Liverpool faced a disappointing collapse last weekend against Bournemouth as they surrendered a 1-3 lead to lose the game 4-3. This is not the first time the fans had to deal with such a shocking collapse in the final minutes of the game. Liverpool’s ever-notorious defence has hardly improved over the years and once again they proved it. When Jürgen Klopp is making the fans dream about a potential title win after 27 long years, such displays are far from acceptable.
Liverpool missed their key defender Joel Matip against Bournemouth and the absence of the Cameroonian was clearly visible. The Reds have lost just twice this season and in both of those games, Matip was not there at the back.
Dejan Lovren has been decent at the back this season but only when he has played alongside Matip. So, it is clear that Liverpool are over-reliant on the 25-year-old and that is not a quality you would want to see in title challengers.
The Daily Star claim that Liverpool are ready to pay the £25m release clause in Virgil van Dijk’s contract to bring him to Anfield from Southampton in January. Since he joined the Saints from Celtic in the summer of 2015, van Dijk has established himself as one of the most consistent defenders in the Premier League and could become Liverpool’s sixth signing from the South Coast club in the last three years after Lallana, Lovren, Lambert, Clyne and Mane.
Van Dijk is more of a complete defender who possesses each and every skill a defender dreams of, especially the kind of defender Klopp wants in his team. Thanks to his frame of 6 ft 4 in, he excels in the air which is evident from his 4.6 aerials won every game. The Dutchman has an excellent passing ability for a defender, something Klopp loves to see in his defenders. His passing accuracy this season has been 84.8%.
Liverpool play a very attacking game and often a high-line. You’ll often see each and every Liverpool player apart from the keeper in the opposition half which makes them vulnerable on the break.
Van Dijk’s recovery pace is excellent and he can bail Liverpool from such situations with that. He can read the game pretty well as well and in terms of his style, Raphael Varane is someone who comes to mind.
Van Dijk could easily become the first choice over Dejan Lovren and an ideal partner for Joel Matip. Liverpool might have to break the bank to sign the Dutch international but it will be one hell of a deal from the Reds. The partnership between Hummels and Subotic was one of the best in Europe at Borussia Dortmund under Klopp and Matip and van Dijk could become a similar success story.
Stats courtesy- Whoscored and Squawka
