Liverpool Midfield Concerns Exposed as Andoni Iraola Faces Early Selection Questions

Liverpool’s early weeks under Andoni Iraola have already offered two very different signals. Wins over Ipswich Town and Atletico Madrid suggested a head coach beginning to imprint his ideas, with intensity, aggression and purpose visible in flashes. Yet the goalless draw with Fulham brought a far less encouraging reality into sharp focus. It was a display full of errors, short on rhythm and lacking the energy that Iraola wants his side to live on.

As reported by The Athletic, the concern for Liverpool goes beyond one poor afternoon. This looked like a match that highlighted structural issues, especially in midfield, and also underlined doubts about depth in certain positions. Iraola did not hide behind excuses afterwards, even if he pointed to the fixture schedule as a major factor.

“There was a lack of freshness definitely, we cannot hide it,” Iraola told reporters post-match. He added, “It’s the worst turnaround in terms of 60-something hours between the games, but this is going to happen more times. We have to adapt.” That is probably the key line. Liverpool may have looked leggy after the emotional and physical demands of beating Atletico, but this is part of life at the top end of the game. Iraola knows adaptation is not optional.

Fulham Draw Highlights Deeper Liverpool Problems

There are days when tiredness explains a lot, and there are days when it explains only part of the story. This felt like the latter. Liverpool were sluggish and disjointed, but the bigger issue was how easily Fulham could expose weaknesses in possession and without the ball. For long spells, a side who had lost all three of their Premier League matches before arriving at Anfield looked the more coherent team.

Iraola admitted Liverpool lacked the decisive moment required to force a result. “These kind of games you need to win sometimes with a set-play, a shot from the edge (of the box), a moment of brilliance from an offensive player, but we didn’t have that. It’s the first game since I’ve been here that we’ve had problems creating chances.” That last sentence will have resonated. Liverpool have quality in the final third, yet the supply line into dangerous areas never felt stable.

Alexander Isak, who has started life at Liverpool with expectation on his shoulders, looked short of sharpness and then missed a major chance late on when he guided a header wide from Dominik Szoboszlai’s corner. Bradley Barcola also appeared to be playing within himself, which is understandable given the demands of bedding in after a major move from Paris Saint-Germain. Those attacking struggles were visible, but Liverpool’s underlying problems started much earlier in the chain.

Left-Back Depth and Recruitment Calls Under Scrutiny

One of the starkest individual setbacks came at left-back. Kostas Tsimikas was handed a recall and endured a difficult 45 minutes before being withdrawn at the break. He struggled in duels, his passing lacked assurance and Liverpool repeatedly looked vulnerable down his side. It reinforced a concern many had when the club chose to bring him back after his loan at Roma, rather than moving more aggressively in the market for stronger cover.

Milos Kerkez entered at half-time and, although his own start to the season has been unconvincing, he remains the clear first-choice option. The wider problem is that competition appears thin. If Liverpool are serious about demanding levels across four competitions, they cannot carry uncertainty in key supporting roles. Luke Chambers has clearly impressed Iraola enough to stay around the first-team picture, and there is now a legitimate case for seeing whether the academy product can offer more reliability than Tsimikas.

Recruitment often looks wise when results are strong and far less convincing when weaknesses are exposed. In this case, the decision to go cheap at left-back may yet become an expensive one if points continue to slip.

Wirtz, Szoboszlai and Gravenberch Leave Balance Unsettled

The central issue, though, sits in midfield. Liverpool did not make an addition there this summer because there was confidence Iraola could reshape the resources already available. Some supporters wanted a specialist No 6, but the coaching staff felt the system could function without that profile. So far, that calculation remains open to question.

Florian Wirtz is central to the debate. In games where he dominates between the lines, Liverpool gain imagination and incision. In matches like Fulham, his inclusion in the advanced midfield role can leave too much defensive and transitional work to those behind him. He had moments of class, including a clever flick to release Barcola, but his overall contribution lacked grip and consistency. When he cannot influence attacks decisively, the compromise elsewhere becomes more visible.

Ryan Gravenberch’s first start since the opening weekend was another important subplot. Rather than seizing the opportunity, he looked hesitant and low on belief. There were moments where possession was surrendered too cheaply and his body language told its own story. Alexis Mac Allister, when introduced, looked calmer and cleaner, and immediately gave Liverpool more security.

Then there is Szoboszlai, whose technical quality remains obvious and whose chance creation numbers were respectable. Yet football is often about the bits between the pretty touches. Losing nine of 10 duels in a midfield battle at Anfield will not go unnoticed, and it fed the wider sense that Fulham found it too simple to move through Liverpool’s centre.

Iraola offered an honest summary of the problem. “Especially first half, we were arriving late to the press. It was clear.” He continued, “We improved this part a lot in the second half. With better structures, we better controlled the game in the second half. Even without scoring a goal, I was feeling more comfortable. Even if we haven’t been incredible in that aspect, struggling sometimes, we haven’t conceded clear chances. The only one we conceded is the one when we messed up a goal kick.”

That passage matters because it reveals what the head coach prioritises. He can accept some attacking frustration if Liverpool are structurally sound. Against Fulham, they were not sound enough, especially before the interval.

Tottenham Cup Tie Offers Iraola a Chance to Act

The error that led to Fulham’s clearest opening, with Alisson forcing a pass into pressure and Gonzalo Garcia nearly profiting before Jeremy Jacquet cleared off the line, captured the afternoon perfectly. It was rushed, careless and avoidable. Liverpool rarely looked fully settled in any phase of the game.

Now the focus turns to Tottenham Hotspur in the Carabao Cup, and selection will be watched closely. Trey Nyoni, an unused substitute against Fulham, is pushing for involvement. If Iraola truly believes in his composure and tactical intelligence, this may be the moment to prove it. Cup ties can become useful platforms for answers, especially when the established options are failing to provide certainty.

What happened against Fulham should not trigger panic, but it should sharpen the conversation. Liverpool have enough talent to recover quickly, and Iraola is experienced enough to know one bad result does not define a project. However, this was a reminder that energy alone will not carry this team. Balance, competition for places and cleaner execution are needed, and needed fast.

For now, the biggest issue remains obvious. Liverpool’s engine room did not function, and until that changes, every other part of the side will feel the strain.

Our View

From a Liverpool supporter’s perspective, there is very little in this report that feels surprising. The Fulham game did not create these concerns, it simply exposed them more clearly. The midfield has looked like an unfinished puzzle, and when intensity drops even slightly, the gaps become easier to see. You can carry one passenger in certain games, but you cannot carry a whole unit that is second-best physically and positionally.

The left-back point also rings true. Liverpool took a gamble there and, early on, it already looks risky. Kerkez needs real competition, and if Tsimikas cannot provide it, Iraola may have to be braver with Chambers. Fans can accept development, they struggle more with seeing the same weaknesses repeated.

There is also a strong sense that Nyoni deserves a proper chance. If the club backed him after Curtis Jones moved on, then now is the time to trust that judgement. Supporters do not expect perfection from a young player, but they do expect hunger, legs and clarity. Right now, those qualities might actually help stabilise things.

Most fans will stay calm because it is early and Iraola has already shown enough to earn patience. But there is no escaping that this felt like a warning. Liverpool have quality, yet quality without balance can leave you looking ordinary very quickly.

Source: Athletic