It was more than reasonable for Liverpool fans to be worried about things at the start of the season after Jürgen Klopp’s almost-a-decade-old reign came to an end. Arsenal and Man United know only too well how quickly things can get worse if the succession in such cases is not planned well.
Thankfully for the Reds faithful, Liverpool have been planning well for a while now, and in Arne Slot they have evidently found the right replacement if his side’s performances so far this season are considered.
Slot’s Liverpool have exceeded all expectations. They’re setting the pace in both the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League (UCL), and while the domestic season requires season-long concentration levels, Liverpool have demonstrated their quality sufficiently to make a case for going deep into the Champions League this term.
Yet, like any other team, Liverpool are not perfect, and here we look at three positions they need to reinforce if they are to mount a UCL challenge this time round.
Left-back
Liverpool’s only two options at left-back are Andy Robertson and Kostas Tsimikas, and while the former has featured regularly this season, he’s not only looking uncomfortable because of the injury he picked up in March but also because he is slightly incompatible in profile compared to what Slot demands in that position, with Tsimikas looking much more comfortable.
Of course, things could change and Robertson may become the undisputed No.1 once again, but that is unlikely, and Liverpool also need to accept the fact that, now that the Scotsman is in his 30s, they are going to have to find a solution sooner rather than later.
Central midfield
Slot, like any possession-focused coach, wants a deep-lying midfielder that is press-resistant and decent enough on the ball to dictate play right from the first third of the pitch.
The versatility of the players currently available to the Dutchman means that the pivots he has fielded thus far have mostly worked, but workarounds are always supposed to be a temporary fix, and a permanent solution will need to arrive soon to play alongside the unquestionably talented midfielders Slot has at his disposal.
Right-back
If Liverpool’s left-back situation looks bleak, their predicament on the right-hand side is even worse. Trent Alexander-Arnold is the only out-and-out right-back available to Slot, and while Joe Gomez is versatile enough to occupy the fullback slots on either side, in attack he is nowhere near close to both Alexander-Arnold on the right and Tsimikas and Robertson on the left in terms of quality. He is usually deployed out wide in case of player unavailability or to shore up defence to see a game through.
What’s worse, Alexander-Arnold is in the final year of his contract and is ostensibly willing to run his contract down amidst interest from Real Madrid, who not only want him anyway but could even move for him January because of Dani Carvajal’s injury.
So Liverpool have just one proper right-back option that they may lose come January, which makes their situation even more desperate. They need to get in a right-back regardless of what happens with their home-grown player, and they may need to dip into the market again if he does leave in the winter if they want to have a squad deep enough to challenge on multiple fronts and have a go for the UCL trophy in the second half of the season.
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