David James has backed Andoni Iraola's stance that Liverpool's midfield issues will not be resolved by a late move in the transfer market, and believes Giorgi Mamardashvili is in a difficult position as back-up to Alisson Becker.
Midfield debate after Newcastle draw
The 2-2 draw at Newcastle United on Sunday raised questions about how open the Reds were in midfield, leading to calls for the club to sign a defensive midfielder before the window closes on Tuesday. Iraola has reiterated that he can solve the issue internally.
Speaking in his press conference previewing Saturday's home clash with Nottingham Forest, Iraola said: "We don't want to lose the offensive side, the fluidity, the arrival with numbers, but we were punished the other day especially with the first goal we didn't do a proper lockdown. We have been intently working on it. It's nothing new, we always want to control that. But there is a balance, we can't go from one way where we send a lot of people forward to putting everyone back so we don't arrive with numbers and everything looks stale. It's a matter of identifying the situation. The players who are very good, they smell when there is real danger, whether they can take the risk of going or whether they can stay, it's the quality of the player who takes those decisions."
James: Small tweaks will sort problem
James, who made 277 appearances for Liverpool in the 1990s, agrees with Iraola's approach. He said: "I'm not surprised that Liverpool aren't looking to buy a defensive midfielder this window. It is getting talked about due to the way they got exposed at times against Newcastle. However, Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai were all there when Liverpool won the league, and nobody said they needed a defensive midfielder then. I think what may need tweaking is the way they are playing. They all looked too focused on getting up the pitch on Sunday, and that is why they got exposed on the counter. A couple of small tweaks in coaching or communication between the players will sort this problem. Not every issue requires a new signing just because it's the transfer window, Liverpool's midfield is more than strong enough to compete with the very best in the league."
Liverpool have reached an outline agreement with Paris Saint-Germain over a deal worth more than £100m for Bradley Barcola and are also looking to sign another wide player.
Loan market and Mamardashvili's position
When asked about his transfer priorities, James said: "I think Liverpool could do with some more squad depth, but I don't think they need to go out and spend hundreds of millions on new signings either. It's clear the club has a plan for how they want the next two years to go, and I think they are looking to avoid making mistakes by panic-buying in the transfer window. I think staying flexible with players is a big advantage for them right now. I think if they do go looking to add depth to their defence or bolster the attack, they should utilise the loan market. It sounds crazy to say this for a club of Liverpool's stature, but I think it's the right move for them right now. It provides them with flexibility, they don't have to commit to signing anyone they are unsure about permanently. That seems like the vibe around Liverpool right now. Iraola is on a two-year deal, not a five-plus-year deal. This says to me the club isn't looking to commit long term. If that's the case, then they should be doing the same thing when it comes to signing players before the end of this transfer window."
The Reds have already used the loan market, bringing in Barcelona captain Ronald Araujo for the season to help marshal the defence. Alisson will remain at Anfield for at least another year, raising questions over how Mamardashvili, who completed a £29m move from Valencia last summer, will feel about another season as back-up.
James said: "I think Giorgi Mamardashvili is in a very difficult position at Liverpool. He's currently playing second fiddle to one of the best goalkeepers in the world, and he is forced to be patient. It could be hard for Mamardashvili to ever feel confident about taking Allison's position full-time, but Allison has proved over the last few years that fitness can be an issue at times. If Allison's fitness does become an issue at any point, then all Mamardashvili can do is put together a solid string of performances to give the manager a headache when Allison returns to the side. He will be frustrated as he is a great keeper, but he knew when he signed that Allison was the number one. I'm sure one day he'll get the chance to prove his worth at Liverpool."
