Jan Molby: Liverpool Must Regain Balance Ahead of Chelsea Test
Liverpool head into Saturday's clash with Chelsea off the back of consecutive defeats...
Losing to Crystal Palace was a strong reminder of problems that have been there all season. Their system unsettled us, and once again we struggled to control key areas of the pitch. When you concede late, people talk about concentration, but for me it comes down to structure.
Palace were organised and direct, and we couldn’t find the balance to deal with it. It wasn’t about one or two players having an off day. It was the collective. Too often the midfield left gaps, the full-backs were caught between two roles, and the forwards were left isolated. That is why Palace found it easier than they should have to create opportunities.
I have always said that defeats can sometimes help a squad to refocus. You expect a reaction, a sharper edge. That was why Galatasaray was such a shock.
Galatasaray Performance Made Things Worse
I know what people say about away games in Turkey, about the atmosphere and the noise. That does not excuse the way Liverpool played. Galatasaray aren’t a great team. They have a few names that people recognise, but Liverpool should never have looked second best against them.
Instead, it was a performance with no control, no rhythm and no authority. From Palace into Europe, we went backwards. That tells me the problem isn’t just form, it’s about balance and clarity in roles.
The full-backs don’t influence games as they have previously. They are different players, and we cannot expect them to deliver in the same way that a prime Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold did. Without that width and creativity from deep, the midfield is left with too much to do.
In midfield itself, there is confusion. Ryan Gravenberch has shown quality, but he is not a natural six. Alexis Mac Allister is out of form. Dominik Szoboszlai is still trying to find rhythm. So we end up with a group of individuals rather than a unit, and when that happens, teams run through you.
Wirtz and Midfield Balance
Florian Wirtz has come in with a big reputation and a big price tag. Everyone knows he has talent, but right now he is struggling to influence games. He’s taking too many touches, he’s trying too hard to find the perfect pass, and in the Premier League that gets punished.