Liverpool suffered another frustrating defeat in midweek, as the match with Fenerbahce appeared to be in the team's hands, only to see it slip away on a difficult night in Turkey
Jamie Carragher, former footballer and tv pundit portrait before the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 Round of 16 Second Leg match between Liverpool FC and Galatasaray SK
Jamie Carragher is not impressed with the composition of Liverpool's squad(Image: (Photo by Richard Sellers/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images))
Jamie Carragher has slammed the squad-building from Liverpool once again, as he questioned the "expensive" and unbalanced group of players that have been assembled following the defeat to Fenerbahce.
It was a match that reinforced the concerns that many had about the team, but it didn't all start so negatively. A strike from youngster Trey Nyoni gave the Reds a lead to help capitalize on some early dominance, but it didn't last long as Mason Greenwood equalized from a free-kick shortly after.
Andoni Iraola, who rotated his team once again, then brought on the cavalry. They responded in quick fashion during the second half, as Alexander Isak scored with his first touch, assisted by fellow substitute Cody Gakpo.
While it was Liverpool's second lead of the night, it slipped away again when Archie Brown arrived at the back post for a simple tap-in, exploiting a lack of communication at the back from the Reds. Then came the final blow, as a high looping ball into the box was attacked by Vedat Muriqi, who headed home an eventual winner for Fenerbahce.
It was a bruising defeat for Iraola, who was fresh from having his attacking options questioned over the weekend, and now faces some dilemmas over his defence after conceding some soft goals.
There are also some key questions about Bradley Barcola that need to be answered, after the seemingly failed experiment to play him as the central striker, while the midfield has also been under fire for the way it has been built.
Liverpool's English midfielder #42 Trey Nyoni (C) celebrates with teammates after scoring his team first goal during the UEFA Champions League, league phase, Matchday 4, football match between Fenerbahce and Liverpool at Fenerbahce Sukru Saracoglu Spor Kompleksi Stadium in Istanbul on November 4, 2026. (Photo by YASIN AKGUL / AFP via Getty Images)
Trey Nyoni (C) celebrates with his Liverpool team-mates after his first goal for the club opened the scoring in the Champions League encounter in Istanbul against Turkey (Image: YASIN AKGUL / AFP via Getty Images)
For Carragher, the defeat only built on the concerns that have followed the transfer activity and the squad-building decisions that have been made. Speaking on CBS Sports about the defeat to Fenerbahce, he said: "I think what it reinforces for the supporters is that the squad Liverpool has got is very expensive but not as good as it should be, and not as balanced as it should be.
"And when you think of some of those players that have come in, what’s a little worry for, not so much the manager, but the people who run the club, I spoke about Trey Nyoni being the best player for Liverpool. Well him and Rio Ngumoha, another young player, were the best players for Liverpool and they were a week or so ago against Chelsea.
"But they also play in the position of players where Liverpool have spent big money. So Barcola has come in for £120 million; he played up front tonight, didn’t play well, but the younger players are playing better than him. And in Trey Nyoni in midfield, Liverpool haven’t spent expensively on a player as such, but they’ve given big contracts this summer to Ryan Gravenberch, who was left out at the weekend for Trey Nyoni, and Szoboszlai, who played there tonight and didn’t play particularly well.
"They’re on, listen it doesn’t matter the figures, but you can imagine the type of figures they would be on. And when a young player in midfield is playing ahead of them, that causes a problem, basically, about where you spent your money, and you basically haven’t spent your money well enough.”
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It certainly shows the challenge that Iraola has on his hands as head coach, having to find the best balance within the team to get the most out of the players at his disposal.
That means the Liverpool team selection will have to be a meritocracy, and the younger players like Nyoni and Ngumoha are certainly showing that it is with their regular minutes. However, it leaves the overall recruitment team with some awkward conversations about the expensive acquisitions in the team.
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The Reds will be hoping that Iraola finds a way to unlock everyone in the squad in the best way possible, but the lack of balance could mean someone has to miss out at some point.
With the squad-building coming under fire once again, there is a clear sense that stability is needed to be able to make the correct decisions moving forward. The defeat to Fenerbahce was bruising, but much more of a symptom of the wider concerns that have been present for a while.