Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has raised a major concern ahead of the new season, claiming that the midfield problem which affected the Reds last campaign **has not gone away**.
Speaking on _The Overlap_, Carragher said:
“For me, the midfield is still a huge problem for Liverpool. I watched our last two pre-season matches.”
He added:
“The problem Liverpool had last season was that there was space everywhere in midfield and that still hasn’t gone away at all.”
Those comments should certainly get Liverpool supporters thinking.
One of the biggest criticisms of Liverpool last season was the amount of space opponents could find between and around the midfield.
When Liverpool pressed, there could be huge gaps if the press wasn’t coordinated perfectly.
When possession was lost, the midfield could sometimes be exposed.
And according to Carragher, watching Liverpool’s final two pre-season matches has done little to convince him that the issue has been fixed.
That is particularly interesting because Andoni Iraola is expected to demand an **intense, aggressive pressing game** from his Liverpool side.
The system can be exciting.
But it also comes with risks.
Liverpool want to play on the front foot.
They want to press high.
They want their full-backs to attack.
They want their midfielders to support the forwards.
But somebody has to provide the protection when Liverpool lose the ball.
That could be the biggest tactical challenge facing Iraola.
If Liverpool’s midfield gets stretched, their attacking football could leave them vulnerable to counter-attacks.
We’ve already seen glimpses of that during pre-season.
Liverpool can look devastating when everything clicks, but they can also leave themselves exposed when the structure breaks down.
One solution could be the midfield partnership of **Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai**.
Both have the athleticism to cover ground, while Gravenberch has shown that he can operate deeper and help Liverpool progress the ball.
Szoboszlai’s energy and pressing could also be crucial in Iraola’s system.
But they need to develop an understanding.
If both players push forward at the same time, Liverpool could once again leave too much space behind them.
That’s where the coaching becomes so important.
Carragher’s comments also raise another question:
**Does Liverpool need another midfielder before the transfer window closes?**
The Reds have plenty of technical quality in the middle of the pitch.
But perhaps what they lack is a player who can consistently **control the space in front of the defence**.
Someone who can recognise danger before it develops.
Someone who can break up attacks.
Someone who can maintain the team’s shape when Liverpool’s attacking players are given freedom.
That type of midfielder could be hugely valuable to Iraola.
Nobody wants Liverpool to become a cautious team.
The prospect of watching **Wirtz, Isak, Barcola, Gakpo and Ngumoha** attacking at speed is incredibly exciting.
But the best attacking teams also understand when they need to defend.
That’s the balance Iraola has to find.
Liverpool cannot simply outscore everyone.
At some point, they will face opponents who sit deep, absorb pressure and then attack the space Liverpool leave behind.
That’s when the midfield structure will be tested.
Carragher isn’t saying Liverpool can’t be successful.
He’s highlighting something that could ultimately decide whether this new Liverpool side becomes **exciting or genuinely elite**.
The attacking ingredients are there.
The intensity is there.
The talent is certainly there.
But if Liverpool continue leaving huge spaces in midfield, they could be giving their opponents exactly what they need to hurt them.
**Iraola has two weeks to solve it.**
And perhaps the biggest question heading into the new season isn’t whether Liverpool can score enough goals.
It’s whether they can **control the space behind the attack.**
Because if Carragher is right and the midfield problem is still there, it could become the biggest weakness in Iraola’s exciting new Liverpool side.
Jamie (The Kopite View)
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