Arsenal legend Paul Merson tells Liverpool he is worried about their midfield situation
Writing in his column on the Daily Star, Arsenal legend Paul Merson claimed that he is worried about Liverpool’s midfield situation going into the new season.
The 54-year-old Englishman, who is a legend for the Gunners, thinks that the Reds are too reliant on Fabinho. He says:
“I worry for them in midfield. They are very reliant on Fabinho. Beyond him you’ve got Jordan Henderson, James Milner and Thiago really. I think they are just getting by there with that group, and that’s not really good enough for a club like Liverpool.”
And he’s right. Some Liverpool fans will even tell you Jordan Henderson’s leadership is his strongest suit- but that is perhaps just a nicer way of saying the Englishman doesn’t bring a lot in terms of attack or progressing the ball.
Merson gets it right
Thiago Alcantara is one of the best midfielders in the world- he has been for a while, but his injury issues can hamper his flow. James Milner is clearly nearing retirement while other options are not quite there yet.
One such option Jurgen Klopp may want to use next season is Curtis Jones. But Merson is not convinced about the LFC youth academy graduate’s ability to be a regular for a club of Liverpool’s status.
“Curtis Jones looks like a real talent but is he ready to play big minutes in a team that wants to win the title? I think they are weaker in midfield than they have been for a while.”
It’s hard to disagree with anything Merson is saying here. While our attack and defence are loaded, midfield seems weak. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has lost Jurgen Klopp’s trust.
To add to that, the Reds are yet to sign a senior central midfielder since Georginio Wijnaldum’s departure. Harvey Elliott is an option but he is young.
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Fabio Carvalho is exciting but he is attack-minded and it remains to be seen how he is off the ball. It seems difficult to land Jude Bellingham right now and the Reds have been linked with a move in 2023, but Klopp could live to regret it if the Reds don’t sign a central midfielder this summer.
