Liverpool right-back disaster: Conor Bradley harm leaves massive gap that wants filling – ought to January switch plans change?

Liverpool have had defensive points all season. Health, kind and misfortune have all performed their half. And now choices throughout the backline are scarily skinny.

Conor Bradley is the most recent addition to the harm checklist after struggling season-ending knee ligament harm towards Arsenal final week. He is solely managed 12 Premier League begins and now is not going to function once more for Liverpool till 2026/27.

Summer time signing Giovanni Leoni was misplaced to harm earlier than the marketing campaign even kicked into gear whereas Joe Gomez has been out and in of the remedy room for one of the best a part of a yr. Jeremie Frimpong, much less a defender by commerce however necessity, has missed spells too.

All this quantities to a headache for Arne Slot, significantly within the right-back place. Bradley was schooled to be Trent Alexander-Arnold’s pure successor, a participant with much less innate aptitude however higher defensive instincts, having already proved himself towards one of the best in massive video games.

There have been a number of GIF-worthy moments. His completely timed deal with to dispossess Kylian Mbappe in full movement and pocketing of Vinicius Junior in a subsequent assembly with Actual Madrid each attested to his readiness. For his season to finish this manner feels significantly cruelly-timed.

And for Liverpool, it is yet one more main blow with out the requisite cowl. Bradley was deemed integral to the sleek operating of Slot’s operation from right here on out, and with so many video games on the horizon (doubtlessly 12 between now and the tip of February), the necessity for a fast resolution is apparent.

What choices are at the moment on the desk?

Belief Gomez at right-back

Contemplating Gomez’s patchy harm file, to be taking part in again up in three totally different positions seems like a serious gamble. Gomez is the one authentic cowl for each Virgil Van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate, ought to both be unavailable, and in addition the stand-in right-back.

The 28-year-old has many attributes, however availability shouldn’t be considered one of them. For the reason that begin of this season Gomez has solely managed 90 minutes thrice. He is made 9 Premier League begins over the past 18 months, amounting to 767 minutes in complete. Mr Reliability he isn’t.

What Gomez does provide is 1v1 solidity and distinctive versatility. When match, he reveals spectacular athleticism, with a capability to cowl roles throughout the entire again line and contribute going forwards.

Small pattern measurement, however Liverpool are but to concede a objective when Gomez has began at right-back within the Premier League this season and he is averaging extra touches within the opposition field than some other possibility.

However religion in Gomez is equally hindered by his absence. Slot is aware of his limits all too properly. So, if that is solely a partial treatment, what are another fixes value contemplating?

Frimpong to play twin position

The issue with taking part in Frimpong at full-back is that he’s not one. That was not his territory at Bayer Leverkusen. Hamstring points apart, the 25-year-old shouldn’t be geared up with the defensive mindset wanted to play in a again 4. Konate’s chequered season doesn’t assist the right-sided vulnerability both.

From week to week, Frimpong on this place is an experimental danger dependant on the extent of opponent. “I liked him again today,” Slot mentioned after beating League One aspect Barnsley on Monday. Distinction that with the beginning of Liverpool’s dreadful downturn again in September, and Slot was blaming Frimpong for being “too offensive” in defeat at Crystal Palace.

Little doubt the narrative will proceed to fluctuate. Frimpong is a participant designed to be transferring forwards, not monitoring again. Liverpool unlock video games extra successfully when he performs and Slot likes his “pure individual ability” and uncooked tempo; all attacking attributes.

The supervisor’s concluding soundbite from the win over Barnsley ought to function the guideline on Frimpong at full-back sooner or later: “I have to manage it in the right way.” Much more obvious when Mohamed Salah returns from AFCON demanding the posh of no defensive work.

Rotate between non-full-backs

Slot has needed to utilise midfielders as emergency cowl this season, to various levels of success.

Each Dominik Szoboszlai and Curtis Jones have fallen sufferer. What Slot is gaining from deciding on central midfielders at full-back, although, shouldn’t be balanced by what’s being taken away. It is a stop-gap measure, removed from a long-term resolution. Opponents know this and started concentrating on the broad house a midfielder taking part in out of place inevitability supplied.

Each week can’t be a brand new voyage of discovery. Throughout Liverpool’s latest 11-game unbeaten run, which now stretches again to November in all competitions, Slot has opted to begin Gomez 4 instances, Bradley 5, and Frimpong twice (not surprisingly towards backside membership Wolves and Barnsley). No midfielder in sight, although.

The gloss-over method has certainly met its pure finish.

Signal Guehi – or another person?

And that brings us neatly to the ultimate possibility: signal somebody.

Liverpool’s stance is that if high targets grow to be obtainable they are going to be alert and responsive. Loads of golf equipment use the purposefully ambiguous phrase ‘market alternative’ when requested if enterprise is probably going in January, as a result of buying and selling is notoriously more durable on this window.

This offers the phantasm they’re open to spending if not the knowledge followers wish to hear. It is a well mannered approach of maintaining powder dry.

Liverpool imagine Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi may very well be used at right-back in a backline that turns into a situational again three once they go ahead, however will solely be pushed to signal Guehi if others step up their pursuit. He turns into a free agent in June, however maybe, towards the present local weather, a extra proactive method is required.

Excessive full-backs have all the time been a trademark of Liverpool’s model, it is the explanation they signed Milos Kerkez in the summertime. Discovering a suitable steadiness of danger and reward has proved powerful, although, regardless of heavy funding.

The Liverpool board are unlikely to answer this season’s setbacks with a knee-jerk response however should contemplate what they need out of the present marketing campaign. If trophies stay an ambition they could not have a lot alternative.

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