Hamann: Liverpool are missing ‘nasty’ midfielder

Sarah Winterburn

Champions League-winning Liverpool midfielder Dietmar Hamann says the club are missing a ‘nasty’ midfielder who would help them win the title.

Liverpool’s attacking play has attracted plaudits but they have conceded more goals than any club in the top eight.

They contrived to lose 4-3 to Bournemouth last Sunday despite being 3-1 ahead.

He wrote in a blog: ‘Game management has been lacking at the club for a couple of years and the fact that there’s no holding midfielder in that system is wrong.

‘It puts a question over their title credentials. Liverpool need someone who steadies things, offers balance and provides the solidity to commit players forward. Throughout the team they lack a little bit of steel.

‘[Granit] Xhaka brings it to Arsenal, [N’Golo] Kante and [Nemanja] Matic offer it to Chelsea. Man City are in a similar position to Liverpool, they’re missing that toughness in the centre of the park as well.

‘You can’t play end-to-end football and win the Premier League, it’s not what top teams do.

‘Emre Can is attack-minded and Jordan Henderson likes to get around the pitch, but they’ve not got enough tactical knowledge in the middle of the park to compete at the very top.

‘There’s times when you need to be nasty.’