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Jamie Carragher Calls Jurgen Klopp Tactic "Suicide Football" After Napoli Maul Liverpool

Jamie Carragher believes that Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp must stop his side playing with such a high defensive line.

Klopp's Liverpool were thrashed 4-1 by Napoli in Italy on Wednesday in their UEFA Champions League Group A opener.

Most of the problems Napoli caused Liverpool came from balls being played into the space in behind Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson.

Analyzing the game on CBS Sports, former Reds defender Carragher said: "People may criticize me, even Liverpool fans, because this team has had great success.

"But all I'm talking about is five yards. I'm not talking about a Liverpool team retreating 10, 15, 20 yards back… It's embarrassing. It really is.

"I said before it's kid stuff and this is the big problem with Liverpool right now. They've built their success on intensity on the ball, which means the opposition can't get the head up to put the ball over.

"So your team's always tight, always really compact. At times [there's a] risk, but you get an energy on the ball. That energy is not there now, so that back four has to adapt and it has to go back three or four yards.

"That's all we're talking about. But if they keep playing [like that] they're gonna have a big problem in terms of the Premier League this season and qualifying for the next round of the Champions League, because that is suicide football."

Jamie Carragher (left) pictured analyzing Liverpool's high defensive line on CBS Sports after watching his former team lose 4-1 to Napoli in September 2022

Jamie Carragher (left) pictured analyzing Liverpool's high defensive line on CBS Sports after watching his former team lose 4-1 to Napoli

It took Napoli less than 60 seconds to expose Liverpool's high line on Wednesday night but Victor Osimhen could only hit the post after rounding Alisson Becker.

Napoli got in behind Liverpool with another ball over the top less than five minutes later and this time the move ended with James Milner giving away a penalty, which Piotr Zielinski converted.

Osimhen then earned another spot kick after winning a sprint race against Van Dijk, who fouled him once he had reached the penalty area.

Liverpool keeper Alisson saved Osimhen's resulting penalty, but Napoli continued to apply constant pressure.

Reds center-back Gomez was twice dispossessed inside his own half, leaving his side exposed in behind.

Van Dijk saved his defensive partner with a clearance off the goal-line to prevent his first error from doing any damage.

But Gomez's second howler resulted in Napoli's second goal, finished off by Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa.

Napoli's fourth goal was also the product of a long pass in behind Liverpool's high defensive line.