Liverpool have spent heavily on their midfield, committed significant money to long-term contracts and assembled a collection of players with obvious individual quality.
So why does the middle of the pitch still look like such a problem?
For me, the issue has been clear since Andoni Iraola arrived at Anfield. Liverpool needed a more defensively accomplished midfielder – not necessarily another out-and-out holding destroyer, but a proper box-to-box player with defensive intelligence, physicality and the ability to protect the team.
I wanted Lamine Camara last summer, and the more I watch Liverpool struggle to find the right midfield balance, the more convinced I become that this was the type of signing we needed.
Because individual talent is one thing. Building a midfield that actually works is something entirely different.
Gravenberch and Szoboszlai haven’t provided the balance
I said before a ball was kicked that a double pivot of Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai would struggle.
Both are talented footballers. Gravenberch has the ability to carry possession and drive through midfield, while Szoboszlai brings energy, athleticism and an eye for goal.
But putting two talented players together doesn’t automatically create a successful partnership.
A double pivot needs discipline, positional awareness and an understanding of when to attack and when to protect the defence. It needs players who complement each other rather than simply occupy the same spaces.
Neither Gravenberch nor Szoboszlai has consistently convinced me that they can provide the defensive security and control Iraola needs from that partnership.
That doesn’t mean either player should be written off. But their reputations and contracts cannot guarantee them a place in the starting eleven.
Trey Nyoni is showing the others how it should be done
Perhaps the most interesting development has been the emergence of Trey Nyoni.
At just 19, he is showing an understanding of midfield play that Liverpool have desperately needed. He wants the ball, is comfortable receiving it under pressure and has the intelligence to keep possession moving.
There is a maturity to his performances that belies his age.
The irony is that a teenager earning a fraction of what some of Liverpool’s established midfielders receive is making such a compelling case for himself.
Nyoni isn’t the finished article, and we must be careful not to place too much responsibility on his shoulders. He needs experienced players around him and time to develop.
But he has earned the right to be taken seriously.
Alongside him, Alexis Mac Allister looks increasingly like the midfielder Liverpool need. He has the intelligence, technical quality and experience to help control games, and his recent performances have reminded us what he can offer.
For me, Nyoni and Mac Allister currently look like Liverpool’s strongest midfield partnership.
With Florian Wirtz operating further forward as the No.10, there is a much clearer structure to the team.
Expensive contracts create uncomfortable decisions
This is where things become difficult for Liverpool’s hierarchy.
Gravenberch and Szoboszlai have been given substantial contracts, and neither is a player the club will want to see sitting on the bench regularly.
But what happens when the players on those contracts aren’t producing the best balance?
Football cannot become a business of selecting players simply because they earn the most money.
If Nyoni and Mac Allister are the better partnership, they should play. If Wirtz is the best option in the No.10 position, he should be given that responsibility.
Gravenberch and Szoboszlai must then fight for their places.
That is what competition for places is supposed to be about. Nobody should be guaranteed a starting position because of their salary or reputation.
Iraola needs to be strong enough to make those decisions, even if they are uncomfortable.
What has happened to Endo and McConnell?
There are other questions surrounding Liverpool’s midfield options.
Wataru Endo seems to have been largely forgotten, despite offering a more defensive-minded option when the team needs protection.
James McConnell has also struggled to get meaningful opportunities. He may still have plenty of development ahead of him, but it is difficult to understand the wider midfield plan when certain players barely feature.
Liverpool need clarity about what each midfielder is supposed to offer and how they fit into Iraola’s system.
At the moment, there are too many unanswered questions.
Lamine Camara was the type of signing Liverpool needed
My preference for Lamine Camara last summer was never simply about signing another promising midfielder.
It was about signing the right profile.
Liverpool need someone who can compete physically, win challenges, cover ground, read danger and still have the technical ability to play forward.
A midfielder who can do the defensive work without making the team predictable in possession.
That is the sort of player who could allow Nyoni, Mac Allister and Wirtz to flourish.
It doesn’t necessarily mean Liverpool need a traditional defensive midfielder who sits in front of the back four all afternoon. I want a player capable of doing the dirty work while contributing to the football as well.
The next signing has to be about suitability, not simply reputation or price tag.
Iraola must be allowed to build his own midfield
I still believe Iraola needs time to shape this Liverpool team, but he also needs to be decisive.
He has inherited some excellent footballers. His job now is to turn them into a midfield unit that can control games, protect the defence and supply the forwards.
Liverpool cannot keep expecting their attacking players to solve problems created by a midfield that lacks balance.
The hierarchy must also recognise that expensive contracts can create difficult decisions, but they cannot dictate footballing decisions.
For me, the strongest midfield at present is Nyoni and Mac Allister behind Wirtz.
Gravenberch and Szoboszlai have plenty to offer, but they need to earn their places. Endo and McConnell also raise questions about how the squad is being managed.
Liverpool don’t need another expensive name for the sake of it. They need the right midfielder.
Until the club gets that decision right and starts controlling the middle of the pitch, the problems will continue to affect every other area of the team.
Jamie – (The Kopite View)
