Jamie Carragher says: Liverpool’s defeat to Brentford shows why they have no chance of breaking into the top four without the new midfielder | Football news

Jamie Carragher believes Liverpool have “no chance” of breaking into the top four without a new centre-back after their “all-season disarray” defense was repeatedly breached in their 1-3 loss to Brentford on Monday.

Jurgen Klopp’s men were overwhelmed by Brentford at Gtech Community Stadium, missing their chance to take the lead and leave them in sixth place in the Premier League. Their former defender feels much need to improve to get into the top four.

“That’s been the theme of Liverpool all season,” Carragher said. Sports sky. “As soon as the intensity of a game increases, they can’t cope. They need to play a slower kind of game because as soon as it’s fast, they’re not in the race, they can’t keep up with it. .

• ‘Liverpool must spend 200 million pounds’
• ‘It’s not a Jurgen Klopp team now’
• ‘Absolutely unforgivable record’
• ‘This result has arrived’

“Liverpool have had problems all season against fitness-oriented teams. This is a team that, let’s not forget, is always proud to say that intensity is our identity. They can’t cope with that. that too at this point. It seems like a team is getting old, the team is going to the end.”

Although Liverpool’s success has been built on their impressive recruitment record, Carragher is frustrated that midfield problems remain unresolved – and concerned that they are becoming a team. shadow that he did not recognize.

“I don’t know what happened to Liverpool in midfield. Liverpool bought a player in midfield after four and a half years, Thiago. It’s coming back to haunt them.

“Thiago is not a problem if the other two are full of energy and stop the counter-attacks. People talk about Jude Bellingham but Liverpool have no problem going forward, they need a player to stop them. the enemy overtakes them.”

“Harvey Elliott and Fabio Carvalho are great technical players but they don’t look like Jurgen Klopp’s players. Fabinho is getting old. Jordan Henderson doesn’t have the energy of James Milner.

“The transfer committee and Jurgen Klopp have been praised more than any recruitment or selection department in world football. This is because of them.

“To allow a team that was competing for four titles last season to compete for fourth place because the midfield only had one contract in four years, they were absolutely racing against the smoke. How could that be? allowed to happen?

“They’ve signed Cody Gakpo. If Liverpool think they can break into the top four without signing a midfielder this transfer window then they won’t stand a chance.”

“When I watch Liverpool now, and certainly in midfield, it feels like Jurgen Klopp’s side are turning into something else.

“The only team that reminds me is when I played against Arsenal under Arsene Wenger. Yes, they were a great team. But their real pace and physicality, the teams just couldn’t cope with that. Then that team turned into something really technical and they never won again.

“I don’t know if there is any influence from Pep Lijnders, who is Klopp’s number two and also has a huge say in what’s going on, maybe the Dutch way of thinking, moving the bridges. players on the ball, thinking that Liverpool need to keep adjusting things because people are used to them.

“For me, from the first minute of Klopp’s era against Tottenham, teams were sprinting all over the pitch. When I don’t see Liverpool sprinting and closing in at the moment and they’re still playing. With a front line like this, it’s not a Liverpool.” team.

“Now is not a Jurgen Klopp team and I want to know why.”

‘Liverpool must spend 200 million pounds’

Carragher believes the midfield problem will require significant spending in the transfer market if it is to be resolved.

“Liverpool will need to play big in the summer. You think about what Manchester United and Chelsea have spent in the summer and they’re still not getting good results, so that shows you how much you need to be competitive. at the top of the league.

“Liverpool year after year sold someone and bought someone but this is the case where Liverpool have to spend £200m and I don’t say that because that’s the secret to success. A lot of teams spend money and don’t agree. it must be.” job.

“Liverpool need to sign three midfielders, I would say. Not necessarily all to play. But Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are out of contract, so is James Milner. Thiago is older. , pretty much injured, Jordan Henderson and Fabinho.

“Liverpool need three players in midfield and they’ll have at least £40m or £50m each. As important as a Jude Bellingham is a model of Georginio Wijnaldum that can defend four defenders and stop those who are. run towards that defense.

We talk about Virgil van Dijk being one of the best players in the world for 5 years and now we say he’s not at his best. But I don’t think he’s a completely different player. No matter how good a defender you are, if you don’t have protection you don’t stand a chance.”

‘Absolutely unforgivable’

That is evident in Brentford, where Liverpool’s vulnerability is all too familiar.

“This is nothing new for Liverpool’s defence. They’ve been a chaotic team all season. It’s easy to get past their middle. I think they’ve conceded a lot of chances. more goals than any other team in the Premier League this season, that’s completely unforgivable.”

In fact, statistics reveal that the two Premier League teams have conceded more goalscoring opportunities – but neither of them compete for the top spot. The difference between Liverpool and the rest of the top 6 is huge in this respect.

Klopp’s side have now conceded 51 clear chances in the Premier League this season. Incredibly, this is more than double that of any of the five teams above them in the table.

‘Happens three or four times a game’

Brentford’s opener was actually an own goal from Ibrahima Konate but it came after a corner Alisson was forced to concede after denying Bryan Mbeumo one-on-one. The striker ran behind Van Dijk and passed to the right.

“This is the first time they have conceded a goal from a corner this season but it is not the first time they have been counter-attacked and that is what led to the corner.

“I think it was due to Virgil van Dijk’s lack of pace but he didn’t handle his feet well. Van Dijk wasn’t ready with that ball in the back and then he started from the beginning.

“Even when they were at their best, the opposition only got through once a game. Now that happens three or four times a game. They’ve got too much work to do this season. “

The second goal was a header from Yoane Wissa, a player who had seen two goals disallowed, the second coming just moments before. Once again, it was a familiar path to goal as he found space in the post while Trent Alexander-Arnold wasn’t close enough.

Carragher explained: “If you look back at Trent Alexander-Arnold at full-back, you see Ollie Watkins scored a goal like this against him for Aston Villa a few games ago. “He’s in the wrong position, what’s behind him?”

Klopp made three substitutions in the first half and that helped a bit.

“He had to make changes because it was an unacceptable 45 minutes for Liverpool. Andy Robertson, with his energy and ability to attack on the left wing, brought something in. five minutes and the first half was sadly lacking.”

But any hopes of a Liverpool comeback were dashed by another defensive error. Konate was unusually weak when he tried to fend off Mbeumo’s attention and the Brentford player finished neatly past Alisson.

‘This result has arrived’

“It’s another example of them not being able to deal with fitness. The big question is whether Brentford will make one more counter-attack. It’s happened time and time again against Liverpool. this season.”

Where does this leave Liverpool? The previous two wins may have covered their problems as Carragher feels they were lucky to beat Leicester last week. He added: “Really on Friday, Liverpool were very lucky to get anything.

“This result has come. Liverpool have received results that never seemed convincing. I feel like this is going to happen every four or five weeks. I don’t think this will change from now on. time to the end of the season.

“They look like they’re scoring a lot of goals, that’s what I’ll say. But they’re also like conceding. For the neutrals, they’re interesting. But I still think Liverpool have to improve a lot. much if they want to get that top four spot.”

Start in midfield.