Michael Owen Identifies Two Key Positions Iraola Must Strengthen

Former Liverpool striker Michael Owen believes the club’s two full-back positions have become a “real problem” for head coach Andoni Iraola.
Liverpool have yet to find convincing replacements for Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson, and Owen feels the issue needs to be addressed sooner rather than later.
The former Reds forward reflected on how strong Liverpool once were in those positions, highlighting the incredible performances and attacking numbers produced by Trent and Robertson.
According to Owen, the situation has changed dramatically, with Liverpool now facing uncertainty on both sides of the defence. He admitted that he likes Conor Bradley but pointed to the defender’s injury problems, while questioning whether Jeremie Frimpong is suited to playing as a traditional full-back.
Owen also raised concerns about the options on the left. He believes Kostas Tsimikas is not capable of starting every week, while Milos Kerkez has struggled to settle since joining Liverpool, appearing short of confidence in the famous red shirt.
The former striker’s comments come at a time when much of the attention around Liverpool has focused on Florian Wirtz and the midfield. However, the lack of creativity and consistency from the full-back positions has received considerably less attention.
Frimpong’s suitability to a traditional back four has also been questioned, given that he has spent much of his career operating as an attacking wing-back. Meanwhile, Kerkez has yet to produce the kind of performances expected of him on the left side.
Former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy has also expressed concerns about Kerkez, suggesting that the pressure of playing for a club of Liverpool’s size may be affecting the Hungarian.
For now, Iraola appears comfortable using Ronald Araujo on the right, while Conor Bradley is expected to return from his knee injury before the end of the year. That could mean another right-back is not considered an immediate priority.
The left-back position, however, could be an area Liverpool look to strengthen. Tsimikas was substituted at half-time against Fulham, and Iraola may want another reliable option in that position.
Reports from Spain have also suggested that Liverpool could have an interest in Barcelona left-back Alejandro Balde as they consider potential solutions.