#3 Jonas Hector
Another problem position in the Liverpool defence is the left-back one. Fabio Aurelio was the last proper left-back that Liverpool signed while Jon Flanagan did well in the 2013/14 season when Liverpool embarked on a failed title fight. Klopp tried to address the issue as a number of players were linked with the Reds. German international Jonas Hector was one of the initial names and he would have been the perfect signing to resolve a problem position.
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However, nothing materialised and eventually, Liverpool’s coaching staff decided to convert midfielder James Milner as a makeshift left-back. Although it has paid dividends as Milner has consistently been reliable in the role this season, he is not a natural left-footed player which has led to a significant problem.
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Klopp’s preference for gegenpressing means Liverpool can win over possession in unexpected places and thereby launch swift counterattacks. However, when the ball is played to Milner, who is generally an excellent crosser of the ball, he naturally shifts the ball on to his right foot before delivering the ball. In that extra second, the attacking transition slows down and more importantly, the defending team are able to organise themselves.
This has caused bigger problems against teams sitting deep because the chances to counter are drastically reduced and therefore the one or two opportunities that arise are lost due to the lack of a left-footed left-back. Alberto Moreno is definitely an option but lacks the defensive intelligence required and therefore is not trusted by Klopp.
Instead, if Cologne’s Jonas Hector, a marauding left-back owning the role in Joachim Low’s star-studded German national team was signed, Liverpool would have reversed the losses against the defensive bottom-placed teams this season and thereby stay on course to win the league.
