Liverpool has had problems in defense throughout the season. Fitness, form and even bad luck all contributed to that situation, and now, the options in the defense of the Merseyside team are becoming extremely limited.
Conor Bradley is the latest name to join the injury list after suffering a serious knee ligament injury in the match against Arsenal last week. The 20-year-old defender has only started 12 times in the Premier League and will be sidelined for a long time, likely to be absent until the 2026-2027 season.
Previously, summer signing Giovanni Leoni was injured right before the season started, while Joe Gomez continuously went in and out of the treatment room for nearly a year. Jeremie Frimpong, although not a pure defender, was also forced to be sidelined in some stages due to overload.
All of this creates a big headache for coach Arne Slot, especially in the right-back position. Bradley is considered a natural successor to Trent Alexander-Arnold - less sophisticated in attack but more solid and disciplined in defense, which he has clearly shown against top opponents in big matches.
There are many moments that show Bradley's potential. Typical examples are the accurate tackle to stop Kylian Mbappe from accelerating, or the close marking of Vinicius Junior in the confrontation with Real Madrid. His season ending in this way is therefore becoming even more harsh.
For Liverpool, this is another blow in the context of a serious shortage of personnel. Bradley is considered an important link for Slot's system to operate stably from now until the end of the season. When the upcoming schedule can be up to 12 matches from now until the end of February, quickly finding a solution for the corridor must become an urgent requirement.
The question now is what options does Liverpool have to patch up the fragile defense?
Liverpool should trust Gomez in the right-back position
Considering Joe Gomez's injury history, letting him become a backup option for three different positions is clearly a big gamble. Gomez is currently the only player who can replace both Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate in the center of the defense, and is also a backup option for the right-back position.
The 28-year-old defender possesses many valuable qualities, but his ability to play regularly is not his strength. Since the beginning of the season, Gomez has only played three full 90 minutes. In the past 18 months, he has only started 9 times in the Premier League, with a total of 767 minutes of play. This is a number that makes it difficult for him to be considered a reliable fitness option.
However, when in full strength, Gomez still brings clear values. He appears solid in one-on-one defensive situations, possesses a good physical foundation and is especially flexible when he can take on many different roles in the defense system. Not only stopping at the defensive stage, Gomez also tends to push up to support attack quite effectively.
Although the statistics are still limited, Liverpool have not conceded a goal when Gomez played as a right-back in the Premier League this season. Notably, he is also the player with the most touches in the opponent's penalty area than any other teammate in this role.
However, the belief in Gomez is always questioned by his prolonged breaks. Arne Slot understands those limitations very well. Therefore, if Gomez is only seen as a temporary solution, the question is what other feasible options does Liverpool have to fill the gap in the defense?
Frimpong will take on a dual role
The problem when arranging Frimpong to play full-back lies in the fact that this is not his forte position. At Bayer Leverkusen, Frimpong has never been used as a pure right-back.
Besides hamstring problems, the 25-year-old player also does not possess the necessary defensive thinking to play in a four-defender formation. Konate's unstable season makes The Kop's right flank even more fragile.
Using Frimpong in this position from week to week is therefore always a gamble, depending a lot on the opponent's level. "Today I like him again" - Arne Slot admitted after the victory over Barnsley in the FA Cup.
Previously, in the early stages of Liverpool's serious decline in September last year, Slot criticized Frimpong for being too attacking in the defeat to Crystal Palace.
Clearly, this story will continue with many fluctuations. Frimpong was born to attack, not to retreat deep to defend. Liverpool played more effectively when he was on the field, and Slot especially appreciated the pure personal ability and superior speed of the Dutch player.
Therefore, Slot's concluding statement after the victory over Barnsley should be seen as a guiding principle for Frimpong's future role on the right flank. "I have to manage him properly" - Slot shared.
This becomes even more urgent as Mohamed Salah returns after AFCON and is likely to have his defensive participation requirements eased, making the pressure behind Frimpong even greater.
