Dominik Szoboszlai is the only solution to Liverpool's glaring right-back problem. He won't like it, but here's the proof - and why it will also fix Andoni Iraola's midfield, writes LEWIS STEELE

Not even two games into his new era at Liverpool, Andoni Iraola was left scratching his head and pondering a problem position that had long plagued Arne Slot: right back.

Last season, Iraola’s predecessor used seven different players on that side of defence: Jeremie Frimpong, Conor Bradley, Joe Gomez, Calvin Ramsay, Dominik Szoboszlai, Wataru Endo and Curtis Jones. 

None of them felt like the long-term solution but the one Slot continually returned to was to shove midfielder Szoboszlai out there.

With Frimpong struggling as Liverpool chased the game against Nottingham Forest last Saturday, Iraola played the ‘Szoboszlai at right-back’ card and, for the second match in a row, his team fought back to achieve a 2-2 draw with the Basque's in-game changes coming up trumps. 

The tactic has its pros and cons – Szoboszlai, for one, never seems too happy with it – but club legend Jamie Carragher believes it should be a permanent switch.

‘I've never believed Szoboszlai is a central midfield player,' Carragher said on the Stick to Football podcast. 'Now, he's signed a new contract and I can only imagine in those talks, they were desperate for him to stay, he's almost said "I want to play midfield". He's moved around a bit and he started the season in central midfield. I don't see him as that.

‘For me, in midfield, he's like a Jordan Henderson. Runner, energy, with more of a goal threat. But Liverpool don't play that way and he's not really a No 10. His best role could actually be at right back. He'd get plenty of the ball, he can run and play that Trent (Alexander-Arnold) role.

'But there's no way he's going to want to play there, because he's just signed a new contract for £350,000 a week. He's the vice-captain. 

'That's a conversation Iraola is going to have to have going forward, because the midfield is not right and he's part of that midfield not being right.'

So is Carragher right? Putting the Hungarian out wide does solve several problems. Chief among them is the balance in midfield.

A blatantly obvious issue against Newcastle on the opening weekend, Liverpool were exposed given the midfield trio of Szoboszlai, Ryan Gravenberch and Florian Wirtz are all attack-minded and were caught out on the counter. 

Anthony Elanga and Joe Willock’s goals at St James’ Park both came from Gravenberch losing possession on the edge of the opposition penalty area, with no one behind him to cover and thwart the counter-attack.

Putting Szoboszlai on the right flank allows Iraola to play something more resembling a double-pivot system, where he can drift into midfield alongside Gravenberch in attack and cover for him when Liverpool lose the ball.  

One concern is that the usual midfield two of Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister were often outthought, outmuscled and outrun last season. 

But instead of Szoboszlai, 19-year-old Trey Nyoni is certainly pushing for a first league start after an impressive cameo off the bench against Forest. Nyoni could be the solution to many midfield issues and is a big reason why the club did not move for a new No6 this summer.

Szoboszlai playing deeper also means he does not stand on the toes of No10 Florian Wirtz, who should be the team’s most creative outlet. The German has had a tricky first year on Merseyside but the 2-2 draw against Forest was one of his finest performances in a Liverpool shirt.

Szoboszlai is also much better than Frimpong at the hybrid role, which is the whole reason this debate is even taking place. Dutch full back Frimpong has had a tough first 12 months on Merseyside, just like his best pal Wirtz who followed him from Bayer Leverkusen to Liverpool. In his last two seasons in Germany, he managed 19 goals and assisted 24 more – now he can barely beat the first man with a cross.

He has also made several individual errors defensively. There is a belief Frimpong – and Milos Kerkez on the other side – are merely suffering from confidence issues but the pair are a huge worry right now. 

Kerkez had a bright pre-season and should improve under Iraola, who at Bournemouth turned him into exactly the sort of dynamic left back that Liverpool paid £40million for. But so far he and Frimpong have not cut it and look a seismic downgrade on Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson.

Szoboszlai certainly has an eye for a pass like Alexander-Arnold. But all the merits to him playing at right back are countered quite easily with one simple statement: he is Liverpool’s best player.

Last year's runaway player of the season wants to emulate Steven Gerrard and wears the famous No8 shirt at Liverpool, with a tattoo of his idol to boot. Would a prime Gerrard be shoved out to right back? Absolutely not – the manager would build a team around him. 

By having Szoboszlai start in defence, Iraola loses out on the sort of individual brilliance that won many points for Liverpool over the last year, though he can still take the inch-perfect free-kicks and penalties that he has become famous for.

‘I haven’t found any situations where players have told me they don’t want to play (certain positions),’ said Iraola on Thursday. ‘I pretty much know the perfect position of everyone. But everyone is ready to help. If we have to play him (Szoboszlai) as a right winger, right back or left back, he is ready to do it. 

'He wants to help the team first. It is good to have players who can cover different positions. Especially now that we have injuries, it is very valuable to have players like Dom.’

Iraola is right. Pundit Gary Neville said it was ‘clear’ that neither Frimpong nor Kerkez were good enough and that he is ‘stunned’ Liverpool did not sign any new full backs.

That is not Iraola’s way of working. Schooled at Athletic Club in Bilbao where only players with Basque heritage can be signed, Iraola’s way of thinking is to find solutions via coaching rather than a chequebook. Improving Frimpong and his former Bournemouth colleague Kerkez must be near the top of his to-do list.

But in the meantime, Szoboszlai kills two birds with one stone: the midfield is more balanced and he fixes a glaring weakness at right back.