Jurgen Klopp could release Liverpool’s ‘own Lisandro Martinez’ to solve defensive problems

Liverpool are preparing to face Everton in the Merseyside derby and Jurgen Klopp could be eyeing a big defensive move. 

Jurgen Klopp must have hoped a reinvention would transform Liverpool’s season.

After the Reds endured a bumpy start to the season few had expected, Klopp looked for solutions following a sobering liverpool 4-1 loss to Napoli in the Champions League. He admitted his team needed to be reshaped as it had become too predictable for the opposition.

liverpool 4-1 loss to Napoli in the Champions League.

Around five months later, Klopp finds himself at a similar crucial moment. Liverpool suffered their last humiliating defeat last weekend following a lackluster campaign at the hands of Wolves.Klopp could only watch in horror as the team that had scored just 12 Premier League goals – the worst tally in the division – beat his frail and ill side three times.

The defense was haphazard as Liverpool conceded three goals for a third successive away campaign in the league, leaving them 10th in the table and all but giving up a top four finish.

With the Merseyside derby against Everton looming, Klopp will be thinking about his squad throughout the week. Changes will be needed. And that of Joel Matip whose bunk is vulnerable. The centre-back’s performance in Wolves’ defeat was insipid, with the low point scoring an own goal to give the home side the lead. Alan Shearer called Matip’s performance a “nightmare” and many Kopites would probably agree. According to WhoScored player ratings, Matip was the worst visitor with a score of only 5.19.

Matip has been an invaluable servant over the years. Giving him a free transfer was as smart as Klopp was at Anfield and he was at the height of the trophy-laden era. In his first season after joining Schalke in 2016, he helped the Reds return to the Champions League, paving the way for Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk respectively.

Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk

However, the former Cameroon international is currently out of his mind. The form of him has been abandoned in recent weeks.

Liverpool have conceded eight goals in Matip’s last three games. More worryingly, the Reds have scored 23 goals in the 12 games he’s played since the start of this season. That’s just two goals per game.

Of course, it would be stupid to blame Matip entirely. Most of Klopp’s squad has been fit this season. Choosing a player of the year will take some thinking.

But Matip is undoubtedly out of form, despite battling injuries this season. It remains to be seen if Virgil van Dijk is available to play against Everton. The Dutchman is the foundation of Klopp’s squad, but he has been sidelined for more than a month with a hamstring injury.

Van Dijk will be reintroduced to parts of training this week. However, given the nature of his setback, Liverpool don’t want to risk it collapsing again. A seat on the couch is more likely. Ibrahima Konate is one of the few players who has made his mark during this campaign. However, the French international is also out with a hamstring injury.

While the severity of Konate’s problem isn’t as bad as van Dijk’s, that could be another doubt.

Konate

Joe Gomez’s performance has also come under scrutiny, but he has had two clean sheets since the start of the year.

How about giving Nat Phillips a chance? Stefan Bajcetic seized his opportunity and improved Liverpool’s midfield after replacing Fabinho and another bold call in defense could lead to similar results.

Phillips

Phillips

could very well have walked away in the January transfer window as he craves regular action. The 25-year-old, who helped Bournemouth reach the Championship on loan last season, will be looking forward to playing week after week. Yet he was kept at Liverpool as a cover against the backdrop of the Konate issue. And now he could be in Klopp’s plans for the match against Everton.

Curiously, Phillips’ record in early games is impressive. He has played 21 games for the Reds since the start and boasts a record of 15 wins, three draws and six losses.

Phillips

Phillips may not be the most cultured center in the world. He’s not one to go on a sack run or play a 50-yard roundup pass. But the former Bolton man is robust and puts his defensive work first.

In fact, Manchester United’s Lisandro Martinez was recently praised by Roy Keane for wanting to defend and having the right character. He wants to defend and looks like the right character – the kind of lad you want to be in the trenches with,” Keane said after United’s Carabao Cup win over Nottingham Forest.

In the modern game, this is a trait that could be flouted. However, given Liverpool’s defensive problems, new solutions are needed. Phillips could be the one deserving of a chance, especially as Dominic Calvert-Lewin is likely to lead the attack