Alan Shearer slams Jeremie Frimpong after Bournemouth blunder vs Liverpool: “I have no idea what he’s thinking”
Alan Shearer has sharply criticised Jeremie Frimpong following a costly lapse during Liverpool’s 3-2 defeat at Bournemouth on Saturday.
Evanilson and Alex Jimenez had put the hosts two goals ahead in the first half, before Virgil van Dijk and Dominik Szoboszlai brought Liverpool level by the 80th minute. However, Amine Adli struck deep into stoppage time, turning the ball in from close range to hand Arne Slot’s side yet another frustrating loss.
The Reds are now without a win in their last five Premier League matches, with their previous league victory dating back to 27 December against Wolves. Their defensive shortcomings have come under heavy scrutiny, particularly Van Dijk, who made two costly errors leading up to Bournemouth’s opening goal. The Dutch defender failed to clear a looping ball and then did not block Lewis Cook’s cross, allowing Evanilson to score.
Shearer, however, insisted Van Dijk was not the only one at fault, highlighting Frimpong’s bizarre decision to charge out of the box and abandon his marking duties after a Liverpool clearance. “Liverpool were incredibly easy to break down defensively today,” Shearer said on Match of the Day. “The first goal exposed so many issues. Van Dijk should have cleared it and then blocked the cross. And look at the full-backs—what is Frimpong thinking? You have to sense danger and cover the space. If Gomez misses it, Frimpong should be there.”
Liverpool had previously been reported as unlikely to pursue a new right-back in January, but Frimpong’s performance may now force a rethink. With Conor Bradley sidelined for the rest of the season with a knee injury and Calvin Ramsay not trusted by Slot—his only appearance this season was in the Carabao Cup—Frimpong remains the sole natural option on the right. Slot could consider using Szoboszlai or Curtis Jones as makeshift alternatives, but that would weaken the midfield.
Securing a new right-back before the 2 February transfer deadline is likely now a priority if Liverpool are to avoid further struggles in the second half of the season.