely different dimension to his game if he’s able to get to that point in his development."
@Corballyred: "I'm concerned, 9 games without a goal or assist. Was never a big fan of the Barcola signing, he makes Darwin Nunez look lethal in front of goal. Of all LFC big signing Barcola concerns me most 🤭."
The Verdict: Time to adapt or risk flop status
For Andoni Iraola and the coaching staff at the AXA Training Centre, helping the 24-year-old left winger regain his composure and ruthlessness inside the penalty box is now an urgent priority.
The player undeniably possesses world-class pace and elite dribbling mechanics the raw ability to glide past full-backs and penetrate the 18-yard box is obvious every single time he steps onto the pitch.
However, at Anfield, aesthetic build-up play and eye-catching isolated dribbles mean very little if the end product is non-existent. When a transfer fee exceeds £120m, players simply aren't afforded months or seasons to find their feet quietly.
Unless the French winger turns this alarming slump around quickly, fan patience will stretch paper-thin as the high-stakes fixtures pile up after the international break.
All eyes now turn to Sunday's mammoth Premier League clash against Manchester City at Anfield (4:30 PM BST). For Andoni Iraola's unbeaten Reds, the high-stakes encounter comes amidst mounting selection headaches but for the 24-year-old French winger, the match represents the ultimate stage to silence his critics.
If the 24-year-old wide man can harness his raw pace and trickery to turn build-up play into game-changing end product under the Anfield lights, it won't just lift the Reds it could prove to be the defining turning point of his season.
Add us as a preferred source on Google