Carragher expresses concerns over Liverpool’s midfield ahead of new season
Jamie Carragher has voiced his worries regarding Liverpool’s midfield this season, stating that the club faces “a huge problem” in this area, reports BritPanorama.
Under new manager Andoni Iraola, who succeeded Arne Slot following a disappointing fifth-place finish last season, Liverpool has made several high-profile signings, including Victor Munoz, Jeremy Jacquet, and Barcelona captain Ronald Araujo. Despite these additions, Carragher believes the team’s failure to address the midfield concerns could hinder their performance throughout the campaign.
Speaking on The Overlap Fan Debate, Carragher elaborated: “The midfield for me is still a huge problem for Liverpool. I haven’t watched all the pre-season games, but I watched the last two against decent opposition – it was Leeds and then Monaco.” He pointed out that Liverpool’s midfield issues were apparent last season, stating that “there was space everywhere in midfield. That has not gone away at all,” suggesting that this problem might worsen with the anticipated role of Dominik Szoboszlai in the midfield setup.
Concerned about the current arrangement, Carragher noted, “It looks like they’re going to play him, rather than as a No10, almost as a central midfield player alongside [Ryan] Gravenberch, and that is just pure box-to-box.” He argued for the necessity of signing a deeper-lying midfielder, fearing the squad’s energy levels could be strained. “You can’t say Gravenberch is not a really good player, or [Florian] Wirtz, or [Dominik] Szoboszlai, but as a midfield three, I look at that and think, oh no, there’s almost too much quality, but they all want to go and play and run,” he added, emphasizing the spaces emerging in the middle of the pitch even during pre-season.
Last season, Liverpool experienced a significant decline after claiming the league title the year prior, compounded by the departures of key players Mohamed Salah and Ibrahima Konate. The team concluded their pre-season preparations with a match against Como on Sunday, winning two and losing two of their matches thus far. Liverpool will begin their Premier League campaign facing Newcastle, followed by encounters with Nottingham Forest and Ipswich Town.
In terms of injuries, Liverpool will miss Conor Bradley, Hugo Ekitike, and Giovanni Leoni for extended periods. Additionally, defender Joe Gomez faces a spell on the sidelines due to a muscle injury sustained during the first pre-season friendly. Iraola provided an update on Gomez’s condition, stating, “It’s a muscle injury… it shouldn’t be a lot more,” but emphasized the uncertainty surrounding his return, suggesting he may be out for several weeks.
The evolving dynamics around Liverpool’s midfield raise critical questions as the season approaches. The takedown of previous strategies and a fresh managerial approach could define their trajectory as the games begin once again.
