Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher believes Jurgen Klopp’s side ‘need four players to go into the team’ following their 5-2 defeat at home to Real Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday.
The Merseyside club lead 2-0 on the night before conceding five straight goals without reply.
Carragher speaking on CBS Sports, via Sky Sports:
“All season Liverpool have been an absolute shambles defensively.
“This team had a great defensive record last season, but we know the midfield doesn’t have the energy anymore.
“The attacking players and the front three don’t have the cohesion that was there before with Firmino and Mane, with Nunez and Gakpo.
“So this Liverpool defence, who we’ve been told for years have some of the best midfielders in the world, can’t cope. Because they’ve had a front six in front of them who probably worked harder and smarter than any other team. Now that’s gone, it’s completely fell apart.
“Some of the players there: Joe Gomez tonight! And we’ve all heard bad nights as players and maybe I shouldn’t kick someone when he’s down as I’m sure he’s feeling terrible right now.
“Some of the players there: Joe Gomez tonight! And we’ve all heard bad nights as players and maybe I shouldn’t kick someone when he’s down as I’m sure he’s feeling terrible right now.
“This Liverpool team will do what it’s done all season – win a couple, lose a couple, win a couple, lose a couple. That’s what’s happened. They’ve won a couple of games, they’ve lost to Madrid, they might win the next one. They’ll lose, they’ll draw.
“Nothing is going to come around and change with this team. It is the end of an era. Liverpool at times, before the World Cup, felt they needed a midfield player or two. The more you watch this Liverpool team, it may be more four players to go into the team, not just the squad right now.”
Liverpool currently sit eighth in the Premier League and have been knocked out of both domestic cup competitions.
Klopp’s side face Crystal Palace this weekend at Selhurst park before hosting Wolves at Anfield next Wednesday. They have two games in hand on Tottenham Hotspur who currently occupy fourth place with seven points separating the two sides.
The Reds have four Premier League games between now and the second leg tie versus Real Madrid in the Champions League on March 15th.
Mark Marston | Get Football
