A disappointing result exposed some predictable problems with the Liverpool setup, with the 0-0 draw with Fulham showcasing issues in midfield and at left-back.
Liverpool 0-0 Fulham
Premier League (4) | Anfield
September 12, 2026
Missing: Liverpool’s midfield
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, September 12, 2026: Liverpool's Dominik Szoboszlai during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Fulham FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, September 12, 2026: Liverpool's Dominik Szoboszlai during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Fulham FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
This is hardly a new issue, and one that was easily predictable before the season started, but with every passing week it becomes even more noticeable.
The midfield against Fulham was a void filled with sluggishness and ineffective on both sides of the ball.
It looks slow in attack, failing to find Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak early enough, and not able to feed the wingers in good positions.
It looks slower in defence, and when the opposition breaks Liverpool just seem to be hoping for the best and that Alisson, Jeremy Jacquet and Virgil van Dijk can bail them out.
The players can’t really be blamed either, as the club know the strengths and weaknesses of Dominik Szoboszlai, Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister.
The frustration is that it was so clearly going to be an issue and it turned out to be so.
At least there’s some pace on the wings
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, September 12, 2026: Liverpool's Bradley Barcola during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Fulham FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, September 12, 2026: Liverpool's Bradley Barcola during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Fulham FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Though they’re feeding off scraps, both of Liverpool’s new wingers look like they could do some damage if everything behind them starts to click.
Victor Munoz was causing problems for Fulham left-back Antonee Robinson right from the start, winning a corner when the pass from Ronald Araujo looked like it had too much on it.
Bradley Barcola also showed some promising moments, and though he’s still lacking some match fitness, the signs were there.
At the moment they are doing most of this work off their own backs, trying to create something from nothing.
The long balls from Alisson look like they will yield more results for these attacking players than any other route forward at the moment, and there was a general lack of quality execution from both speedsters in the end, but the threat was there.
If it can be utilised more effectively in the future, it could help Liverpool turn draws like this into wins.
Liverpool’s left-back issue
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, September 12, 2026: Liverpool's head coach Andoni Iraola with Milos Kerkez after the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Fulham FC at Anfield. The game ended 0-0. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, September 12, 2026: Liverpool's head coach Andoni Iraola with Milos Kerkez after the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Fulham FC at Anfield. The game ended 0-0. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
With Milos Kerkez not in the best of form of late and cramping against Atletico, the manager decided to give his other option at left-back a go.
Though there were some positives in the first half, it clearly wasn’t a solution.
One moment where Kostas Tsimikas failed to track his man when the team were pressing particularly annoyed Iraola, and it was probably that, more than a couple of loose touches and passes here and there, which persuaded him to revert to Kerkez at half-time.
One thing Tsimikas has always had in his game is a good delivery from out wide, both in general play and from set-pieces, but he wasn’t really able to show that and lacked Kerkez’s dynamism.
When it comes to defending, Tsimikas had some struggles against Oscar Bobb, but he seemed to be at least more switched on and more savvy on this side of the game.
Left-back shouldn’t be a problem given Liverpool only recently signed a new player in the position, but it is, and it’s one that needs dealing with sooner rather than later.
Andoni Iraola has been given a big task already
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, September 12, 2026: Liverpool's head coach Andoni Iraola applauds the supporters after the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Fulham FC at Anfield. The game ended 0-0. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, September 12, 2026: Liverpool's head coach Andoni Iraola applauds the supporters after the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Fulham FC at Anfield. The game ended 0-0. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Many of the problems this Liverpool team have were predictable when looking at the squad before the season started.
The question is, why couldn’t those in charge see this?
Liverpool made some good signings in certain areas, but Iraola has been left with plenty to do on the training ground when it comes to making up for weaknesses in certain areas.
The squad has no defensive midfielder, and, as already mentioned, is struggling at left-back.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, September 12, 2026: Liverpool's Florian Wirtz during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Fulham FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, September 12, 2026: Liverpool's Florian Wirtz during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Fulham FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Florian Wirtz still isn’t firing on all cylinders in attack despite working hard in defence, and though Iraola has managed to find a good solution at right-back, it was still an area of the team with a question mark over it even once the transfer window had closed.
All managers go through this and have to deal with these kinds of issues to an extent, but it really feels like Iraola has been left short in some really obvious areas.
A new manager should be putting his stamp on a team and improving it, not be scrambling around for solutions to new problems.
Spurs next – and the cups are important this season
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, September 12, 2026: Liverpool's players form a pre-match huddle before the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Fulham FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, September 12, 2026: Liverpool's players form a pre-match huddle before the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Fulham FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Luckily for Liverpool, they have Tottenham next.
A Carabao Cup game could be the perfect opportunity to try a few things and give the players that need it some more match fitness.
Spurs have struggled at the start of the season, which could work one of two ways.
It could either make them more determined to pick up a win, or lower morale and make them think this cup is very low down on their list of priorities.
Just as they did in the Champions League, Liverpool could use the midweek game to make some progress.
It’s also worth pointing out that these cups offer Iraola the best opportunity to win something in his first season, given the difficulties picking up league wins so far.
Football – FA Premier League – Liverpool FC v Fulham FC
Football – FA Premier League – Liverpool FC v Fulham FC
Football – FA Premier League – Liverpool FC v Fulham FC
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, September 12, 2026: Liverpool's captain Virgil van Dijk during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Fulham FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Football – FA Premier League – Liverpool FC v Fulham FC
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, September 12, 2026: Liverpool's head coach Andoni Iraola during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Fulham FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Fan Comments