Joel Matip: The poised presence in Liverpool's defence

The departure of Rafa Benitez saw Liverpool’s defence deteriorate over subsequent seasons. Benitez managed a Liverpool side that was equally proficient in attacking and defending. The back four of Arbeloa, Carragher, Hyppia/Agger/Skrtel, and Fabio Aurelio were the last defensive line-up that functioned as a unit. The following few seasons saw Liverpool field either a makeshift defence, or a back 3/back 4 that lacked stability and discipline, which led to a series of mid-table finishes.

Liverpool’s pursuit of the Premier League title has continued; the Reds came agonisingly close in the 2013/14 season, missing out on the title due to defensive frailties. This proves Sir Alex right as he once said: “Attack wins you games, defence wins you titles.” These words still prove to be a recipe for sustained success. Antonio Conte’s Chelsea and Massimiliano Allegri’s Juventus, to name a few, are a testament to this saying.

Fast forward to the 2015/16 season. A string of poor results saw the Reds hire Jurgen Klopp who replaced the outgoing Brendan Rodgers. Klopp had a squad that lacked depth, consistency and had a few underperforming players. For instance, a string of poor performances by Martin Skrtel saw the Slovak dropped from the starting eleven. On 15 February 2016, Liverpool announced the signing of Cameroonian International Joel Matip on a Bosman transfer from German club Schalke 04. This proved to be one of the shrewdest pieces of business by Klopp.

Matip's reputation over the years

Matip has a reputation of being a defender who is composed on the ball, possessing an impressive positional sense. Sky reporters in Germany, Dirk Grosse Schlarmann and Torben Hoffmann, had insisted that the Cameroonian would prosper under the guidance of Klopp. Hoffmann claimed, “He is a good defender. He’s young and will make the next step under Jurgen Klopp.”

“He's not currently at the level of the best defenders in Germany, such as Mats Hummels or Jerome Boateng, Holger Badstuber or Javi Martinez. But after these top guys, he's in the next group.” The fact that Klopp knew Matip personally, and of his strengths, played a vital role in bringing the Cameroon international to Anfield.

Schlarmann added, “This season (2015/16) he made a big step and reached another stage in his development. He got a lot of responsibility because of injuries to Matija Nastasic and Benedikt Howedes. Now he is the boss in the defence.”

The Cameroonian formed a formidable partnership with Benedikt Howedes during his time at Schalke 04

Excited at the prospect of coaching Matip, Klopp praised him by stating that only a quality defender could have made 200 plus appearances for the ‘Royal Blues’ at such a young age. In an interview with LiverpoolFC.com, the boss claimed, "He is a top-class centre-half, very young but experienced. You don't have that too often.”

“To be honest, when I had my break I thought for the next club, I should think about Joel, if there was a need. He never played for my team, he did the extreme opposite - he played for their biggest opponent. Maybe that says a lot about his quality. Even when he played for the team you cannot love as Dortmund manager, you see his quality.”

These comments about the centre back speak positively about his playing style and the qualities he would bring to his new club.

Matip's influence on Liverpool

Matip made his first Liverpool appearance against Burton Albion in the League Cup which the Reds won 5-0. Matip’s solid display helped his team get a clean sheet as he highlighted the qualities he brought to his new club.

Meanwhile, Liverpool’s first two games in the 2016/17 Premier League season saw the Reds concede five goals, leading to Ragnar Klavan being replaced by Matip who was handed his first start against a formidable opposition in Tottenham Hotspur. The game finished in a 1-1 draw with a solid display from the then 25-year-old. His timely interceptions and tackles helped keep the Spurs attack of Harry Kane, Christian Eriksen and Dele Alli at bay. This performance helped Matip cement his place in the starting eleven.

A string of assured performances against Leicester, Watford, Manchester United and eventual champions Chelsea saw Matip become an integral part of Liverpool’s defence. He dealt with forwards like Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Diego Costa with great aplomb and his no nonsense style of defending prevented strikers from influencing games. Matip’s presence helped calm things at the back and also helped defenders around him perform better.

Coming to the numbers, Matip played a total of 2,462 minutes in the 2016/17 Premier League season compared to Lovren’s 2553 minutes and Klavan’s 1,428 minutes. Matip won more tackles (1.28 per 90 minutes) than both Lovren (1.09 per 90 minutes) and Klavan (1.07 per 90 minutes), whilst making the least number of errors that led to goals being conceded. The Cameroonian also conceded fewer fouls when compared to Lovren and Klavan and has been booked only four times in his 29 appearances, averaging 0.29 key passes (per 90 minutes) which show that the defender is disciplined and also comfortable playing the ball out from the back.

Liverpool have been defensively shaky in Matip’s absence, something that was evident during their horrendous run in January, 2017. The Reds lost his services in December, 2016 owing to Malleolar injury and had to survive without their best defender as he was banned by FIFA from playing for his club during the Africa Cup of Nations, 2017.

Matip missed the Northwest Derby against Manchester United at Old Trafford which ended in a 1-1 draw. His presence during the final phase of the season played a massive role in helping Liverpool secure fourth spot and qualify for the playoffs of the 2017/18 UEFA Champions League which the Reds won convincingly against a tricky opposition in Hoffenheim.

Season review

Matip has adjusted well to life in the Premier League

In a season (2016/17) that was remembered for the exploits of Mane, Coutinho and Firmino, most of the fans overlooked the performance of Matip who transmitted calmness and stability to the Liverpool defence. Most notably, Lovren’s performances were better when he was used alongside Matip rather than alongside Klavan or Lucas.

Matip, a man of few words, let his defending do the talking during his first season. A convincing performance in the 4-0 rout of Arsenal during the ongoing campaign laid more emphasis on the qualities that he brings to the Liverpool defence, mainly composure and discipline.

Matip’s skills, notably his composure, ability to play out from the back and an outstanding ability to read the game make him an ideal Jurgen Klopp centre-back.

With the imminent commencement of the 2017/18 UEFA Champions League, Matip will be entrusted with the responsibility of leading Liverpool’s back four and keeping their defensive shape intact. The Cameroonian’s calm demeanour will be extremely vital in preventing the best forwards of Europe from influencing games and causing damage to The Reds.

Fans all over the world love players who are flashy, often ignoring the fact that players who execute the simple tasks to perfection are the ones who make the team tick. Matip is one such player and his presence will be vital to Liverpool’s hopes of winning silverware this season as he is by far the best defender on the team and most importantly, a poised presence in Liverpool’s much-maligned defence.