8 hours ago
3
Arne Slot has been cautioned that he may have made a tactical error by positioning Dominik Szoboszlai as a right-back during Liverpool's Champions League game against Galatasaray.
The Hungarian found himself in the defensive line for the fourth time this season as the Reds suffered a 1-0 defeat in Istanbul. Unlike previous occasions when injuries to Jeremie Frimpong and Conor Bradley necessitated Szoboszlai's defensive role, Slot had all three players available for the recent Champions League clash.
Bradley was one of four players relegated to the bench following Liverpool's weekend defeat to Crystal Palace, with Szoboszlai given the task of filling the right-back position.
Interestingly, Frimpong also made the starting XI, taking up a position on the right wing after Slot made the surprising decision to bench Mohamed Salah.
Szoboszlai ended up conceding an early penalty when he unintentionally hit Baris Alper Yilmaz in the face with his trailing arm while attempting to challenge the Turkey international in the box, providing Victor Osimhen with the chance to score the opening goal from the spot.
Earlier, Yilmaz had outpaced Szoboszlai after making a run behind the Hungarian, only to be denied the first goal by Alisson Becker in a one-on-one situation.
Former Everton star Pat Nevin, who was co-commentating for BBC Radio 5 Live during the match, quickly suggested that Slot's decision to play Szoboszlai at right-back had backfired.
"That decision to play Szoboszlai at right back and not Frimpong," he said.
"He has been attacked twice, done for pace, and has given away a penalty."
Meanwhile, following Liverpool's summer acquisition of Frimpong from Bayer Leverkusen, Alan Shearer implied that Slot appeared uncertain about his natural right-back choices, having opted to deploy Szoboszlai in that role during the team's game in Turkey.
"They paid a lot of money for a right-back in Frimpong," he remarked whilst providing co-commentary for Amazon Prime.
"You've got a really good prospect in Bradley.
"Yet you're playing a midfielder at right-back, so that tells you he's not comfortable."
Liverpool's right-back spot is up for grabs after Trent Alexander-Arnold's departure to Real Madrid during the summer. Alexander-Arnold was a key figure in Liverpool's starting XI, boasting the ability to create from right-back and step into midfield.
English (US) ·