When the summer transfer window came to an end a few days ago, Premier League side Liverpool’s fans were left with mixed reactions about their business in the window. The manager added a number of quality players, a few of them to the first team and has made the team stronger than it was in the previous season but two positions in the squad are still relatively weak. The defensive midfielders position lacks any kind of mettle while the lack of a defensive midfielder only compounded the issue of the left-back spot in the squad.
Alberto Moreno, the first choice (and the only) senior left back at the squad from the previous season was a liability for most of the previous season and also cost the club the Europa league final against Sevilla at the end of the previous season. The summer transfer window provided Klopp with the perfect opportunity to address the issue and add a player to the squad who could have add mettle to the left-back position. However, the manager ignored the position completely with just a couple of players in that position linked with the club throughout the window. Instead, Klopp decided to use James Milner, one of the most influential players in Liverpool’s run into two cup finals in the previous season.
Milner is a utility player who will dawn the keeper’s gloves also if his team needs. He is a midfielder by trait who loves to run the game but Klopp has realized that he needs a better player than Moreno at left back and has asked Milner to cover for him, at least till January. Though Milner has been decent so far in the new season, Liverpool actually have a couple of options within the squad that can provide cover to the left-back area.
Joe Gomez, the youngster who impressed immensely under Brendan Rodgers early last season, was back to full training in pre-season to only pick up another niggle. He is a player who was bred in the Championship and has already shown his quality in the top flight. Though he is a good centre-back, he is a more than decent option at left-back and might actually walk into the side when fit.
Another option for Klopp is out of favor defender Mamadou Sakho. The French international has had a turbulent few months leading to the new season and is currently the 6th choice center back at the club after his antics in the pre-season. He is back to full training and was named in the 22-man Liverpool squad for the Premier League but is not expected to make the first team unless there is a very bad situation at the club regarding the center back spot. However, being a left-footer and having also played in the position early in his career, Sakho may actually provide Klopp with a decent option at left-back. He is a good defender who will keep his side of the field safe and if he takes the position of the left-back, he will surely improve the discipline of the back-four at Liverpool.
James Milner is by no means a bad choice for Klopp this season but he is a player who can give more to the squad in the midfield area. Liverpool have no other choice in the position and might just be a matter of time before the manager turns to one of them for extra cover at the back. Gomez is surely higher up in the pecking order while Sakho has an outside chance to play in that position but the situation at Liverpool, having not signed a replacement for Moreno is not as bad as it looked after the end of the window. They have enough options in the position for this season and Klopp will know best who to use to get the club back to its glory days. Do you think Joe Gomez and Mamadou Sakho can solve Liverpool’s left-back crisis this season?
