Liverpool began the season with a 1-1 draw at Chelsea; Reds missed out on signing Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo, who is set to join Chelsea; Jamie Carragher has urged the Reds to bring in both a holding midfielder and a defender before the summer window closes on Sept 1
Monday 14 August 2023 16:54, UK
Liverpool need to bring in both a holding midfield player and centre-back before the transfer window closes if Jurgen Klopp's rebuild at Anfield is going to be a success, says Jamie Carragher.
Liverpool got the new Premier League season under way with a 1-1 draw against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, a creditable result, but a performance that at times also highlighted the club's current weaknesses at the back.
The two clubs have been going head to head for the signature of Brighton defensive midfield player Moises Caicedo in recent days, with Chelsea having now agreed a British-record transfer fee for the Ecuador international, as well as Southampton holding midfielder Romeo Lavia.
As a result, Jurgen Klopp was forced to utilise summer signing Alexis Mac Allister in an unfamiliar No 6 role at Stamford Bridge, with forward Cody Gakpo also having to drop back to play in midfield as the visitors opted to start the game with four attackers on the pitch.
While Liverpool dominated the opening half an hour in west London, taking the lead through Luis Diaz, their defensive problems, exacerbated by a lack of protection for the back line, soon exposed by Chelsea, were there for all to see.
"When you look at Liverpool's front six, what it was three or four years ago, you had the best defender from the front in Roberto Firmino," Carragher told Sky Sports.
"Mo Salah and Sadio Mane would press, then you had Henderson, Fabinho and Wijnaldum - that's a six you'd like to play behind.
"They get asked a lot more questions now - so there's more goals conceded and more mistakes made. I do still feel they can be better defensively, it just feels too easy to get from one end of the pitch to the other against Liverpool. That's a big problem."
It just feels too easy to get from one end of the pitch to the other against Liverpool. That's a big problem.
Carragher believes there may still be a few more bumps in the road when it comes to Liverpool's rebuild, with his former side resembling that of the early years of Klopp's time in charge when they were high scoring, but also conceded a lot.
"With Liverpool you almost feel like they're creating Klopp pt 2," said the Sky Sports pundit. The second team under Klopp, and it feels like they're going to have to go through a bit of pain like they did when Klopp first came in. Games are going to be 2-2 and 3-3, end to end, they're going to be exciting to watch but as a fan it's not exactly what you want."
As well as a holding midfield player, however, Carragher feels Liverpool also need to sign a central defender to give the back four greater balance, especially given the current lack of a defensive shield for the defence.
"It's what type of defender you bring in," he said. "Is it a young player to get on the ball, bring it out from the back, maybe a left footer to provide Liverpool with a bit of balance?
"But I just look at all the defenders now, and the real defender is Andy Robertson. He's been the star, getting after people, but he's been running up and down that line for five or six years now. It takes its toll.
"We know Trent is never going to be in the team for his defensive ability. Van Dijk is not quite the same, we've accepted that. So I just think they're going to be asked questions more and without the protection they need, they need someone to steady the ship in there and win one-versus-one battles, rather than get forward."
"The big worry for me with Liverpool is defensively. The last action sums it up as they had a corner and they nearly conceded a goal at the other end.
"Liverpool need a holding midfielder. They need a real defender, an out-and-out defender who can play right across that back four."
Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville speaking on the Gary Neville podcast:
"There is an element to both teams that is frantic - lacking a bit of order. But it is early in the season and neither have finished in the transfer window yet. Mauricio Pochettino is a new manager, and Jurgen Klopp is trying to settle this new team down.
"What surprises me for Liverpool, is that they're the most settled back five in the Premier League. I don't know how many games they've played together, and yet they still don't look like a world-class group. They are world class individually, so it's still a surprise when I watch Liverpool how many chances they concede. It was a good game of football and improvements to be made by both teams."
