Liverpool Full-Backs Under Fire as Newcastle Expose Early Iraola Problems
Liverpool’s opening day defeat at Newcastle raised a few obvious concerns, and the most glaring one sat on both flanks. In a difficult first half at St James’ Park, Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong struggled badly, with Ian Doyle of the Liverpool Echo putting it plainly: “Both Kerkez and Frimpong have been particularly shocking at left and right-back respectively.”
That is strong language, but it fitted what unfolded. Newcastle scored early through Anthony Elanga after slicing through Liverpool’s midfield far too easily, and from there the visitors never looked secure. The issue was not only the goal. It was the general sense of disorder. Liverpool had shots before the break, nine of them, but they barely tested Lukas Hornicek. For all the possession in spells, the attack looked loose and the defending looked looser.
Doyle added, “Each is on a booking, which is surely something Newcastle will look to expose as the game progresses. Might we see Tsimikas and Araujo in the second half?” That felt like the natural question. Once both full-backs were booked, every duel became risky and every Newcastle transition looked dangerous.
Newcastle Pressing and Liverpool Full-Back Problems
Frimpong’s first half summed up the problem. There was little attacking thrust, his delivery was poor, and he kept giving the ball away. Kerkez fared no better. He was exposed for the opening goal, struggled with Elanga’s pace and then wasted the few moments he had going forward. If your full-backs are meant to provide width, recovery pace and control, Liverpool got none of the three.
This was one half, not a final verdict. But football is unforgiving, and reputations do not defend space. Liverpool once had full-backs who dictated matches. Here, they were dictated to. Andoni Iraola has only just taken charge, so there is context, but there is also reality. Newcastle targeted weakness, found it quickly and kept going back to it.
Our View
From a worried Liverpool supporter’s perspective, this is the sort of report that makes your stomach drop, because it confirms what the eye already feared. You can accept a new coach needing time, and you can accept one bad afternoon, but you cannot shrug off both full-backs looking vulnerable at the same time. That is structural trouble, not a minor dip in form.
The bigger worry is what it says about balance. If Frimpong is not giving you end product and Kerkez is getting pinned back, then Liverpool lose their width and look easier to counter. That has knock-on effects everywhere, on the midfield, on the centre-backs, on the forwards waiting for service. Suddenly the whole side looks stretched.
Iraola will need solutions quickly. Maybe it is personnel, maybe it is spacing, maybe it is asking less of both full-backs at once. Whatever the answer, it cannot wait. Supporters will be patient with a rebuild, but they will not be patient with a team that looks easy to play through. Newcastle smelled weakness early. Better sides will do the same if this is not fixed.
