Liverpool spent big but this squad is still imbalanced and it could be a problem

Liverpool continued to invest heavily during the summer transfer window, but Andoni Iraola’s squad still looks imbalanced despite the arrival of Bradley Barcola in the Premier League, argues Adam Bate. He analyses the personnel and structural issues at Anfield

It might be surprising to discover that Liverpool’s net spend this summer was actually bigger than it was last summer. Another £200m plus invested. But Andoni Iraola finishes the transfer window with more questions than answers surrounding his squad.

"It does not look like a balanced squad," Jamie Carragher told Sky Sports . "Liverpool are short in the full-back areas and probably a midfield player as well." A succinct summary of the concerns despite the £123m signing of Bradley Barcola from Paris Saint-Germain.

Even that acquisition touches upon that same issue of balance. Liverpool lost the best right-footed left-winger in Premier League history in Mohamed Salah and have responded by loading up on the mirror opposite for what looks like a lop-sided attack.

"Liverpool have not got a real out-and-out right-sided attacker," Carragher explained. "We have not got anybody with a left foot on that right side, like Mo Salah. I am disappointed. I am not quite sure what we are going to do on that right wing right now."

In truth, Barcola is versatile. But the fee surely demands him in his best position and it would be a stretch to suggest that is on the right. Cody Gakpo has been on the left flank thus far, a slot that Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike have previously been deployed in too.

There is Rio Ngumoha who enjoyed his breakthrough season on the left but has been used on the other wing in pre-season. Victor Munoz seems the most likely but he was signed off the back of one season playing in the top flight as, you guessed it, a left winger.

None of this alone is enough to damn Liverpool's recruitment strategy. It is more curiosity than catastrophe. But the worry for the supporters is that there are holes elsewhere. As a result, this seems like a squad loaded in some areas while sorely lacking in others.

When Jeremie Frimpong was signed last summer, the club were keen to stress that he was not seen as a replacement for Trent Alexander-Arnold at right-back. And yet, that is precisely where the Netherlands international has been played in the first two games.

Frimpong is the closest thing to a fit specialist in the role with Conor Bradley injured. Some make the case for Dominik Szoboszlai but that feels like a compromise. Shifting a centre-back out there is not ideal given the importance of the full-backs in Iraola's system.

That is shown by Frimpong and Milos Kerkez both ranking among the top three players in the Premier League this season for sprints. The one man above them, tellingly, is Adrien Truffert of Iraola's former club Bournemouth. This is fundamental to Iraola's approach.

Look at the average positions of Liverpool's players in their opening two matches of the campaign compared to that title-winning season under Arne Slot. The full-backs bomb on, often simultaneously, and that puts an onus on the midfielders to cover.

For Liverpool, that really could be a problem.