Liverpool made a winning start to their Premier League title defence on Friday evening, but one of the biggest talking points from the match was the fact that the champions seemed vulnerable defensively.
Arne Slot's side emerged 4-2 victors at Anfield against Andoni Iraola's Bournemouth, though they did squander their two-goal lead and required a late winner from substitute Federico Chiesa to walk away with the points.
Both of the Cherries' goals came during counterattacks, with Antoine Semenyo capitalising on some sloppy play and questionable positioning from the Reds to level the score.
Defending transition-based attacks was a problem for the Merseysiders throughout pre-season, and the issue has continued into both the Community Shield and the return of the top flight.
Some have argued that the issue was with Slot's setup and approach, while others have suggested that the absence of Ryan Gravenberch means that the team deserve to be given the benefit of the doubt.
Here, Sports Mole considers two points of contention after Liverpool's win against Bournemouth, as well as one positive takeaway.
Liverpool's Florian Wirtz on August 10, 2025
Does Slot's new-look system put Liverpool at risk defensively?
Liverpool may have taken all three points at Anfield, but they were caught off-guard by the intensity of Iraola's men, who exposed what is becoming known as their weakness.
Since AC Milan beat Slot's side in pre-season when Rafael Leao almost single-handedly won the game with his pace on the counter, alarm bells have been ringing.
It would be fair to say that introducing so many first-team additions this summer has disrupted the XI's cohesion, and the change in system is sure to cause some teething problems.
For instance, Bournemouth's first goal came from Dominik Szoboszlai attempting a flick in a dangerous area, only to find that not enough of his teammates were in position behind him to recover when he lost the ball.
Likewise, the Cherries' second originated on the edge of the their own box, where Mohamed Salah attempted to pick out Szoboszlai only for his pass to be just beyond the Hungarian's reach.
Liverpool had eight players in and around the 18-yard box when that ball was lost, and the two that were in defensive positions were quickly overwhelmed by four Cherries attackers.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot on July 13, 2025
A number of pundits have suggested that the Reds were regularly overcommitting to offensive actions on Friday, and in turn leaving themselves vulnerable in transition, a thought that Jamie Carragher posed directly to Slot himself.
The manager admitted that Andrew Robertson could have been positioned marginally deeper to help the defence for Bournemouth's second goal, but he also mentioned that he would much rather his team play on the front foot than with 11 men behind the ball, even if that comes with inherent risk.
Carragher expressed concern about that blanket statement, believing that taking such risks by design is an issue, though Slot referenced Paris Saint-Germain - as he has done frequently in 2025 - to defend his systemic changes, arguing that the Champions League winners deploy a similar style and that his own players can work to cut out costly missteps.
Liverpool's Florian Wirtz on August 4, 2025
Slot's headache: How can the manager balance Liverpool's midfield?
Liverpool were without 2024-25's Premier League Young Player of the Year, Gravenberch, on the opening matchday due to suspension.
As a result, Alexis Mac Allister, who recently returned from injury and was not at 100 percent, was joined by Szoboszlai at the base of midfield, with league-record signing Florian Wirtz ahead of them.
Szoboszlai spent last term operating as the most advanced midfielder, but he has claimed in the past that his best position is deeper and Slot is determined to give him a chance in that role.
However, in order to balance playing both the Hungary captain and Wirtz in the future, Slot may have to tweak his setup to protect the team from being exposed on the counter.
Ryan Gravenberch of Liverpool in action on August 4, 2025
One way to do that would be to introduce a defensive midfielder to the lineup, but while Gravenberch performed well there after the club's failed pursuit of Martin Zubimendi, he is not a specialist in the position.
The Reds have already committed a sizeable amount on transfers this summer, and with the chase for Alexander Isak ongoing, it seems unlikely that the Merseysiders will be able to bring in a top-quality number six such as Adam Wharton from the market this year.
One other solution would be to move Wirtz across to the left flank in place of one of the forwards, a move that would enable all three of Liverpool's title-winning midfield to start.
Many Premier League fans consider the 22-year-old Germany international to be something akin to a classic number 10, but he spent the majority of Bayer Leverkusen's invincible Bundesliga season under Xabi Alonso playing from the left of the frontline, and the Reds' number 7 is even listed as a forward on the club website.
Liverpool's Hugo Ekitike celebrates scoring on August 15, 2025
Most of the Reds' Premier League debutants performed well, including Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz
Reds striker Hugo Ekitike netted the opener in the Community Shield at Wembley, and he repeated the trick on his Premier League debut at Anfield.
The French striker also assisted Cody Gakpo's second, and his excellent link-up play was a key to sending the hosts into the break in control of the match.
Florian Wirtz did not have as an evening that was as eye-catching, but he covered the most distance of the Liverpool players during his time on the pitch, while also creating the most chances.
That blend of hard work and technical prowess is what makes the £116m man one of the most unique creative players around, and he is sure to improve as he adjusts to the English to flight.
Liverpool's Jeremie Frimpong pictured on August 15, 2025
Likewise, Wirtz's former Bayer Leverkusen teammate Jeremie Frimpong did not produce a goal or assist before being withdrawn, but it was notable that the Reds faced significantly more trouble on their right flank once he was taken off.
Additionally, the right-back showcased his burgeoning chemistry with Salah, as well as his willingness to sprint back at full speed to defend.
However, left-back Milos Kerkez looked nervous throughout the game, and he was taken off due to the likelihood of him receiving a second yellow card if he continued.
To be fair to the Hungarian star, he is still growing into his new role, and shifting from being a marauding attacking force at Bournemouth to a more balanced and reserved defender is likely to take time.
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