Liverpool’s title credentials under threat following worrying season opener
Liverpool, under new boss Andoni Iraola, failed to give fans hope of improving on last campaign’s lacklustre performances, salvaging a point in a 2-2 draw at St. James’ Park thanks to a 99th-minute Dominik Szoboszlai penalty.
The Anfield faithful and pundits alike have already voiced their concerns surrounding the team’s chances of seriously competing for silverware on all fronts this season.
Sports News Blitz’s Johnny Jones discusses the main talking points following the Reds’ season opener on Sunday, August 23.
Time for £100 million men to step up
Liverpool broke their transfer record twice in last year’s summer window, with signings Florian Wirtz for £116.5m and Alexander Isak for £125m failing to prove themselves as the game-changers their price tags suggested.
Granted, Isak missed the pre-season before his debut campaign, refusing to train with Newcastle in his bid to force his big-money move, perhaps explaining why he didn’t hit the ground running.
He also spent a large portion of the season on the sidelines with a broken leg, an injury which he sustained just as he had returned to full match fitness.
However, he looked a shell of himself against his former side on Sunday, being bullied by defenders with ease and failing to trouble goalkeeper Lukas Hornicek.
In his defence, he was not supplied with a huge amount of service from his team-mates, namely marquee attacking midfielder Wirtz, whose performances since joining the club give greater cause for concern.
The German was brought in to provide the creativity that Liverpool lost with Trent Alexander-Arnold moving to Real Madrid on a free transfer last summer, but has failed to replicate his Bayer Leverkusen form in the Premier League.
He provided a measly three assists in the league last season, and he appeared to lack the physical attributes necessary to thrive in England.
His underwhelming performances led to him being dropped on occasion, a rather embarrassing feat for a player who arrived for such a fee.
Having had ample time to adapt to the demands of Premier League football, this season is undoubtedly make-or-break for the attacking midfielder, surely at least with regard to his chances of living up to his price tag in red.
Iraola’s decision to bring him off in the 63rd minute is hardly a sign of encouragement, as the Spaniard opted to switch to a more balanced midfield three.
‘All guns blazing’ midfield causing problems
Ex-Liverpool man Jamie Carragher has suggested that Wirtz’s profile is disrupting the structure of the midfield, leaving them open and vulnerable to the counterattacks that led to both of Newcastle’s goals.
“I don’t see where he fits in at all, you can’t keep going with it,” Carragher put rather bluntly, and it’s hard to disagree with.
The midfield three that started at St. James’ Park consisted of Ryan Gravenberch alongside Szoboszlai in the pivot, with Wirtz in the No.10 role - all three of them players whose best qualities are attack-minded.
This setup proved suicidal defensively, with both of Newcastle’s goals arising from Gravenberch losing possession in their penalty area, highlighting the lack of protection for the Liverpool back four.
On both occasions, Szoboszlai charged forward with Gravenberch, leaving a huge gap, as Yoane Wissa drove forward facing little resistance playing through Anthony Elanga and Joe Willock for the hosts to gain the lead twice.
This midfield trio is clearly unsustainable for a team that wishes to seriously contend for Premier League and Champions League glory, and either a change of personnel or approach is necessary.
In Liverpool’s title-winning campaign of 2024/25, the midfield three of Gravenberch, Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister worked well.
The Dutchman was the holding midfielder, and Szoboszlai took up the most advanced role but still contributing defensively, which Wirtz is not suited to doing.
If Wirtz does not begin to excel as the creative focal point of the team, he will lessen Iraola’s incentive to keep him as a starter.
His lack of physicality and defensive contribution is already putting too much onus on the deeper midfielders to provide the solidity necessary to stop counterattacks.
One solution may be moving Szoboszlai to right-back, where he deputised many times, and well, last campaign, despite his preference to play in midfield.
Jeremie Frimpong, who appears to currently be the first-choice right-back, has failed to fulfil his attacking and defensive duties necessary to a high standard.
If this were to happen, the Hungarian could invert into midfield when necessary, with Gravenberch being paired with Mac Allister or youngster Trey Nyoni, who impressed in pre-season, in the pivot.
Nyoni is a particularly exciting option, as his ability to hurt the opposition with his line-breaking passes from deep would mean he would not need to maraud forward and leave the midfield exposed.
It was recently revealed that towards the end of last campaign, Arne Slot considered starting Nyoni ahead of Mac Allister, given the Argentine’s noticeable physical drop-off.
Deadline day looming
If Iraola is intent on getting the best out of Wirtz without abandoning the midfield’s defensive responsibiliy, Liverpool will need to look to the market for a natural holding midfielder whose primary role is to protect the back four.
However, the ex-Bournemouth gaffer has already addressed concerns around the absence of a No.6 in the squad, as he believes that the midfield’s defensive effort should be collective, so it’s unlikely that any last-minute purchases will be made in this position.
Liverpool’s transfer priorities lie elsewhere, aiming to sign wingers for both flanks.
They are pushing to secure the signatures of Bradley Barcola of PSG and Yankuba Minteh of Brighton, with PSG demanding a fee in excess of £100m for the former.
Carragher rightly questioned why Liverpool are focusing on bringing in attackers, given they shipped 53 league goals last campaign.
It would appear Iraola feels the best form of defence is attack for his side, which signals a return to heavy metal football for the Reds.
Whether he can solve Liverpool’s defensive woes is a separate matter, and he will hope the glaring vulnerabilities that were exposed in his opening game were simply teething issues.
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