Liverpool Have SIX Right Back Options, So Why Does None Feel Right?

0:00This podcast is part of the Sports Social Podcast Network. Good morning, good afternoon, good evening, wherever you are, whatever you're doing. I'm welcome to another episode of Media Matters for Anfield Index. It's game day today, isn't it? 8pm, the Reds will take the field, Portman Road, Ipswich away. But in the meantime, everyone's copying for it, aren't they? Right backs, midfielders, midfielders who we need at right back apparently, sporting directors. There's a lot of people getting it as it were. I'm joined as ever by Louis Steel to talk through it all. And the first question I should ask Louis, are we not on our way to Ipswich? Or you call them Ipswich Travel Lodge or something? No, I'll be leaving as soon as this is finished. So, um, so have you overrun and I hit traffic, I'll be ringing you up and I'm going to go at you.

1:04Well, you can say four hour drive, so I'll leave it about to get there for about, um, should be about our five, six, realistically. That sounds a bit tight, but all right, fair enough. We'll leave you with it. It's a full time. Yeah, 100% or say no more if I've said a lot of watching. But we'll talk everything Liverpool and there's been so much discussed in a week where the Transfer window ends. And I'll probably start with this one actually because we may be talking about an international retirement for Virgil Van Dyke. As he said, when you feel love for you feel respected, you want to continue. Let's see if that's still the case. He's got a meeting with Javi. We want him to retire though. Don't we in all honesty? 35. This would be a good time, surely. Yeah, probably you have to consider the fact that by the time the euros rolls around, they'll be, you know, 37 by then really because that's two years away. Maybe it's just before that you actually maybe it'll be 36, but you have to question my very as an other one in him.

2:05Um, knowing what we know about Virgil and how he's very committed to both the band, the national team. I don't think that he will offer a resignation, but if Javi says I want to go forward with a younger generation and so be it. But Javi would probably be silly to do that because Virgil is still the best at centre, but that they have at their disposal, the best centre at Liverpool. But they're disposal as well. But yeah, it would suit everyone if he, if he wasn't, you know, flogging his body around, halfway around the world, a few times a year. But, but yeah, I think that's for him and Javi to show out, I wouldn't be surprised either outcome to be honest. No, not at all. They'll be interested to say and a little bit off the field as well. I mean transfers, of course, we're talking about how the window ended or review, but it was interested the way it came up that reports, am it back to you was involved. We kind of had the impression that 1892 were just through the door, sort of minority shareholders sort of set back.

3:07But all reports came out that Amit Batti was involved in Barcola. Is this a sign of things to come, Jarekham? Yeah, I think so. I think this, the new group that have bought the obviously it's only a minority, but it's a big minority. It's the best part of 40%. They're going to, they want their fingerprints all over the club. And this is only the start. The only, they've only had the, they've only had the stake for the best part of two or three weeks. They've not even had it officially ratified yet. And they're already apparently getting involved. So if this is a sign of things to come, who knows what it'll look like 12 to 18 months into the future. We've said that FSG might, you know, slowly be on the way out. There's been nothing to actually suggest that is the case. But if you read between the lines, it does feel like the new God. Trying to get the feet under the table a bit more and trying to dictate proceedings around Liverpool. But what I would say is they've got a lot of money. So it's no bad thing if they're getting involved with transfer dealings.

4:17Yeah. And the way it's gone most will appeal to someone else getting involved is a good thing, which kind of pivot. So the little bit to the right back, iraola and Zabasla. And for talking about this, it was good. You were in there was good. He was asked these questions about right back in midfield. He said the challenge in the squad is we don't have corner there at right back. That's why a value don't there. So you can play there versatility in the midfield helps us to go through the moments when we have injuries in midfield. We've got good numbers. And then of course, he was quite rightly pressed on this. Zabasla, right back. I haven't found any situation where a player has told me no, I don't want to play here. Think we're getting a bit of a clue for Ripswitch and what's to come. Yes, I think that Zabasla playing at right back is a genuine possibility tonight. I've not heard anything for definite on the team, but I wouldn't be shocked at all of the line up comes out and he's out there.

5:21I think it solves two problems at once. I think it solves the fact that Frimpong's not been good enough. The first two games of the season. So you get a better right back both going forward because the crosses will be better. I mean, it's not hard to get better than some of the ones we saw on Saturday. And the other way as well, I think Frimpong got away with a couple of really poor backpasses that forest should have punished really. So it's all that. But it also solves the midfield, the makeup of the midfield, the balance of the midfield because you probably have a grav and mechalister in there tonight. Or maybe train I only, but as it stands, I'll be more likely to see grav and mechalister. And that just means that the earth has a little bit more license to license to frill, shall we say, a bit more freedom. Whereas otherwise, I feel like he and sobsley were sort of stepping on each of his toes a little bit, even though the earth was very good on Saturday.

6:23So I think it solves both the midfield model and the right back, can undram shall we call it. So I wouldn't be surprised at all of the row that he uses this either tonight or going forward in the next few weeks. We'll be interested to see because I know in the article you actually put putting him on the right flank allows him to play something resembling that double pivot. You got Gravenburg in attack and cover for him when he lose the ball. The only thing I would say is, how does Dominic's a boss life feel about this? You're on the probably clock to little updates with social media, a professional midfielder for Liverpool as well. You do wonder because he's saying that new deal probably with the discussion at least that right back wasn't going to be a thing, but here we are three games already with the social media update. Yeah, I'm always reluctant to look to much into the social media updates because I think they all ran by social teams and and be I'm never really sure how much stock to put into them, but.

7:23It did seem a bit pointed that apparently you changed it on the day that he, you know, the debate raised on whether he should be playing right back or not. It seemed a little bit. I think if he has done that deliberately, it probably comes across badly comes across a little bit childish. But if he's maybe it's just a grand coincidence, we shall see, but I just think if you are being paid 350 grand a week, which is the quoted fee, not sure if that's actually right or not. But if you, but whatever it is, it's going to be a big massive salary. I think he probably sort of has to has to accept that you might have to play in alternative positions. But then again, the counter argument to that is he was Liverpool's best player last season, mostly when he was playing in midfield. You know, he wants to emulate Stevie G. You would never see Stephen Gerard being shoved out to right back in the prime of his career.

8:25You won't see, you know, I'm trying to think now sort of Declan Rice being Mikhail Artert, a shoving in back in and you won't see, you know, Moreska putting Harland in midfield or whatever, probably stupid examples, but you sort of play your best plays in the best positions. That's the counter argument, but I do think the positives of Sub-Osset right by outweigh the negatives is interesting. It has been almost the discussion point. Everyone's got a tape from it. And I know you're the clock this as well. Jamie Carrick, fun, Lee and I always ask a tape, doesn't he? And usually it takes his time up who he goes to with Liverpool, but he was pretty direct. I've never believed the boss lies in midfield player. He signed a new contract in those talks, I'm sure the discussions take place. For me, a midfield is like a Henderson runner energy with more of a goal threat, but Liverpool don't play that way. He's not really an unbeaten. His best role could be at right back.

9:26You get plenty of the ball and you can run that trend Alexander Rahn or all mentions there 350 grand a week, the vibes captive. The only thing I think it is, I swear Carrick has now said, put him in the tent, take him out the tent, right back and all that, but it is just the hot talking point across Liverpool or football things at the moment, isn't it? Yeah, I think I sort of get what Carrick is saying, but I think that it's all a bit... It's all tailored towards writing off votes in the tent, just on the back of what you could probably make a case was his best performance in Liverpool shirt. It's certainly one of... And I would like to see more... I would like to see votes get another chance tonight to back that up, because I think in his Liverpool career he's shown these glimpses, the problem is he's not back them up, you know, back to back. Or gone again the next week, so I'd like to see more of that and Carrick seems to have written him off quite a lot. I think what Carrick says about you don't want to show your best play at the right back is true.

10:31And I also don't think it is a long term solution, but right now it might be a solution that just solidifies Liverpool for a few weeks. And it's obviously the problem is slot turns to it last season and we're still sort of muddling along with that. And I think a lot of that is to do with the fact that Erella has probably let down in terms of they could have signed the right back and they couldn't have signed them in field or they didn't. So it's an interesting conundrum because you've got subversalized your best player, but I don't think anyone really knows what how to use him, to be honest. No, it's a tough one and it's funny, but all the things we've talked about right back there because I know you were in the press yesterday and we got injury updates. Joe Gomez will probably start training with us next week. I hope we can have him back before the break. I mean, no one needs to me tell him about Joe Gomez's injury record. But there is a shout he could even be in the mix when he calls best right back.

11:32That's to say it all. Yeah, I think the problem with Gomez is you can't rely on him because his fitness, but I look at for him, and I think that there's maybe a player in their deep down just based on what he did at Leverkusen, but right now he isn't showing it. So I'm not saying they give up on him completely, but they just might need to just park it for a few weeks and then trying. I think it's a confidence issue as well with him. Bradley will not really expect him back anytime soon, but hopefully, hopefully, you know, before too long within two or three months, maybe three or four. We don't know. So yeah, Gomez could be a viable option. I think he played well there at times last season and previous seasons as well. I think Ronald, the route, who might do a job in there as well when he settled a bit more. I think we were told that Jeremy Jacket could play out there as well when he signed. There are options. I don't think any of them completely fail me with confidence and they all have the cons.

12:35But yeah, Gomez could certainly be an option sort of. I think a lot of people forgot about him a little bit because he got injured and missed all of. Yeah, he sees him. But if he's back next week, then you know, if it is the Carabell game in about a fortnight's time, maybe that's the sort of thing that you look at for him to. Maybe to get a first start of the season. Cut the options galore and none of you, and none of them fill you with confidence. That's probably where we are. And in fact, the only other well, maybe the only actual natural right back who's got senior experiences, Conor Bradley. I mean, you know, there's been reports he could be back quite soon after the season starts. Then he had Michael O'Neill on BBC Island saying, if we see Conor Bradley this side of Christmas, it will be a bonus. If not, we look forward to seeing him in March. I mean, that's the Northern Ireland national manager. That makes you think he's miles away. And obviously Conor Bradley's injury record to start with. So there's no real confidence in that option either this season.

13:36Yeah, I did see that quote. I think he's obviously talking about the fact that there's an international breaking. I think is the one in November and then one in March. So the problem is that you've got four month lag, a full month gap. So it's not, it's not saying he's not going to be back till March. It's just if he's not back by the late November international break. Then that Northern Ireland have got to wait four months for it. I think real estate, the injury, the, I think it was the start of January. I think real estate, the year on the sidelines would be probably what we're looking at. But I don't know. I don't think anyone knows. He knows nothing. The club know because they, with long injuries, you can't predict the last stage of recovery. But yeah, I think everyone knows that he's not going to be back. Liverpool obviously saying they didn't want to panic by. And I sort of get that. But then I look at it and think even when he is fit, he's quite injury prone. Yeah. And I think even when Frimpong was good last season at times, he was injury prone.

14:39Even if they're both fit right now, I think there's still, you look at it and think that can be improved. That side of the defence. Yeah. And it's going to be an issue that rages on and on. I'm sure. Does see absolutely wild. Here we are with six apparent options. And we haven't got faith in that. Whether it's ability, availability for various reasons. We'll see what comes against tips which tonight. And we'll see what comes against tips which tonight.