Liverpool made a late season surge to briefly flirt with the Top 4 before ultimately settling for 5th and Europa League football. Throughout the up-and-down campaign, it was clear the vaunted Reds defense from years past was beginning to wobble.
If it wasn’t for the heroics of Alisson in goal, my player of the season, a 5th place finish would have been a pipe dream. When Liverpool are playing at the height of their powers, there are minimal instances of mental lapses.
However, the 2022-23 version saw at least one lapse per game. They didn’t always result in goals for the opposition, but they were enough to skyrocket the blood pressure of fans and Jurgen Klopp alike.
We take our first look at the fullbacks. Trent Alexander-Arnold has been much maligned for his countless defensive breakdowns over the years. This season was no different as he was caught ball-watching only to be beaten at the far post on more than one occasion.
Now, he has shown the ability to get stuck in and do the job. When the defense needs to lock down, he is industrious in his efforts, if not always tactically correct. Still, he is a cornerstone of the squad but if he is permanently moved to the midfield, a replacement will need to be brought in.
On the other side, Andy Robertson had a typically quiet but very effectual season in defense and the attack. His 8 million GBP move from Hull City years ago still looks like one of the best bargains in the Klopp era. His running up and down the left side is invaluable to this side. He was rock solid most weeks, even if it wasn’t always pretty. His understudy, Kostas Tsimikas is a perfect rotational piece as his play style means there is not a drastic play change required.
The center of defense is where things begin to get interesting. Virgil Van Dijk has been widely accepted as one of the three best center-backs in the world. But, the big Dutchman turns 32 in July, and he has shown that he might be losing half a step.
Luckily, his football IQ and positioning is typically off the charts so he has been able to counteract this trend. Even so, Liverpool’s No. 4 had some rough moments throughout the season. While an understudy is absolutely required, Van Dijk still has a lot to offer and should be one of the first names on the sheet for at least another season or two.
His current partner, the French international Ibrahima Konate, or “Ibou” as he’s affectionately called, had a wonderful season. Admittedly, there was a definite adjustment period after his arrival from RB Leipzig. A stretch of injuries did not help this matter.
However, once he was able to stay on the field weekly, his game lifted itself to the next level. His side and speed combination would be a treat for any Premier League defense to have. During Liverpool’s turnaround to finish the season, Konate’s ability to boss a game and shut down any manner of forward was crucial.
Where the trouble lies both now and going forward is the second wave of center-backs. Joel Matip has become injury prone and is in his 30’s entering the final year of his contract. Joe Gomez, who should be in his prime at 26, has not taken the next step as many expected he would have by now.
While he has been a fine servant for the club filling in at CB and RB as needed, there is nothing about his game that excites you for what he can do in the future. He is under contract through 2027, so he probably isn’t going anywhere so hopefully he can find the right tools to raise his game.
Matip, when fit and firing can still do a job. But, if a younger option such as Goncalo Inacio could be brought in then shipping him out would not be the worst thing in the world.
Overall, the Liverpool defense is still very good. They must cutout the lapses in concentration, but talent wise, it’s still there. Reinforcements are still needed this summer and soon after, but a lot of the problems can be fixed in-house with health and continuity on the pitch.
If Alisson is not required to be the player of the season this time next year, we’ll know things have returned to where they should be.