Our issues were nothing to do with the defence.
Can count on one hand the number of big errors Virgil and Quansah combined made all season. They've both had excellent seasons. When we were top there was talk of Virgil as POTY, and Quansah YPOTY. Gomez has also been really good when he came in. Konate's distribution has been off, but hes still a top class CB
The issue, as it has been for two seasons, is the lack of protection infront of them. We are pissweak in midfield, flaky as fuck. We had an elite DM two years ago.
In Istanbul when we conceded three in the first half, Hyypia and Carragher, who in the knockout rounds had been watertight, as they had a DM infront of them, were now helpless with no protection infront of them. Opposing midfielders and forwards freely running at the backline means disaster, don't care who is in the defence. We don't stop the danger at source any more, which Arsenal do having spent big on their midfield, so the opposition are rarely in their penalty area.
Prior to the Villa game, we have won 1 game against the top 10 away from home all season, and that a complete smash and grab at Newcastle who for 75 minutes ran all over our unathletic excuse for a midfield. We've had a glaring weakness in the team for two seasons, one that completely wrecked the 22-23 season, and one we have only half--heartedly addressed last summer with that midfield rebuild.