Liverpool drew 2-2 with Nottingham Forest at home. Following the match, The Athletic published an article stating that signing Barcola alone is insufficient, and Liverpool needs to continue strengthening the full-back position, citing Frimpong as a defensive weakness for the team.

Liverpool's pursuit of Barcola demonstrated that patience is a key asset. Early in the summer transfer window, Liverpool's initial valuation of £145 million was dismissed by PSG officials, who decided to wait for the right moment.

The French international was dissatisfied with his playing time at PSG and was keen to move to Merseyside. Liverpool was confident that the transfer fee would eventually decrease. Their strategy proved effective, as the club ultimately completed the deal at £106 million, with an additional £23 million in potential add-ons.

New manager Arne Slot demanded a winger who could be a "game-changer," and the two-time Champions League winner would inject pace and quality into Liverpool's attack. The 24-year-old French international has made 28 appearances for his country and will complete his medical on Sunday. Following the transfer, he will become Liverpool's second-most expensive signing in history.

Signing Barcola is a major boost, but if no additional new players join the team before the transfer deadline on Tuesday, fan sentiment will be more anxious than celebratory.

After Liverpool's 2-2 draw with Nottingham Forest on Saturday, no supporter would believe that with an uncertain start to the season and unconvincing performances, adding only a star on the left wing would put Slot's team back on the right track, especially after Liverpool collected just 2 points from a possible 6 points in their first two matches. Instead, home fans left with lingering concerns about other weaknesses in the squad.

For the second consecutive weekend, Liverpool's full-back position has shown clear deficiencies. The fact that both Kerkez and Frimpong were substituted in the final fifteen minutes when Slot wanted to inject fresh energy speaks volumes. In the 70th minute, Gibbs-White controversially scored from the penalty spot to make it 2-1 for Forest. The Basque coach was furious that both full-backs were still on the pitch at that moment.

"I wanted to make a substitution about three minutes earlier," Slot told reporters after the match. "The ball went out of play multiple times, but I still don't understand why I couldn't make a substitution. It seemed like the fourth official's substitution board was broken or something."

Alisson rushed out, and Neco Williams had clipped the ball before making light contact with the Brazilian goalkeeper, yet the referee still awarded a penalty. Alisson was furious about the decision. The root cause of this dangerous situation was Frimpong's failure to track the Welsh international who made a quick run from a rapid throw-in.

According to OPTA data, Kerkez and Frimpong attempted a combined total of 6 crosses, none of which were accurate. It's no wonder Isak touched the ball only 14 times throughout the match.

The Swedish striker scored Liverpool's first equalizing goal in the 60th minute. He scored his first goal of the season with an easy tap-in at the far post, thanks to an accurate cross from Gakpo. For most of the match, Isak lacked sufficient attacking support.

Following Robertson's departure this summer, there was hope within the team that Kerkez, who had an inconsistent debut season for The Reds, would perform more consistently this season, but this has not materialized so far.

Liverpool prioritized other transfer issues at the time, and opting for Tsimikas as a replacement for the Hungarian player was understandable, but failing to recruit a right-back is puzzling. Conor Bradley remains absent due to a long-term knee injury, and the team has become heavily reliant on Frimpong, but so far, he has proven to be a defensive weak point, with opponents targeting his flank.

Saturday's draw also did little to quiet calls for Liverpool to strengthen their midfield before the transfer deadline. The arrivals of Gravenberch and the reintegration of Mac Allister have not quickly resolved the midfield issues exposed six days earlier against Newcastle United.

Early in the first half, Liverpool attempted to play an offside trap, but a simple long ball from the opposition broke through the defense, and N'Doye scored the opening goal. In the build-up to this goal, Mac Allister was easily beaten by Igor Jesus.

Szoboszlai repeatedly struggled with the ball and carelessly lost possession, drawing frustration from Anfield supporters. Towards the end of the match, after the Hungarian captain was moved to right-back, the midfield balance improved somewhat; Niang came on as a substitute and displayed great energy. Unlike some of the senior squad players, this young midfielder possesses excellent anticipation and positional awareness. The team should be ushering in a new era, but there is almost no positive atmosphere or momentum to accompany it.

The atmosphere in the early kick-off was dull, and the stands were filled with anxiety. The recurring problems that plagued Liverpool throughout Arne Slot's tenure last season have resurfaced. The home team started poorly, and Slot described the team's first-half performance as "very poor." He said in his post-match interview: "Our performance without the ball significantly affected the quality of our attacking play with the ball.

"In the first half, we were too passive without possession, and our defensive shape was too stretched. In the second half, we increased intensity, played faster, and had more urgency. We need to press the opponent tightly to win duels. But this still wasn't enough to win the match, and I'm disappointed. A draw at home is not the ideal result, and the main problem was in the first half."

Liverpool nearly suffered their first home league defeat since the 2003-04 season, when Claudio Ranieri's Chelsea won 2-1 at Anfield. Nottingham Forest also came close to securing their first three consecutive wins at Anfield.

However, in the 82nd minute, new summer signing Víctor Muñoz scored a clinical finish in front of the Kop stand, preventing Liverpool from losing at home. The young Spanish player had previously wasted easier chances, and his performance improved significantly after moving from left to right.

Gakpo, who initially played on the right, is determined to join Manchester City, and Tottenham is also very interested in him. Transfer negotiations are underway, and he is likely to leave before the transfer window closes. Liverpool will only allow Gakpo to leave if they successfully recruit another winger. But even so, letting Gakpo go while he's in hot form early in the season seems like a mistake.

Wirtz deserves credit for a more influential performance after being heavily criticized in the Newcastle match. Unfortunately, his goal was ruled out by VAR for Frimpong's offside; Isak's goal came from his pass to Gakpo, and Muñoz's goal came from his assist.

Slot still has many problems to solve. Although Liverpool has not led the Premier League this season, there is one major positive sign: the team has regained the resilience lost in the 2023-24 season, when the team frequently collapsed under pressure under Slot.

In the first two matches of the new season, Liverpool fell behind four times and equalized four times. Last season, the entire team salvaged only 5 points total from losing positions.

The team has a foundation for continued growth, but everything depends on whether Slot will have a full squad ready to face the challenges ahead on Wednesday morning.

Diterjemahkan oleh AI.

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