Another game, another different defence for Liverpool – a predicament Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp has had to wrestle with since the beginning of the Christmas period.
Liverpool’s defence underwent a remarkable transformation in 2018. The signs were promising towards the end of 2017, as Liverpool tightened the backline on a more consistent basis, but still suffered serious blips in between, such as the 3-3 draws with Sevilla and Arsenal.
Defence Driving Liverpool Title Charge
Then Virgil van Dijk arrived and Andrew Robertson broke into the first-team, and Liverpool have not looked back since.
Liverpool’s ever-improving back four was no longer a laughing stock, helping the Reds reach the Champions League final last season and now to the top of the Premier League this season.
The talent of Liverpool’s forward line is unquestioned, but would often be let down by the defence in recent years – but no more.
The Reds now have a defence that compares statistically with the best in Europe, such is the scale of their improvement – an improvement which has been the difference thus far between Liverpool and defending champions Manchester City in the race for the title.
Until the start of 2019, Liverpool’s defence was keeping clean sheets and stopping goals at a record-breaking pace, comparable with José Mourinho’s Chelsea sides during the mid-2000s.
All Liverpool fans want is the league title, but these extra potential bonuses – the Golden Boot for Mohamed Salah, the Golden Glove for Alisson – are all reasons why the Reds are top of the table.
Injures Causing Defensive Dilemmas for Klopp
Yet January, in particular, has seen the floodgates open again in Liverpool’s backline, with the 4-3 victory against Crystal Palace a return to the wildly entertaining, but immensely frustrating days of ferocious firepower coupled with a diabolical defence.
Going into 2019, the number of league goals conceded by Liverpool’s defence was in single figures. Since, the Reds have lost 2-1 to Manchester City – an understandable result, as even the best defences can concede plenty to Pep Guardiola’s side – and conceded three in beating Crystal Palace last weekend.
Liverpool managed to keep a clean sheet against Brighton but also let in two goals in an FA Cup defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers. Even in December, the goals conceded were starting to creep back in, with Liverpool having to come from behind to defeat Burnley and Arsenal, while Mourinho’s Manchester United equalised at Anfield with a soft goal before being beaten in the second half.
In all these matches, the one constant for Liverpool’s defence has been changed. Changes to the back four as a result of injury and suspensions.
Prior to the winter months, Liverpool’s defence for most matches was Trent Alexander-Arnold at right-back, Robertson on the left and Joe Gomez and van Djik forming a strong partnership in the centre.
Changes to the back four were irregular in the early months of the campaign, with rotation for the League Cup tie against Chelsea and the odd injury change in Premier League and Champions League games. However, in recent weeks they have become constant, primarily because of injuries.
Revolving Door from Trent and Gomez Injuries
Joël Matip initially stepped in for Gomez, who started Liverpool’s defensive problems with an injury in the win against Burnley in December, but the Cameroon international was also sidelined following the match against Napoli in the Champions League.
Dejan Lovren came in alongside van Dijk after Matip and performed well over the festive period, apart from the Manchester City defeat. Yet Lovren injured his hamstring in the FA Cup against Wolves, which meant midfielder Fabinho moved to centre-back until Matip’s return against Crystal Palace.
Trent has suffered his own injury problems lately, leading Gomez, James Milner and even Rafael Camacho to occupy the right-back slot in his place. Even Nathaniel Clyne stepped in against Manchester United when no one else was available and performed brilliantly, earning his loan move to Bournemouth.
Milner will be suspended against Leicester City following his red card last weekend, meaning Fabinho, Camacho or even 16-year-old Ki-Jana Hoever could be included on the right side of the defence against Leicester.
Liverpool Need Their True Back Four Again
Robertson and van Dijk have continued on but their capability to maintain a sturdy Liverpool defence has waned in face of constant change around them. As good as Matip, Lovren and Fabinho are as deputy centre-backs, none of them can perform to the level Gomez produced in the first half of this season, and they have all had to play alongside van Djik in the past month.
Opposition players have attacked Liverpool’s right-hand side in Trent’s absence, such as Crystal Palace’s Wilfried Zaha on Milner, who did not even need to sprint hard to move comfortably past the 33-year-old utility midfielder.
Too many changes disrupt rhythm, and the confident assurance of clean sheets has disappeared from Liverpool’s defence for now, meaning the attack will have to step up another level for the foreseeable to maintain Liverpool’s title challenge.
The defence has rightly taken the plaudits for most of Liverpool’s season up to this point, but now is the time for the other end of the pitch to take over – at least until Liverpool can restore the equilibrium of van Dijk, Gomez, Trent and Robertson in their back four.
Once the Reds are back to full strength in defence, the clean sheets will start to flow again, as two months does not undo more than a year of constant progress.