Jamie Carragher Slams Liverpool Players, Says Jurgen Klopp's Squad Lacks Quality

Ex-Liverpool defender and current Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher doesn't appear to hold much hope of new Reds manager Jurgen Klopp finding a quick fix at his former club after ranting about the squad and its bland style during Sunday's 1-1 draw with Southampton.

Carragher let loose at the overall quality—or lack thereof—of the players (h/t Mirror's Tyrone Marshall):

"He's come in with the idea of heavy metal football, but for two-and-a-half games Liverpool have been playing like a church choir. Slow, boring, nothing happening. No aggression, everyone is nice."

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It's a far cry from the passionate performers Carragher got used to playing alongside over the course of his 17-year career at Anfield, including the likes of Steven Gerrard, John Barnes, Steve McManaman, Robbie Fowler and more.

After the match on Sunday, the 37-year-old continued to vent his frustrations with the team but insisted Klopp can only do so much with the unimaginative tools at his disposal:

"

There is still not enough being created and that's not something you're blaming Jurgen Klopp for, you're looking at the make-up of the squad. It probably goes back to the end of last season and since then the football hasn't been quick, fast it's been slow and very predictable.

They're not creating good chances because he has no wide players. There's an abundance of No. 10's that's Klopp's problem. There are a lot of things wrong with that squad in terms of quality and balance.

"

One can feel for the Reds after losing former stars Luis Suarez and Raheem Sterling to Barcelona and Manchester City, respectively, over the last two summer transfer windows.

Carragher said the team's lack of speed was one of its main concerns, and it's difficult not to look back at those two sales in particular as part of the reason why the attack is lacking in pace.

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But funds have been reinvested in the squad, and another Liverpool alumni, Graeme Souness, noted just how essential it is that Christian Benteke and Daniel Sturridge stay fit, per Marshall.

Sunday's result means Klopp has yet to see a win as Liverpool's boss. The former Borussia Dortmund helmsman voiced his desire to see more decisiveness in front of goal following Thursday's 1-1 Europa League draw against Rubin Kazan, per ESPN FC's Mike Whalley:

"

I trust in the qualities of the players. It's not easy to compare different things, but in my first season at Dortmund we had 14 draws. If you want, it's a half win. There's a lot of pressure on the players, but it's important that you're in the right place to make the right decisions.

We have the quality to make chances against good opponents. Any situations where we are close are good news. But some of the players were so stiff in their mind. They think: 'We shoot now?' We have to make better decisions in the box. But I have only been here for a short time and I think, at this stage, it's pretty normal.

"

Sturridge's fitness in particular is something Liverpool can't afford to bank on. The England international featured in just 12 Premier League games last season, as he suffered hamstring and thigh injuries.

Carragher is correct to lambast Liverpool's lack of wide talent, too. Kristof Terreur of Belgian newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws pointed out the aerial channels as a key route through which Benteke can expect to excel:

One can't imagine Liverpool's incumbent players will hear the harsh words of such a revered club figure and take it lying down, and a reaction is precisely what Carragher will be hoping to see.

The pundit is becoming more and more accustomed to directing criticism at his old club, but perhaps a "tough-love" approach is what Carragher feels is needed to get Klopp's Reds fired up.