OPINION
Sky Sports journalist Mark McAdam claimed Liverpool can relax over strengthening the position of left-back in the transfer market as they have James Milner and Joe Gomez who can fill in for Andy Robertson.
The Sky Sports reporter shared that while he thought Jurgen Klopp wasn’t naive and was aware Robertson couldn’t play the whole of the 2019/20 campaign without a rest, he suggested there was already enough cover for him at Anfield.
McAdam referred to Gomez, Milner and even suggested that Klopp could gamble on Liverpool youngster Adam Lewis.
“I think Jurgen Klopp isn’t naive and knows that Andy Robertson can’t play a whole campaign with league matches and Champions League matches,” said McAdam on Sky Sports’ Transfer Talk (9:34am, Thursday, July 11th).
“Particularly when Liverpool want to be finishing at the sharp end of these tournaments come the end of April/May, I was looking at the U23s Liverpool’s side and Adam Lewis played left-back for their final game of the season at the back end of April.
“So it’ll be interesting to see if Jurgen wants to chuck him into the first-team environment and you’ve seen it so many times, that he isn’t scared to chuck the youngsters in.
“I know JD mentioned Trent Alexander-Arnold and we all know how well that turned out, and I think when you look at their No.1 being Andy Robertson, I think they can relax in that position knowing they have players like James Milner and Gomez who can drop in and fill in.
“And maybe just promote one of those youngsters and that’s what Liverpool fans want, they love a local boy, someone who has come through the academy and that’s something Jurgen Klopp understands and is prepared to gamble on.”
While McAdam is right to highlight that Klopp has gambled on young players previously to great success, see Trent Alexander-Arnold, it doesn’t mean lightning will strick twice.
Lewis may be talented enough to have trained with the Reds’ first-team on multiple occasions (Source: Liverpool), despite never featuring for the senior team, but it doesn’t mean the 19-year-old could handle being thrown in the deep end in the Premier League or Champions League if Robertson was unavailable.
Robertson has proven in recent seasons what a key area of the team, the position of left-back is, as Klopp expects his left-sided defender to be a force at the back and a threat going forward.
The 25-year-old got forward so often, while also helping the Reds keep 19 clean sheets, he registered 11 assists and made 135 crosses in his 36 league outings during his latest campaign (Source: Premier League).
So when you consider that, is it acceptable to have Lewis as cover? Can Gomez, who has only played as left-back nine times in his career at senior level (Source: Transfermarkt) be counted on to cover Robertson? There should be doubts about Milner as while he did feature 37 times as left-back for the Reds in his 2016/17 campaign, he is naturally a midfielder.
So while the Reds may opt to not sign a left-back, the last thing Liverpool should be is relaxed about the situation as it would be a gamble not to recruit one.
