One of the biggest questions facing Liverpool this season remains unanswered.
Who replaces Mohamed Salah?
The Egyptian’s departure has left an enormous void on the right side of Liverpool’s attack, and while the club continue to be linked with players such as Bradley Barcola and others, no replacement has yet arrived.
That raises an interesting tactical question.
Could Andoni Iraola simply use Dominik Szoboszlai as Liverpool’s right winger?
Not a Traditional Winger
At first glance, the idea may seem unusual.
Szoboszlai is naturally a central midfielder.
His best football has come as a number eight or attacking midfielder, where he can influence the game from deeper areas.
However, modern football is increasingly about roles rather than positions.
And Szoboszlai possesses many of the qualities needed to operate from the right.
Why It Could Work
The Hungary captain offers:
Outstanding work rate.
Excellent crossing ability.
Powerful ball carrying.
Long-range shooting.
Tactical intelligence.
Unlike a traditional winger, he wouldn’t simply hug the touchline.
Instead, he could drift inside, allowing Jeremie Frimpong to provide the width from right-back.
That combination could become extremely difficult to defend.
A Different Type of Right Wing
Liverpool do not necessarily need another Mohamed Salah.
Nobody is going to replicate what Salah produced over so many years.
Instead, Iraola could completely change the profile of the position.
Imagine Szoboszlai starting wide before moving into central areas in possession.
That would allow:
Florian Wirtz to combine with him.
Frimpong to overlap.
Alexander Isak to attack the spaces created.
Rather than relying on one player to score 30 goals, Liverpool could spread the attacking responsibility across the front line.
The Downsides
There are obvious drawbacks.
Szoboszlai’s greatest strength is arguably his ability to drive through central midfield.
Playing him permanently on the wing could reduce his influence in build-up play.
Liverpool would also lose some of his defensive work in midfield, which has become an important part of his game.
There is also the issue of pace.
While Szoboszlai is athletic, he does not possess the explosive acceleration of a natural winger such as Barcola or Yankuba Minteh.
Against deep defensive blocks, Liverpool may still need someone capable of consistently beating defenders one-on-one.
Iraola Loves Tactical Flexibility
One thing working in Szoboszlai’s favour is Iraola’s willingness to rotate players within attacking positions.
At Bournemouth, his forwards frequently interchanged throughout matches.
That means Szoboszlai would not necessarily remain fixed to the touchline.
He could begin on the right before drifting centrally, creating unpredictability and allowing others to attack the wide areas.
A Temporary Solution or the Long-Term Plan?
Personally, I think Liverpool could certainly use Szoboszlai on the right in certain matches.
Against teams who defend deep, his creativity and ability to combine with Wirtz could be extremely effective.
However, over the course of a full Premier League season, I still believe Liverpool need another specialist wide attacker.
Replacing Salah isn’t about finding one player who can match his numbers.
It’s about ensuring Liverpool continue to possess genuine pace, width and unpredictability in attack.
Szoboszlai could do an excellent job there.
But if Liverpool truly want to compete for every major trophy, I still believe signing another right-sided attacker should remain a priority before the transfer window closes.
Jamie (The Kopite View)
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