A possible explanation to Liverpool’s defensive issues- Opinion
Soccer Football - Premier League - Newcastle United v Liverpool - St James' Park, Newcastle, Britain - April 30, 2022 Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp celebrates with Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez after the match Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club /league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for further details.
Liverpool have struggled massively in defence so far this season and recent stats have suggested there is a logical explanation behind those struggles.
There is a reason to believe that selection consistency could be a major factor, with Jurgen Klopp’s centre-back partnership changing almost on a weekly basis.
Many supports, like myself, would claim that Virgil Van Dijk and Ibou Konate is our best defensive partnership, with Joel Matip and Joe Gomez as third and fourth choice defenders.
However, the problem is that Van Dijk and Konate have only partnered each other for 156 minutes in the Premier League, which isn’t even two games.
Van Dijk and Konate played together only 156 minutes this season in the PL, not even 2 games 😫
— LiverpoolGoals (@Liverpoolgoals_) February 8, 2023
Both defenders have had their fitness issues so far this season, and are both sidelined currently with muscle injuries.
That has left Joel Matip and Joe Gomez to partner each other in defence in recent weeks, with Liverpool conceding nine goals in their last three away games alone.
Their awful performances have led many supporters to suggest that Nathaniel Phillips should start in defence on Monday against Everton.
Liverpool’s defence has been top notch over recent years, one of the best in Premier League history in some seasons.
However, in contrast to recent years, their defending has been abysmal- conceding 28 goals in 20 games in the Premier League.
If Klopp can get both Van Dijk and Konate fit at the same time, I’m certain there will be rapid improvements at the back.