"That's a worry for me" - Pundit calls out decisions made by Liverpool boss Arne Slot that is weakening the team after Galatasaray loss

Pundit Craig Burley has raised serious concerns over Liverpool manager Arne Slot's tactical decisions following the Reds' disappointing 1-0 defeat to Galatasaray in the Champions League on Tuesday.

During his punditry duties on ESPN FC, Burley criticized Slot's tendency to deploy players out of position. He suggested that his selections are disrupting the balance and fluidity that made Liverpool 'brilliant' in the early months of last season.

"It seems that Arne Slot is square pegging into round holes here to try and figure things out," Burley said. "You signed Frimpong, you got Bradley, but more than one occasion you've played Szoboszlai at right back, he's one of the best midfielders, all-round midfielders in European football. So just because you've signed some players, why are you weakening the team in one position to effectively weaken it in another?"

While Burley was particularly critical of Slot's decision to deploy Dominik Szoboszlai as a right back, he noted that the Hungarian had performed well in the position in matches he's been used there. However, he believes it is a misuse of his talent. The former Chelsea man continued:

"Even though he's done a decent job at right back in a couple of games that he's played there, that's a worry for me, that he's already at that stage of putting those pegs in the wrong holes to try and, he might say it was to give somebody a rest but it was trying to maybe to do."

Burley also pointed out the midfield conundrum Liverpool now faces after their summer business. He said Slot's decision to want to accommodate all his high-profile players is disrupting continuity in the team.

"Because if Szoboszlai plays, Gravenberch plays, and it was Jones today, but it was usually Mac Allister; if those three players play, then Florian Wirtz either doesn't play or he's got to move position, and if Florian Wirtz plays in the ten role, then somebody's got to move position or miss out, and that's to the detriment of the team and the continuity of the team going forward, which is what they were brilliant at for the first six months last year: consistency and continuity," he concluded.

Liverpool are currently sitting in 16th position in the league phase of the competition after two games.

"He played there in pre-season for us" - Liverpool boss Arne Slot on playing Frimpong ahead of Szoboszlai

While Slot has been criticized for playing players out of position, the Dutch manager started each player in their natural positions against Galatasaray, bar Florian Wirtz. Frimpong played as a right back, while Szoboszlai was deployed in the midfield alongside Ryan Gravenberch and Curtis Jones.

Szoboszlai had played as a right back against Newcastle, Arsenal, and Burnley in the Premier League earlier this season. Speaking on the selections on the right flank, the Liverpool boss said:

"Jeremie played a lot of times as a wing-back or a right winger at [Bayer] Leverkusen. He played there in pre-season for us. He is one of the players that can replace Mo [Salah] in that position. I don’t see many others that can play in that position which is favoured to them, and I think it is one of Jeremie’s favourite positions. He plays there for the national team always.

"Normally, normally, normally they [Galatasaray] play with the left winger inverted and the full-back really high. So, the left winger goes in the midfield and Dom is in the midfield and Jeremie is some kind of a wing-back, but they did it the opposite today, which happens more to us that they change something.

"But I think both of them can play really well in that position and I’ve just explained also that Conor missed out quite a lot in pre-season. So that also means he cannot play every single game so you consider which game is best for which player."

Liverpool will next be in action against Chelsea in the Premier League on Saturday, October 4.