Szoboszlai's Versatility Key for Liverpool's Defense

Andoni Iraola is ready to lean on Dominic Szoboszlai’s versatility again this season – even if it means redeploying Liverpool’s reigning player of the year at right-back.

The Hungarian was one of Liverpool’s standout performers last term, racking up 25 goal contributions – 13 goals and 12 assists – across 53 games. Those numbers came despite him often being dragged away from his natural attacking brief and pushed into the back line when the system demanded it. It worked. And it might have to work again.

Szoboszlai, the emergency solution

Liverpool’s summer left-back and right-back recruitment never arrived. The window closed with no specialist full-back cover added, despite early warning signs. Jeremie Frimpong, asked to hold down the right side in the opening two games, looked exposed. Opponents targeted the space, and Liverpool looked vulnerable.

Behind the scenes, the club made a late play to fix it. A deadline-day move on Chelsea was quickly shut down by the London club, leaving Iraola with what he already had. No new right-back. No new safety net.

So the conversation shifted internally. Could Szoboszlai again become the all-purpose solution on the flank?

“I haven’t found any situation where a player has said he doesn’t want to play in a position,” Iraola said in Thursday’s press conference, careful not to give too much away but clear enough about the discussions. “We have discussions, but everyone wants to help. If we have to play Dom as a right winger, as a right-back or a midfielder, he wants to help the team first.”

The message was obvious. Szoboszlai is on board. And with injuries stacking up, he might not have much choice.

“We have some injuries now, and we need the versatility of the players, players like Dom. Even in the game, they have to change positions.”

No transfer panic from Iraola

While some supporters expected at least one more defensive signing after the big-money arrival of Bradley Barcola, Iraola pushed back at the idea that Liverpool’s business fell short.

“I’m very happy with the signings we made,” he said. “Do I want more signings? At the end, the club has decided those signings we have done are the ones that will improve our team.

“There were other options we decided not to take for different reasons, sometimes sporting or economic; the deal didn’t make sense in the market. But I’m happy now.

“We have a lot of quality in the team. The moment is for the players to give it all they have.”

The line is firm. No public frustration, no hint of a rift with the recruitment team. Instead, a clear statement: the answers must come from within the dressing room, not from the market.

Right-back riddle and midfield traffic

The most pressing question hangs over the right side of defence. Conor Bradley’s absence has stripped away the natural cover in that role, leaving Iraola to juggle pieces.

“The challenge in the squad now is we don’t have Conor there at right-back. That’s why I value Dom at right-back, as he can play there,” he explained. “Versatility in the player helps us go through the moments when we have injuries.”

In midfield, the picture is very different. Numbers are strong. Competition is fierce. The problem isn’t depth, it’s selection.

“In midfield we have good numbers. Now it’s a matter of getting the right calls from myself,” Iraola admitted. “I’m finding now the best combinations, and we are going through a period now where we will play a lot of games, and we’ll have a chance to see the options we have and the combinations we have. It’s a matter of coaching.”

That last line lands with weight. No excuses, no hiding. The tools are there; it’s on him to assemble them.

Injuries bite as schedule ramps up

Liverpool’s calendar is about to swell, and it’s doing so just as injuries begin to pile up. Square pegs in round holes have already become a theme. It will continue.

“The closest one [to playing again] is Joe [Gomez]. He will start training with us next week,” Iraola revealed. “Next one is [Giovanni] Leoni; he could be training during the break with the group. Conor [Bradley] is next, and, especially Hugo, longer.”

Those timelines matter. Gomez returning to full training offers some defensive relief, Leoni’s progress adds another body to the mix, but the right-back gap remains until Bradley is ready. Hugo’s longer lay-off only deepens the strain.

So the picture is clear. A squad rich in talent but stretched in key areas. A manager publicly calm, privately demanding. And a star midfielder who might once again find himself sprinting towards his own corner flag as often as the opposition box.

If Liverpool are to navigate this congested spell without reinforcements, Szoboszlai’s willingness to sacrifice and Iraola’s ability to juggle will define far more than just the right side of defence.