Liverpool must stick with inexperienced Nat Phillips and Ozan Kabak
By Roy Skillen
It wasn’t the greatest defensive performance that I have ever seen from a Liverpool center-back duo, but a win is a win and it seemed that Nat Phillips and Ozan Kabak were solid enough.
Yes it was only against Sheffield Utd and yes they still looked shaky at moments but the time for chopping and changing the backline has to end.
In Kabak and Phillips, we have two natural centre backs that like to attack the ball with aggression and make it difficult for the opposition. Neither have the ball-playing capabilities of a Virgil van Dijk or Fabinho and positionally they are a little naive.
Liverpool could have found their duo
However, with regular games and weeks of training together, they could form a decent consistent platform that will allow us to release Fabinho back into midfield.
I understand that a lot of our attacks in the past have started from the back and it is for this reason that I feel Fab and Jordan Henderson have been dropped into the backline. But in a slight tweak to the system Fab can now screen the two inexperienced defenders alongside Thiago whose ability on the ball can be utilised from this deeper position.
From there we will have some more attacking options with Curtis Jones showing against Sheffield Utd that he is more effective playing in and around the opposition penalty box. While the return of Diogo Joto from injury is sure to excite all Liverpool fans.
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Ozan Kabak and Nat Phillips are the way to go
It’s not a massive change and for me, it will give us some stability and consistency and as the games go on we should see the confidence in Kabak and Phillips grow.
Will it be good enough to give us the much needed top-four spot? To be honest, I am really not sure. However, I have no doubt in my mind that chopping and changing our defence has had more of a negative effect on our performance than playing two guys that hungry to prove a point.
It’s time to pick a partnership, stick with it and throw everything we have at tearing teams apart at the other end. It’s time to go heavy metal.