Nicol: The current Liverpool midfield is blank

Steve Nicol admits he is concerned about Liverpool’s title chances just two games into the new League season and that the current midfield needs a facelift.

Anyone associated with the Reds would have expected to claim six points from their opening two games against Fulham and Crystal Palace.

They were well under par in the fixture at Craven Cottage earning an uncharacteristic public rebuke from Jurgen Klopp who made it perfectly clear that standards needed to be raised.

That did happen with a much-improved showing on Monday night against Palace, but their cause was not helped by a number of injuries in the lead-up leading to uncertainty about who would take to the pitch.

Then there was the complete brain-fade by new signing Darwin Nunez who was given a straight red card for violent conduct against Joachim Andersen who had clearly got under the skin of the Uruguayan.

A brilliant piece of individual play by Luis Diaz dragged the home team level after Wilf Zaha had opened the scoring, but try as Liverpool might the winner could not be found.

It seems ridiculous to cast any reservations about this team’s ability to recover and mount a considerable challenge to Man City after just a couple of games, especially when you take into account what they have achieved in recent years.

But as we have seen over recent years, dropped points really have to be kept to a minimum when going head to head against the reigning champions, and especially not slipping up against teams deemed to be much inferior.

Nicol is a regular panelist of ESPN FC and while holding the club extremely close to his heart, is not afraid to point out what he perceives to be flaws or any reservations he may have.

The club legend did so once again responding a comment from fellow panelist Don Hutchison that the Reds can recover from their slow start (per the Echo).

“It’s just when you said Liverpool are going to win the title, I can’t honestly, my brain didn’t go yes, I’m a little worried already."

But Nicol’s main critique was to do a part of the pitch which always sparks great debate whenever it is raised, that being the midfield. He believes the workmanlike nature of it is clearly not working, and a new element is required to push them to another level.

“It’s very difficult to complain about what Liverpool do, the fact is that recently it hasn’t been working to the level of what it was.

"In order to get back to that, I think not only do you need new faces but you 100 per cent need a little injection of personality. 

“If you look at Liverpool’s midfield, it’s blank, it’s blank. It’s just a bunch of guys running around, I don’t see any real diversity in it, it’s just a bunch of guys that chase and try to give it to the front three."

Nicol admitted that Thiago is a difference maker when he plays, but the fragile nature of his body makes it problematic to get any continuity from him.

Thiago… has he played two games in a row since he came? I tell you what, I’ll give him a maximum of three games (in a row) after that we’re looking at chasers who win the ball. 

“Eventually, you just don’t get away with that. Particularly when your front three are struggling to score goals, you need somebody to chip in whether it’s your backline but it’s not in the middle of the park."

Nicol believes Klopp had the right plan in bringing in Naby Keita but says the Guinea has underperformed in that role.

“That’s why Keita was bought, 100 per cent, that’s why Naby Keita was bought by Jurgen Klopp, not just to get around the field and get the ball back but get the ball and score some goals. He hasn’t delivered. As Klopp said it’s hard to find those guys."