Liverpool legend Graeme Souness has criticised his old club for their poor decisions in the transfer market when it comes to strengthening in midfield.
The Reds look a faded force this season, with the high-energy play that fans have become used to under Jurgen Klopp looking like a thing of the past as the team struggles for points and slumps in mid-table.
Souness feels one clear issue is that Liverpool have struggled since losing Georginio Wijnaldum, with the best of Liverpool under Klopp coming when they had him at his peak alongside Jordan Henderson and James Milner.
Wijnaldum was never really replaced, while the likes of Henderson and Milner now look past their best, and even Fabinho is struggling for form this season.
One imagines Liverpool will spend big on a new signing in midfield in the summer, but Souness feels they should have been looking at this issue earlier.
“A year ago they should have been looking at midfield players to buy last summer,” Souness said on Sky Sports, as quoted by the Liverpool Echo.
“A year ago, this was starting to show itself, the midfield. The best midfield they had was Wijnaldum, Henderson and Milner – high energy, not technically brilliant, but just high energy and they bullied players.
“They won it high up and they’d give it to the lads, the front three, and they’d go from there. Theirs is not a problem that is easily solved right now because you’re looking at the midfield of Keita, the young Spanish boy and Thiago, and they’re getting bullied, and if you’re getting bullied in there you’re on the back foot most of the time.”