Going into the new season Liverpool, as a squad, look solid. Jurgen Klopp and his team of recruiters must be feeling that they might have done a remarkable job in the summer, so far. And rightly so!
Securing the signings of Fabio Carvalho, Darwin Nunez, and now Calvin Ramsay – all during this summer window. Not to mention that the Reds have already bought Luis Diaz back in the winter during the start of this year, and the Columbian has already made his mark since then. There is a whole new swagger about Liverpool’s squad for the new season. Yes! It is true that there have been some outgoing players as well – the likes of Origi, Minamino, and Sadio Mane – but then again it has been more so balanced by the incoming players.
Yet, there is a shade of doubt in the air around the Kopites- who feel that their team should sign a good midfielder who has the ability to dictate the game in the middle of the pitch for the next season.
No doubt, Liverpool were in the heat of the discussions in the last season- with their chase for the quadruple. Jurgen Klopp’s side became the first English side to play all of the possible games there are available, to play in a single season. They took the Premier League battle to the last day, won the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup, while also reaching the Final of the Champions League.
But, despite all the efforts they came out with only 2 trophies out of the 4 available to them. In that season they played over 60 games, and yes, it is not easy to maintain the same level of consistency throughout. Fatigue, tiredness, mental framework, everything starts going awry! However, if we look at the Reds’ last season, we will see how they gave away silly points, by conceding unnecessary goals. And in the end there remains just a single question left to be asked, that- Are they really at the level they would want themselves to be at?
IS IT REALLY THE MIDFIELD’S PROBLEM FOR KLOPP & CO.?
Over the season, there have been certain games that the fans and the players alike would not want to look back. From the game where they threw away their lead, twice to the newly promoted Brentford side, to the game against Leicester where the Reds were left frustrated by the foxes- who dragged out a 1-nil victory.
Matches like these have, certainly, cost Liverpool the Premier League title big time! And there is no denying that. But, what really happened? For anyone, it is literally an unbelievable fact to accept that Liverpool failed to score against Leicester- in the season where they scored the second-most goals across Europe (147 goals).
If we look at those few games, we could see the instability in the midfield. In other words, there is a reason as to why Liverpool have been so good (in the majority of the games) whenever Thiago has played- because the Spanish international just help maintains the flow of the game, in possession, and also helps in quick transitions from defence to attack in a flash.
There is another reason as to why a team requires a certain niche of a midfielder – so that they can provide that cutting edge whenever the manager requires them to go on and change the complexion of the game with a thunderbolt- from outside the box.
Yes! Teams like City and Chelsea have shown it in the Premier League, as to how the long-range efforts could prove in handy, while Liverpool have hardly proved to be a threat from outside of the box with just 8 goals in total throughout the season. Another reason why Thiago is hailed so much in that midfield 3 of the Reds; he has the ability to hit pure strikes from outside the box without any second thoughts.
It is true that Liverpool might have such players who are capable of the long-range pile-drivers, but then they might not be as good in other departments. Like Curtis Jones and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, they both have it in their locker to hit one from distance, but cannot drive the game forward – Jones, however, can still do it given his eye for forward passes.
AUTHOR’S TAKE
Given the Reds have just spent heavily in the market for a #9 striker in Darwin Nunez, I do not think they will be making another big-money move for a midfielder. Yes! Klopp has got a midfielder in Fabio Carvalho, but does he have all that is required- what we have mentioned above? It requires time and patience. This, in turn, can pop up another question- Does the Reds have time? I mean, yes and no… Klopp’s Liverpool has been dominating and has been one of the best teams, if not the
Best. But then again, a midfielder of the right vision, and skill set, is never unnecessary/useless spending. So, in my opinion, Liverpool should go on and look to sign a midfielder in the Summer or at least in the winter transfer market- as, by that time Klopp can have a good look as to what will be missing in his side.
