Many have doubted Liverpool defensively, but the Reds have so far proven those doubters wrong and Jürgen Klopp’s side are among the best in a key metric in the league.
Liverpool made a good number of additions this summer, but despite that, there were some qualms about the season ahead.
After a turbulent time last season, when Jürgen Klopp’s side failed to make the Champions League for the first time since he arrived at Anfield, it was only natural to be skeptical about the campaign, especially when one of Liverpool’s biggest problems last season was on the defensive side.
On paper, adding players like Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai didn’t at first appear as the solution Klopp needed.
The fact that Liverpool failed to bring in a center-back was another hot topic for fans over the summer and even a few weeks ago, or now.
However, it’s difficult to make the argument that Liverpool desperately needed to strengthen based on what the club has shown on the pitch so far.
Six victories and one draw in the first seven games is a really solid return, and Klopp’s side hasn’t just been impressive in terms of getting results but also in terms of thwarting opposition attacks.
Despite playing with 10 men twice, and also having Virgil van Dijk absent and Jarell Quansah starting one game at center-back, Liverpool currently ranks second in the Premier League for fewest goals conceded.
Klopp’s side has conceded just five goals in six games, which is only bettered by Manchester City who conceded three times.
Considering the context, Liverpool’s feat to have done it with the likes of Quansah, who is a really promising but as yet unproven prospect at the level of the Premier League, is all the more impressive.
Much was made of Liverpool’s defense last season, and there were many suggestions that Klopp’s stars were past their best. But all of that has been pretty much quashed this season, especially by Joe Gomez.
Not helped by injuries in the past, Gomez has returned to his best form. Whether that’s playing at right-back or center-back, the Liverpool defender has looked solid in either role and has proven a real asset when called upon by Klopp, showing he can prove his manager’s prediction from last year.
“He has so many qualities, I could talk about them all day,” Klopp told the club’s website after Gomez signed a new contract.
“One of the many wonderful things about Joe is he has experience and youth — that’s not a bad combination.
“But the best thing of all is that his best years are still to come and I could not be happier that this will happen with us.”
By fixing the midfield, it certainly feels like Klopp went one step further and has addressed the problems at the back too. Now that doesn’t mean that, in the future, Liverpool do not need to reinforce the center-back department — the likes of Van Dijk and Joël Matip are not getting any younger after all — but for now, the Reds certainly have enough options at their disposal.
