Iraola’s Defensive Puzzle Deepens Ahead Of Wrexham Test

We keep hearing the same word every time Liverpool’s pre-season siege carries on: thin. It applied last week, it applies again now, and until fresh centre-back options actually walk through the door it will keep applying every time Andoni Iraola picks a team sheet. Thursday’s friendly with Wrexham at Yankee Stadium, kicking off at 12.30am BST, lands right in the middle of that squeeze, and we think it says plenty about where this squad genuinely stands three weeks out from a competitive fixture.

A Back Line Built From Necessity, Not Choice

Joe Gomez’s early withdrawal against Sunderland has left Iraola with almost nothing in reserve centrally. Ibrahima Konate has already left the building this summer, Giovanni Leoni remains sidelined by his ACL tear, and that leaves Virgil van Dijk as the solitary senior option, one who still isn’t fully up to matchday sharpness himself. Jeremy Jacquet, brought in as depth over the summer, simply hasn’t looked ready in his outings so far. None of that is a criticism of the individuals involved, it’s just an honest reading of where the numbers sit right now, and it’s why we would not be surprised to see an academy body thrown into the fire against Wrexham.

Width And Legs From The Full-Back Areas

Either flank should carry a bit more certainty than the middle. Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong both look tailor made for the loose, transition heavy football pre-season tends to produce, and we would back both to get through a decent chunk of minutes here. Further up the pitch, Dominik Szoboszlai looks primed to keep his place after impressing last time out, likely alongside James McConnell in the middle of the park, while Harvey Elliott’s assist against Sunderland should be enough to keep him in the number ten role as he tries to nail down a regular spot under his new manager.

Ngumoha And Chiesa Carrying The Attacking Questions

Up top, Rio Ngumoha should retain his place on the strength of recent form, and there is a reasonable case for Federico Chiesa getting a run through the centre after his goal off the bench last time out. It is exactly the sort of experiment pre-season exists for, working out whether Chiesa through the middle is a real option or just a nice moment against tired legs. Our take is that Wrexham matters far less for the result and far more for what it tells Iraola about his options at the back before the serious business of the season begins.