Liverpool are in the market for more new recruits having seen a host of major players leave in recent summers and Carragher admits it will take time to get back to the top
Jamie Carragher admits Liverpool will have to “go through a bit of pain” with five of their key assets no longer at the club.
The Reds got their season underway with a 1-1 draw at Chelsea in a game that highlighted their quality going forward, but the shortcomings in the defensive third. They remain without a notable midfielder anchor having missed out on several of their targets.
Meanwhile the midfield trio who helped them to Premier League and Champions League glory – Fabinho, Gini Wijnaldum and Jordan Henderson – have all been allowed to leave. Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino have also departed, leaving Mohamed Salah as the only man still present from their fearsome front three.
That exodus has left major holes in the Liverpool starting XI and means the intensity they previously played with is no longer possible. Alongside that, Klopp’s well oiled machine greatly assisted the back four, which is now being exposed with Carragher questioning how the German plans to create another team capable of challenging for honours.
He told Sky Sports : “When you look at Liverpool’s front six, what it was three or four years ago, you had the best defender from the front in Roberto Firmino. Mo Salah and Sadio Mane would press, then you had Henderson, Fabinho and Wijnaldum – that’s a six you’d like to play behind.
“They get asked a lot more questions now – so there’s more goals conceded and more mistakes made. I do still feel they can be better defensively, it just feels too easy to get from one end of the pitch to the other against Liverpool. That’s a big problem.”
“With Liverpool you almost feel like they’re creating Klopp part 2. The second team under Klopp, and it feels like they’re going to have to go through a bit of pain like they did when Klopp first came in. Games are going to be 2-2 and 3-3, end to end, they’re going to be exciting to watch but as a fan it’s not exactly what you want.”
The Reds have added several new faces this summer, but have missed out on some of their key targets in key positions. Moises Caicedo was the subject of a British record bid but he has joined Chelsea whilst another man, Romeo Lavia, is also set to pick blue over red.
