Well, that's another season filed away in the disappointment drawer. Three out of ten doesn't make for pleasant reading, does it?

Arne Slot will have plenty to ponder over the summer break, and whilst the injury list read like a medical textbook at times, pointing fingers at the treatment room only tells half the story. The brutal truth? Even with everyone fit, this Liverpool side weren't touching the title.

The lack of intensity was the most damaging part. Where was the relentless pressing that used to suffocate opponents? Where were those moments when three red shirts would swarm a rival player like angry wasps? It all felt a bit too comfortable, a bit too passive. Football's supposed to get the blood pumping, not send you reaching for the remote.

Late goals conceded, leads thrown away, and performances that lacked that edge we've come to expect from sides wearing our shirt. You could see the players trying, sometimes perhaps trying too hard, but there's a difference between effort and that burning desire to run through brick walls for your manager and your supporters.

The summer signings haven't exactly set Merseyside alight either. Florian Wirtz clearly has the talent, but spending that kind of money means you need to use him where he was meant to play, in that number ten role. No point buying a Ferrari if you're going to use it to deliver milk.

Alexander Isak's injury nightmare has been one of those seasons where everything that could go wrong did go wrong. The lad's barely kicked a ball in anger. Hugo Ekitike showed promise before his own fitness issues struck, and with both sidelined, it became crystal clear that Cody Gakpo's future lies out wide rather than through the middle.

There were bright spots though. Rio Ngumoha's emergence has been a genuine positive in what's been a frustrating campaign. But letting Luis Diaz leave now looks like a proper misjudgement. That Colombian had exactly the kind of spirit this team has been crying out for all season.

Mohamed Salah's inevitable decline and a defence that's been leakier than a rusty bucket haven't helped matters either. Time catches up with everyone, even the best.

Yet everything this season has to be viewed through the lens of losing Diogo Jota. Tragedy like that leaves scars that don't heal quickly. The comparison to Hillsborough might seem distant to younger supporters, but anyone who's lived through that kind of loss knows how it affects everything around a football club.

The emotional farewell for Salah and Andy Robertson on Sunday felt appropriate. Both have been magnificent servants during Liverpool's golden period. Salah might not have been at his peak this past year, but what he's achieved in a red shirt has been extraordinary. Robertson reminded many of Joey Jones with that same whole-hearted enthusiasm and spirit.

Whilst it was sad seeing them go, sometimes knowing when to say goodbye is as important as knowing when to arrive. Nothing lasts forever, and perhaps fresh starts are exactly what everyone needs.

Jordan Henderson's reception was a classy touch too. Three years since his departure, but some bonds don't break easily.

So here we are, staring down the barrel of another summer rebuild. The players deserve a proper break to reset mentally and physically. When they return, they'll need to rediscover that ruthless edge that's been missing for too long.

Because next season, injury excuses won't wash anymore.