Liverpool have spent an enormous amount of money strengthening their attacking options, but something still isn’t working.
On paper, Andoni Iraola has some outstanding attacking players at his disposal. Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz, Bradley Barcola, Cody Gakpo and the exciting Rio Ngumoha should give Liverpool plenty of firepower.
Yet too often, our forwards look isolated, chances are difficult to come by and the team struggles to turn possession into goals.
So what is going wrong?
For me, the biggest problem is sitting behind the attack.
Liverpool’s midfield simply isn’t supplying the forwards with enough quality service.
We can keep questioning the strikers, their finishing and their movement, but how are they supposed to make a difference if the ball isn’t reaching them in dangerous positions?
Our forwards cannot score without the service
Alexander Isak is a striker who thrives on getting the right kind of delivery. He wants the ball played into his feet, passes into space and opportunities to attack the penalty area.
But there have been too many occasions when he has been left waiting for something to happen.
We saw it against Arsenal at Anfield. Liverpool had plenty of possession and attempted 17 shots, but failed to register a single effort on target.
That was the first time Liverpool had finished a Premier League match at Anfield without a shot on target since records began in 2003-04.
It wasn’t simply a case of Isak having a bad afternoon. The entire attacking unit struggled to create anything that genuinely troubled David Raya.
Liverpool were getting into attacking areas, but the quality of the final ball and the decision-making in the final third were nowhere near good enough.
You can have the best striker in the world leading your line, but if the midfield cannot find him, his job becomes incredibly difficult.
Where is the creativity in midfield?
This is where I believe Liverpool need to improve.
We have players capable of controlling possession, but controlling a football match is not the same as creating opportunities.
Liverpool need midfielders who can break defensive lines, play forward quickly, spot runners and deliver passes that put the opposition under pressure.
Too often, the ball goes sideways or backwards when there is an opportunity to play through the middle.
Florian Wirtz is supposed to be one of the players who can unlock defences, and he has shown flashes of his quality. But Liverpool need more consistent creativity from the players around him.
Alexis Mac Allister has the intelligence and passing ability to make things happen, while Dominik Szoboszlai brings energy and the ability to drive forward.
Trey Nyoni has also shown that he can progress the ball and find forward passes.
The problem is that Liverpool need this quality consistently, not just in occasional spells.
Liverpool are missing a proper defensive midfielder too
I’ve said before that Liverpool need more steel in the middle of the park.
I still miss having a player like Fabinho sitting in front of the defence. Someone who could win tackles, break up opposition attacks, protect the back four and give the more creative players the freedom to influence games.
But the midfield problem isn’t only about defensive protection.
Liverpool need a better balance between winning the ball, controlling possession and creating chances.
A proper No.6 would help give the team that platform, but we also need players who are prepared to take responsibility and play those ambitious forward passes.
At the moment, there are too many periods when Liverpool look short of ideas.
The forwards are not completely blameless
I don’t want to suggest that every problem is the midfield’s fault.
The attackers have to take responsibility too.
Isak needs to become more involved in matches, Wirtz needs to turn his influence into more decisive contributions, and Barcola and Gakpo must deliver more consistently in the final third.
When opportunities do arrive, Liverpool need to be more ruthless.
But I don’t believe it is fair to judge the forwards without looking at the service they are receiving.
If your striker spends large parts of a match chasing scraps, you cannot expect him to produce goals out of nothing.
The best attacking teams create opportunities for their forwards rather than relying on individual brilliance every week.
Iraola needs to find the right midfield combination
This is one of the biggest challenges facing Iraola.
He has inherited an expensive attacking squad, but he needs to build the midfield that allows those players to perform.
Nyoni deserves consideration after showing his ability to move the ball forward, while Wirtz needs players around him who can support his creativity.
Mac Allister and Szoboszlai have important qualities, but the manager needs to find the right combination and give the team a better balance.
Liverpool also need to be braver in possession. There is no point dominating the ball if the opposition can sit comfortably behind it without being seriously threatened.
Sometimes we need to take risks, play through the lines and get the ball into the feet of our attacking players much quicker.
Liverpool’s attack needs fixing – but the midfield is where I’d start
I don’t believe Liverpool suddenly have a poor group of forwards.
There is too much quality in this squad for the attacking performances to continue looking so frustrating.
But quality players need the right platform, and that is where Liverpool are falling short.
For me, the midfield is not creating enough, not progressing the ball quickly enough and not supplying the forwards with the service they need.
I would rather see Liverpool address that problem than immediately start questioning whether their expensive attacking signings are good enough.
Iraola has plenty of work to do, and I still believe this squad is a work in progress.
But if Liverpool want Isak, Wirtz, Barcola and the rest of the attacking players to deliver consistently, they must give them the ammunition.
You cannot expect your strikers to fire if the midfield isn’t supplying the bullets.
Jamie – (The Kopite View)
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