Liverpool's Midfield Weaknesses Highlighted Again - Will They Reinforce in January?

Just minutes into the match at St James' Park, Liverpool looked promising with quick ball movement and urgency. Ryan Gravenberch showed skill escaping Lewis Miley but lost possession instead of taking a shot or passing to Dominik Szoboszlai. Seconds later, Newcastle struck first through Anthony Elanga on a swift counterattack triggered by an Amar Dedic clearance.

The Reds lacked defensive shape when out of possession, a costly mistake early in Andoni Iraola's tenure as coach. A similar error occurred in the second half when Gravenberch's backheel was intercepted. Yoane Wissa then sliced through Liverpool’s midfield before setting up Joe Willock for another goal. Iraola hinted one of his players might have been expected to commit a tactical foul but the team paid the price again.

Both goals exposed Gravenberch’s poor decision-making and perhaps slower reactions from centre-backs Virgil van Dijk and Jeremy Jacquet. The absence of a dedicated defensive midfielder since Fabinho left in 2023 stands out. Iraola favors a two-man midfield pivot with Florian Wirtz playing just ahead, leaving Gravenberch and Szoboszlai caught too far forward during those turnovers.

Iraola Sees It as a Team Issue, Not Just Personnel

In his post-match press conference, Iraola downplayed blaming individual midfielders. He pointed out that if Gravenberch had scored from his advanced position it would be praised rather than criticized. Gravenberch did assist Cody Gakpo’s equalizer earlier in the game.

After Newcastle regained the lead, Iraola substituted Wirtz for Alexis Mac Allister, bringing more defensive balance. Mac Allister, although naturally an eight, made two tackles and won 80% of his duels, compared to zero tackles and lower duel success rates from Szoboszlai and Gravenberch.

"We have to adapt as a team," Iraola said. "The second goal showed we had better numbers defensively but didn’t make the necessary challenges or fouls to stop it. These are things we need to fix together."

Expected goals (xG) stats confirmed Liverpool were wasteful despite dominating chances: 2.73 xG for Liverpool versus 1.43 for Newcastle.

Transfer Window Focus Remains on Attack

Former Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge bluntly criticized the team's midfield, stating they lack a proper defensive midfielder and mostly consist of attacking types. Despite this, Liverpool’s transfer plans continue to prioritize wide attacking reinforcements over midfield additions, even after Curtis Jones’s departure.

Liverpool holds options like Wataru Endo, Trey Nyoni, and James McConnell for midfield depth. The club showed interest in Adam Wharton, but Crystal Palace has rejected offers for the 22-year-old.

Under Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool pursued Moises Caicedo in 2023 and showed interest in Martin Zubimendi in 2024, though the latter declined a move. Gravenberch's standout season under former coach Arne Slot helped disguise these midfield gaps temporarily.

Last summer, Liverpool focused on boosting their attack by signing Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz, and Hugo Ekitike instead of strengthening midfield. Now, the weaknesses in the middle of the park are clear, and Iraola will want his side harder to break down to avoid conceding costly goals.

• Match Events:
• Early Newcastle Goal: Anthony Elanga scored 11 seconds after Gravenberch lost possession.
• Second Goal: Joe Willock finished after a run by Yoane Wissa following another Gravenberch turnover.
• Szoboszlai: 0 tackles, 3/10 duels won (30%)
• Gravenberch: 0 tackles, 4/10 duels won (40%)
• Mac Allister (substitute): 2 tackles, 4/5 duels won (80%)
• Newcastle: 1.43
• Liverpool: 2.73
• Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace) – not available
• Moises Caicedo (targeted in 2023)
• Martin Zubimendi (interest in 2024, declined move)