Danny Murphy Highlights Liverpool's Full-Back Weakness

Danny Murphy believes Liverpool’s defensive rebuild still has a glaring weak spot – and it’s not where Virgil van Dijk stands.

The former Liverpool midfielder, speaking to GOAL in association with Snabbare, expects the club to keep a close eye on Ronald Araujo’s development this season. There is a scenario in which the on-loan defender is signed permanently next summer and moved inside to eventually cover Van Dijk’s role, which would allow Andoni Iraola to target a fresh full-back. Murphy, though, is not convinced that is the plan.

“I think the club will be assessing Araujo game-in, game-out, week-to-week,” he said. “I don't think they'll be necessarily thinking he's the one to come in and take Van Dijk's place because of his age. I think they'll always be open-minded to what else is out there.”

Full-back standard ‘not good enough’

For years, Liverpool’s rise has been built on dynamic full-backs. The system leaned heavily on them. They flew forward, overloaded wide areas, and trusted midfielders to plug the gaps when they “bombed on”. That balance powered a title-winning side.

Murphy’s view is blunt: that strength has disappeared.

“There’s a problem at Liverpool with the full-backs,” he said. “What Liverpool's success has thrived on over a long period is having two full-backs who are wonderfully good going forward and the team suited their style and they had midfielders who filled in for them when they bombed on and all those things we know.

“The full-backs at the moment aren't good enough with the ball and that's a real problem when, in a lot of games, Liverpool will dominate the ball.”

The modern game only sharpens that concern. With the middle of the pitch packed and heavily choreographed, teams increasingly funnel play into wide areas. That means full-backs see huge volumes of possession and must deliver consistently.

“Football has gone from a men-to-men situation, which it was years ago, to a more tactical game where the centre of the pitch is very, very busy,” Murphy explained. “Generally, the space will come in wide areas and teams will defend the middle of the pitch. So, the full-backs are getting lots and lots of the ball, the numbers tell you that. And the end product of Frimpong and [Milos] Kerkez is certainly not up to the level Liverpool need.”

Frimpong, Kerkez under the microscope

Murphy did not stop at their attacking output. He questioned whether Jeremie Frimpong and Kerkez offer enough at either end of the pitch to justify their roles.

“And there is an argument also saying, are they good enough defensively to sacrifice that forward quality, if you like, and the answer is no. So, it is a problem. Both of them have failed, in terms of so far, let's say, in their Liverpool career.”

Frimpong’s case is a nuanced one. He arrived with a reputation for excelling higher up the pitch, not as a traditional right-back, and Murphy pointed directly at that mismatch.

“Now, the argument for Frimpong, he never really did play as a right-back, so what was the thinking behind that? That's a fair argument and I feel for him a little bit at times. I'm not just digging him out. He's played the best season of his career in a different position than he's been asked to play when he's come to one of the hardest leagues in the world.”

Araujo steady, but not the long-term answer out wide

Araujo, by contrast, has slotted in with far more comfort. His defensive instincts give Liverpool a different profile at full-back, and he has already produced a standout attacking moment – that deft flick against Atletico which set up Dominik Szoboszlai.

Murphy still doesn’t see him as the kind of rampaging wide threat Liverpool once relied upon.

“I don't think, although Araujo does it really comfortably because he's got a defensive mind and I know he had the wonderful flick against Atletico for [Dominik] Szoboszlai for his assist, but generally you wouldn't class him as a marauding full-back who's going to whip crosses in and create goals.”

Which brings the conversation back to recruitment – and urgency.

“So, I think it's a definite area for Liverpool to look at, even in January.”

The message is clear: Liverpool may be planning for life after Van Dijk, but unless they solve the full-back puzzle quickly, the foundations of their next great side will remain incomplete.