John Aldridge thinks he knows the main reason for Liverpool’s defensive woes
Arne Slot may need to be patient when it comes for fixing Liverpool’s defensive woes this season.
Rio Ngumoha fired Liverpool to victory against Newcastle United in the final moments of the game.
The home side were down to ten men and the Reds were leading by two. But ended up conceding their lead to ten before stoppage time. It was a poor performance against a team with a major disadvantage.
This has further fuelled concerns around whether Liverpool’s defence is strong enough to see out the season. While not a definite solution, John Aldridge believes he has the answer to their struggles.
John Aldridge singles out Liverpool’s midfield
Despite wins against Newcastle and Bournemouth in the Premier League, Liverpool have conceded four goals.
This puts the Reds 5th for most goals conceded in the top-flight, with West Ham leading the pack on eight so far.
Most have attributed this to the need for another defensive signing. Liverpool identified March Guehi as a viable option earlier in the window, but could be tempted to accelerate negotiations.
However, John Aldridge writing for Liverpool Echo on Wednesday, 27 August believes the midfield is where the problem lies.
He wrote: “The balance of the midfield isn’t quite right just yet. Yes, I know Liverpool have had players missing at the start of the season and they were without Alexis Mac Allister in the North East.
“But there’s a bit more to it than that. Part of the issue is Florian Wirtz has come in as the number 10 and is still adjusting to the physicality and pace of the Premier League.
“I’ve no worries about him getting used to it. He will. But he is much more of an attacking force than any of the players who featured in the role last season, and that’s putting more defensive pressure on the other two midfielders.”
The Reds have not yet seen a full-strength midfield consisting of Wirtz, Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch, with Mac Allister the latest to be sidelined for Liverpool.
As such, it could take time before all three players unlock the perfect balance in the midfield.
How has Florian Wirtz performed defensively?
Wirtz arrived at Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen earlier in the summer and is still adapting to the pace of the Premier League.
While the midfielder is best in attack, Slot expects his team to attack and defend as a unit.
There are several areas where Wirtz can improve in defence. Defensive duels are the main area, having won just 30 per cent of them in the league so far.
| Tackles won | 1.67 |
| Tackles won % | 100% |
| Duels won | 3.33 |
| Duels won % | 30% |
| Fouls committed | 1.11 per 90 |
| Recoveries | 4.44 per 90 |
Despite this, the former Leverkusen star has won 100 per cent of his tackles in the last couple of games. As such, there is clearly a strong foundation to build on.
Therefore, while it may take a while for Wirtz to understand his teammates, he’s a player who has shown huge potential.
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