Liverpool's Joe Gomez conundrum
The centre-back situation
Last season, Liverpool had no centre-backs. Now, the Reds allegedly have too many.
According to a report, albeit not the most reliable ones, Joe Gomez isn’t happy with his situation at Anfield. The 24-year-old is yet to start in the Premier League this term and the majority of his minutes have arrived in weakened teams in Carabao Cup matches.
It wasn’t that long ago he was the first choice right-sided centre-back beside Virgil Van Dijk. Injuries and …
Joe Gomez - Patience Is A Virtue
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Liverpool's handling of Ibrahima Konate
Ibrahima Konate has made just two starts for Liverpool following his £36million transfer from RB Leipzig this summer.
The first arrived in the 3-0 win over Crystal Palace in the Premier League and then he was included in the starting XI for the 3-0 Carabao Cup victory over Norwich City. It has now been close to a month since he last featured for the Reds and I’ve seen complaints from some fans.
With injuries stacking up elsewhere, people are starting …
Gini & Emre - The Need to Replace System Players
The summer window is now gone, and the next two windows will require some short and long term thought, with many areas now requiring you attention. Where the defence was strengthened (in the form of giant Ibrahima Konate), we are now witnessing a midfield dilemma, one that should have been avoided. The process of recruitment will have surely taken a hit (given the pandemic), but in order to both maintain and build the playing squad, ways forward needed to be …
The Rearguard Solution
Centre-back partnerships can offer sublime foundations and turn teams into serial winners. Alessandro Costacurta and Franco Baresi jump to the front of that formidable list, as a partnership that allowed the rest of the side to dominate literally everyone.
In the modern game (especially within the Premier League), the ferocity of play and sheer culmination of games has now enforced adjustment to Liverpool and Jürgen Klopp’s thinking. The reds have started the season in an impressive manner, and the four …
The World Class Upgrade
Under the Roy Evans regime, Neil Ruddock, John Scales, Phil Babb & Mark Wright were the options in defence. They were the central defenders in the mid nineties that saw a period of great attacking football from the reds. The likes of Robbie Fowler and Steve McManaman were part of an exciting line up that fell short of major honours, often let down by the sides defensive deficiencies. Robbie Fowler certainly underachieved (in terms of silverware) in his career, despite …
Joel Matip - Elite When Fit
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Naby Keïta - Last Chance Saloon
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Michael Edwards - The Regeneration
For years, the director of football was a nuisance, an obstacle and a hinderance to most managers throughout the Premier League. The mere thought that any old school manager would need either help, guidance or another body to aid the club football was sneered upon, and often dismissed.
FSG have had their failings, that is not in doubt , yet it is the overall process from their tenure that should be applauded. They have learned, progressed, installed a working structure …
Second Season Tsimikas To Enjoy Further Responsibility
On the surface, the signing of Kostas Tsimikas really hasn't worked out for Liverpool.
Signed from Olympiacos in the summer of 2020, the Greek left-back -- whose acquisition was aimed at giving Andy Robertson the opportunity to rest -- only made seven appearances in all competitions in his first season on Merseyside.
Meanwhile, Robertson played in every single Premier League fixture, clocking up an energy-sapping 3,368 minutes in the process of the most condensed season of all time. The Scotland …