Carragher explains why Guehi transfer may not solve the real problem | OneFootball

Liverpool’s defensive debate continues to evolve, but not every solution being discussed would automatically fix what has gone wrong this season.

With centre-back issues surfacing repeatedly, attention has again turned towards Marc Guehi and whether his arrival would have changed our campaign.

Speaking on YouTube with Rory Jennings, Jamie Carragher offered a more nuanced assessment of the situation.

“I think it would have made a big difference, but I don’t think it meant Liverpool would have been top of the league,” the former Liverpool defender said.

Carragher was clear that our problems have stretched far beyond one position.

“I think Liverpool have had problems all over the pitch, not just at the back,” he added, describing the squad as “really unbalanced”.

Why Carragher sees Guehi as a different type of Liverpool signing

Pictures via Rory Jennings on YouTube

Carragher’s central argument was that the context around Guehi has shifted.

“When Marc Guehi was available in the summer, Liverpool weren’t buying Marc Guehi to go straight in the team,” he explained.

The England international was seen as competition for Ibou Konate, who enjoyed a strong campaign alongside Virgil van Dijk.

Carragher suggested that if we move again now, the thinking changes.

“I think now when you’re buying a centre-back, it’s actually to replace Konate for me,” he said.

That brings a new risk.

Konate’s aerial presence remains a key part of how we defend, particularly at set pieces.

“He’s 6’2, he’s 6’3,” Carragher said, describing the Frenchman and Virgil van Dijk as “probably aerially the best duo in the Premier League”.

Replacing that physical profile with a defender “just under six foot” may improve general play, but it does not automatically solve one of our biggest weaknesses.

How Guehi fits into Liverpool’s evolving defensive picture

(Photo by Dan Istitene/Getty Images)

Carragher believes the solution may lie in versatility rather than replacement.

“I think Liverpool will sign Marc Guehi… but it may almost be a replacement for Joe Gomez,” he said, pointing to Guehi’s ability to cover across the back four.

That view aligns with Paul Joyce explaining why Liverpool would prefer to wait and sign Marc Guehi on a free transfer in the summer, rather than forcing a January move.

There is also a growing sense that Konate’s future is stabilising.

The Athletic reporting Real Madrid have no interest in signing the France international has removed what many assumed was his most likely exit route.

If Arne Slot keeps both defenders, options open up.

We could rotate intelligently, manage minutes in the latter years of Van Dijk’s career, or even experiment with a back three when game states demand it.

Carragher’s conclusion was simple. Liverpool need to be better equipped for a Premier League that increasingly relies on long throws, corners and physical dominance.

Signing Guehi may help. But as Carragher made clear, it will not fix everything on its own.

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