Liverpool’s midfield imbalance has become obvious — and the club hasn’t fixed it

Liverpool spent heavily during the summer window, adding names such as Bradley Barcola, Victor Muñoz, and securing Ronald Araújo on loan, along with signings aimed at future youth potential. Despite that outlay, the team's balance looks off. The squad's arrivals did not fill a longstanding hole in central midfield: a natural, controlling defensive midfielder.

The most-used central midfield options — Ryan Gravenberch, Dominik Szoboszlai, and Alexis Mac Allister — are all attack-oriented players. That creates gaps between Liverpool's lines. Matches have shown the Reds struggling to control midfield phases and protect the back line when opposition teams press or transition quickly. The piece notes that this was an obvious problem last season and one many observers expected the club to address in the summer window.

Liverpool did spend money, but the spending priorities did not include a holding midfield presence. The departure of Curtis Jones removed one of the squad's better natural controllers of central midfield. With Jones gone, Liverpool's pool of midfielders is even lighter on defensive instincts and ball-retention roles. The article calls this poor squad planning and questions how the club entered the season without a clear solution. Manager and sporting structure implications Andoni Iraola is still searching for the right player combinations. The piece argues Richard Hughes' squad construction has produced a group that isn't an obvious tactical fit for consistent control through the middle. That mismatch forces the manager into compromise: either ask attack-minded midfielders to perform unfamiliar defensive duties or accept periods of lost control in matches. Immediate consequences on results and style Liverpool haven't been disastrous in the early season, but they haven't been convincing either. The midfield imbalance has led to visible gaps through the centre and an inability to consistently dominate or dictate tempo. That affects defensive protection, transitions, and the team's capacity to manage games once they gain a lead.

There's widespread expectation — and pressure — that Liverpool will pursue a defensive-minded midfielder in the January or 2027 window. The article mentions Lamine Camara as a hopeful option. The piece stresses the importance of acquiring a true defensive/controlling midfielder rather than adding another attacking profile.

Liverpool's current squad construction has a clear and measurable shortcoming: a lack of a dependable defensive midfielder. That deficiency predates the latest transfer window but was not fixed despite significant spending. Without a proper central controller, the team will likely continue to struggle with game management until the club recruits a player suited to that role.