Having watched Liverpool beat Bournemouth but nearly come unstuck by their susceptibility to counter-attacks, Jamie Carragher voiced his anxiety to Arne Slot over the Reds’ defensive weakness.
It is fair to say that while Liverpool will be pleased with their 4-2 win on opening night, there is plenty to work on for the squad, particularly when the ball is turned over.
Throughout pre-season, the Reds have looked open on the break, and this continued against Bournemouth, showcased particularly by Antoine Semenyo’s second goal, which was analysed by Slot and Carragher.
Speaking on Sky Sports, the former centre-back asked Liverpool’s coach if he was “furious” at Liverpool having seven players in the Bournemouth box while 2-1 up with 15 minutes left.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Friday, August 15, 2025: Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo (L) and Marcus Tavernier celebrate after scoring the equalising goal during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and AFC Bournemouth at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Slot replied: “No, it depends on where the players of the opposition are.
“If they are standing over here at the halfway line, it would be stupid for us to be there with seven, but if they go with all players back in their own 18-yard box, we need to have a rest defence in order to be closer to them there as well.
“I think if you stop the play at the moment Mo (Salah) loses the ball, there is not such a big problem.
“I think the rest defence is in order, but then they just came with three or four out of their 18-yard box.”
Carragher added that he didn’t like Liverpool’s two full-backs being so advanced at this stage of the game.
Again, Slot responded: “It depends on where their players are.
“I see it now and I see where Semenyo is, then you could argue if Robbo (Andy Robertson) should be this high.
“For me, Robbo should be where Semenyo and you can argue if all our midfielders should go inside the 18-yard box now, but that’s also who we were and who we are.
“That’s also why you see such a nice game if you watch Liverpool, because we are not going to go to a low block and defend.
“[On the counter-attack leading to Semenyo’s second goal,] we are two vs. one behind the ball and you see players from us sprinting back as well, but give credit to Semenyo as well.
Carragher was still unconvinced and went on to say: “Arne, can I just say that worries me a little bit?
“When you say that’s the team that we are, with so many bodies going forward. Am I allowed to say that? Sorry, boss!”
Slot was, of course, gracious in his response, replying: “No, you are allowed to say this, but then you need to support a team that’s going to play with 11 players in their own box.
“I prefer to see this, but I prefer to see even more not being counter-attacked – that I agree on.
“But I like it that our players like to play football and I think last season we were a joy to watch, like, for example, Paris Saint-Germain, who do similar things like this.”
While Slot may have seemed slightly dismissive of any proposed weakness, when they return to the training ground, the staff won’t accept Liverpool being so easy to score against.
There is no denying the Reds look more exposed than in the early parts of the last campaign, and Andrew Beasley‘s stat was telling.
He wrote that Liverpool conceded two league goals to Opta-defined fast breaks last season. On Friday, they conceded two in the first match alone.
“We want to do better in the transitions, of course,” Slot agreed.
“We will fine tune even more these counter-attacks hopefully, but we will work on that definitely, but we do want to stay a team that is a joy to watch offensively.”