Not Barcola, not Minteh – Liverpool urged to sign player to fix ‘three-year’ problem that exposes Iraola

Liverpool have been begged to fix a problem that has haunted their side for the last three years before the window closes, with Andoni Iraola quickly responding to the alleged issue after it was once again exposed badly in Sunday’s 2-2 draw at Newcastle.

The Reds twice fought back from behind to claim a point in an exciting opening weekend clash at St James’ Park, with Dominik Szoboszlai’s last-gasp penalty securing a share of the spoils for Liverpool.

And while the Merseysiders’ focus this summer has always been about signing at least one big-name winger to replace Mohamed Salah in attack and more pazzaz to Iraola’s line-up, the way their midfield was bypassed time and again by Newcastle’s quick-fire breaks illustrated why their midfield would benefit from an enforcer in there to protect their rearguard.

Indeed, Sky Sports pundit Daniel Sturridge is convinced that Liverpool’s fortunes would instantly improve if they were to sign a new DM; a problem he says has dogged them for three years and continues to haunt them already under Iraola.

“I think the team needs a defensive midfielder personally. We’ve been talking about a defensive midfielder at Liverpool for the last three years,” the former Liverpool striker told Sky Sports after Sunday’s 2-2 draw.

“Gravenberch coming into the team, playing consistently and Liverpool winning the Premier League sort of changed that philosophy, but if you actually analyse the midfield, they’re all naturally more attacking players.

“For instance, if you look at someone like Brentford, they bring in [Mamadou] Sangare; if you look at the stats they jump out from the page.

“Third in interceptions, third in tackles, third in possession recovered. For me, £39 million, you sort of think to yourself: ‘That’s not a load of money for someone like Liverpool’.

“I’m not suggesting that he was the man, but the stats jump out the page. Liverpool don’t have that profile of player right now.

“Trey Nyoni, I really, really like him as a player; I think he’s brilliant. He’s more of a ball-playing six, a ball-playing eight.

“He’s not a destroyer; he’s not someone who’s going to strike fear into the opposition like a Sangare can or N’Golo Kante over the years.”

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Iraola addresses Liverpool midfield signing talk

Speaking after Sunday’s 2-2 draw, Iraola was asked directly about Liverpool’s apparent frailties in midfield and whether his side should look to sign a new defensive midfielder before the window closes.

But instead of throwing money at the problem, Iraola has called on his players to adapt as a team.

“I think it’s just not personnel,” he told reporters at St James’ Park.

“I understand, you are telling me basically that Ryan Gravenberch is the six and he is on the edge of the box, but if he shoots and he scores we are saying ‘what a play from Ryan Gravenberch ‘.

“I also don’t want to take this from his game, but we have to adapt as a team to these situations, and we have to know that these situations can happen.

“I think the second goal we probably did better in terms of having the numbers to defend; we don’t make the foul, go to the first challenge, probably reduce the distance with the ball-carrier, so it’s an incredible goal.

“Situations [are] just not because one person is playing there, [it] is something that we have to correct between a lot of players.”

With Curtis Jones last week finalising a £30m (€35m) transfer to Inter Milan, Liverpool do have room in their squad to add another midfielder to the mix.

And as we revealed on Sunday, Iraola has been blown away by the man FSG have chosen as his replacement in the engine room.

At the same time, it has also been revealed that Liverpool decided against moves for three top midfielders who have already secured moves elsewhere this summer.