Liverpool's transfer window this summer saw the club pour more than £200 million into the squad, eclipsing the spending of the previous campaign. Yet, despite the financial outlay, manager Andoni Iraola walks away with a roster that many pundits, including Jamie Carragher, describe as uneven and potentially problematic. Carragher told Sky Sports, "It does not look like a balanced squad. Liverpool are short in the full‑back areas and probably a midfield player as well," a succinct summary that rings true even after the £123 million acquisition of Bradley Barcola from Paris Saint‑Germain.
Barcola's arrival highlights the core of the imbalance. Liverpool have lost the Premier League's most prolific left‑footed right‑winger in Mohamed Salah, yet their solution appears to be a mirror image rather than a true replacement. Carragher noted, "Liverpool have not got a real out‑and‑out right‑sided attacker. We have not got anybody with a left foot on that right side, like Mo Salah.
I am disappointed. I am not quite sure what we are going to do on that right wing right now." While Barcola is a versatile forward, his hefty price tag suggests he should play in his natural position, which is on the left. Deploying him on the right would be a stretch and would not address the specific void left by Salah. The left side of the attack is also a puzzle.
Cody Gakpo has been used primarily on the left flank, a role previously occupied by Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike at other clubs. Rio Ngumoha, who broke through on the left during his loan spell, has been experimented with on the opposite wing in pre‑season, while Victor Munoz, signed after a single top‑flight season as a left winger, is another candidate.
None of these options provide a clear, settled solution, and the lack of a specialist left‑footed right‑winger leaves the attacking shape looking lopsided. Beyond the forward line, the defensive unit raises further questions. Last summer, Liverpool secured Jeremie Frimpong, explicitly stating he was not meant to replace Trent Alexander‑Arnold at right‑back.
Yet, Frimpong has been thrust into that very role in the opening two league games, largely because Conor Bradley remains sidelined with injury. The club has also signed Milos Kerkez, who, like Frimpong, boasts elite sprint numbers – both rank among the top three Premier League players for sprints this season, only behind Adrien Truffert of Bournemouth, Iraola's former side.
The reliance on pace‑laden full‑backs is a hallmark of Iraola's system, where the wide defenders bomb forward, creating space for counter‑attacks but also exposing the back line when the ball is lost. A quick glance at Liverpool's average positions in the first two matches compared with the title‑winning season under Arne Slot shows the full‑backs pushing high up the pitch, often simultaneously. This tactic forces midfielders to cover the gaps left behind. Ryan Gravenberch, who was instrumental in Slot's championship, now faces a midfield that appears less physically robust than the one anchored by Alexis Mac Allister two seasons ago.
The question arises: does Iraola have a true holding midfielder to shield the defence, or is he expecting his centre‑backs, particularly Virgil van Dijk, to drop deeper and compensate? Van Dijk has shown a tendency to retreat, which, combined with the high‑line full‑backs, creates a vulnerable space that Newcastle exploited early in their opening match. Carragher summed up the midfield dilemma: "I do not believe that midfield can function with the personnel in there. For me, it does not work.
And it is not just about personnel, it is the structure the manager is asking for." The structure Iraola prefers involves aggressive pressing and winning the ball high up the field – a philosophy echoed by Tyler Adams, who said the players believe they will win the ball in advanced positions. However, without a dedicated defensive midfielder to link defence and attack, the team risks being caught out on the transition. Potential solutions are limited without further market activity. Iraola may need to compromise on his attacking philosophy, perhaps by dialing back the number of players committing forward and allowing the midfield to sit deeper at times.
Carragher suggested a balance: "You do not want to lose the offensive side, the fluidity, the arrivals with numbers, but obviously we were punished the other day, especially in the first goal. We did not do a proper lockdown. But there is a balance. We cannot go from one way where we send a lot of people forward to keeping everyone back so we do not arrive with numbers." One pragmatic approach could involve using Gravenberch in a more disciplined, box‑to‑box role, allowing him to carry the ball when opportunities arise but also drop back to protect the defence.
Players like Adams, who possess a keen sense of positional awareness, could be instructed to recognise when to stay compact and when to press. This tactical flexibility might mitigate the exposure caused by the high‑line full‑backs.
In the short term, Liverpool have already produced a couple of high‑scoring draws, indicating that the squad's attacking talent can still produce goals. Yet, the underlying structural issues – a shortage of balanced full‑backs, a lack of a natural left‑footed right‑winger, and an under‑powered midfield shield – could undermine consistency over a 38‑game season.
The team is, in many ways, the most expensive Liverpool has ever assembled, but it also appears to be the most uneven in a decade. Whether the strengths of Barcola, Gakpo, and the pace‑driven full‑backs will outweigh the midfield's vulnerabilities remains to be seen. If Iraola can fine‑tune the balance between offensive thrust and defensive solidity, Liverpool could still compete at the highest level. If not, the squad's imperfections may become a chronic source of frustration for fans and a hurdle in the pursuit of silverware.
In any case, the season promises an intriguing blend of excitement and uncertainty as the Reds navigate the challenges of an imbalanced but undeniably talented roster.