According to Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool’s defense needs to be unlucky with injuries, but that need not be the case.
Even with unlimited resources, Jurgen Klopp would admit that his Liverpool squad will never be able to reach the “dreamland” of being ready for any scenario.
But for the Reds manager right now, the antithesis of a nightmarish scenario is one that is being brought into vivid focus.
Klopp is well aware of the risks associated with having few options in crucial places, whether it be due to a lack of players or a simple bet on players avoiding injuries at the same time.
Jurgen Klopp may give another reminder before Liverpool and FSG decide to cancel their transfer agreement.
Jurgen Klopp believes that Liverpool’s defense must suffer a string of injuries, but that need not be the case.
Witness the midfield issues from last season, where concerns about the fitness of too many players ultimately proved to be valid, or the 2020–21 season, when Liverpool feared they were going to be short at center back but then had three of their senior players in the position suffer season-ending injuries.
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Ibrahima Konate suffered an injury setback that has put him a significant doubt for Sunday’s Premier League trip to Newcastle United. That latter predicament will be at the forefront of Klopp’s considerations during the last week of the summer transfer window.
In a perfect world, we would have six, seven, or eight center backs and be completely covered. However, due to injuries, there is no doubt that we must be fortunate. “We had to learn that in the past a couple of times. It’s not a dreamland where you can be ready for every situation.”
The Reds manager was saying the truth. However, it might easily be read as a sharp reminder to the club’s leadership that more needs to be done and can be done.
Joel Matip, who is entering the final year of his contract at Anfield, and Virgil van Dijk, who are both in their 30s, were both mentioned by Klopp as candidates for the position before the end of the previous campaign.
Under the ownership of Fenway Sports Group, the Reds’ recruitment strategy has been well-established, with players who were bought young and had potential being hoped to improve at Anfield or at the at least provide a valuable potential sell-on value.
But not every scenario can be accommodated by such ideas. The effort to find a defensive midfielder after James Milner, Fabinho, and Jordan Henderson left the Reds led them to abandon their usual strategy and sign Stuttgart’s Wataru Endo, 30, who is the third-oldest player paid for during the 13-year FSG era.
