Carragher warns Liverpool ‘cannot continue’ with tactic and ‘have to adapt’
Jamie Carragher has urged Jurgen Klopp to ditch Liverpool's high defensive line following a 4-1 thumping in the Champions League on Wednesday night (September 8).
The Reds suffered their biggest defeat of the season so far at the Estadio Diego Armando Maradona, as Napoli ran riot inside the opening 45 minutes. Despite seeing Victor Osimhen's penalty expertly saved by Alisson, the Serie A side easily brushed aside the six-time European champions, leading 3-0 at the interval.
Also coming out of the traps quickly in the second period, Napoli extended their lead to four in the 47th minute before Luis Diaz netted to give the 2,500 travelling supporters something to cheer.
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Key to Liverpool's failings was the persistence to deploy the backline virtually on the halfway line, allowing the lightning-quick Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Matteo Politano and Osimhen to terrorise their defence all evening.
And after witnessing the Mediterranean massacre, Carragher warned Liverpool that they "have to adapt" and fast. "Liverpool cannot continue with this high line & playing offside while the intensity of the team, especially in midfield is non-existent,' tweeted the former Reds defender. "You have to adapt. It’s been evident all season."
The Reds were given an early warning sign that their backline was too far forward to cope with Napoli's forwards. Osimhen nipped in behind Virgil van Dijk and rounded Alisson before smacking the outside of the post in the opening sixty seconds.
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But Liverpool failed to learn their lesson and were subsequently torn apart by Napoli. Piotr Zielinski handed the home side the lead inside the opening five minutes, sending Alisson the wrong way from the spot after James Milner was adjudged to have handled the ball inside the area.
Osimhen's sharp feet then got the better of van Dijk again to earn Napoli a second penalty but the Nigerian's spot-kick was well saved by Alisson. Andre Zambo Anguissa and Giovanni Simeone, son of Atletico Madrid boss Diego, completed the first-half rout by taking advantage of some horrid defending by Joe Gomez, who was substituted at the break for Joel Matip.
However, the defensive re-jig did little to prevent the Napoli onslaught as Zielinski bagged his second of the night two minutes after the re-start. Though Gli Azzurri's perfect night was hampered slightly by Luiz Dias' immediate reply, arrowing a finish into the bottom right corner.
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