Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has admitted to the club’s official website that he should have trusted Rhys Williams and Nathaniel Phillips earlier than he did.
Klopp used Williams and Phillips in defence last season due to the injury problems at Liverpool.
Joel Matip, Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez all had long-term injury problems last season.
Fabinho, a defensive midfielder by trade, played in defence several times.
Jurgen Klopp’s verdict
While looking back on last season, Klopp told Liverpool’s official website: “I learned a lot.
“I made mistakes, so it’s easy for me to look back and think, ‘That was wrong, that was wrong…’ but in the moment when we made decisions, when we put the midfielders back and then played without protection in midfield, last line deeper, not really compact in a lot of moments, maybe we should have just played Rhys [Williams] and Nat [Phillips] completely together earlier and trusted the boys more.
“In that moment I thought they were not ready, later on they were ready and they could both play, no problem, no doubt about that. That would have given us a bit more stability in other areas.”
Rhys Williams and Nathaniel Phillips future
Had Liverpool not had an injury crisis, then Williams and Phillips would not have played (much) last season.
Williams, 20, made seven starts and two substitute appearances in the Premier League last season.
The central defender also made three starts and three substitute appearances in the Champions League.
Williams is now on loan at Swansea City in the Championship.
In our view, Williams has a future at Liverpool.
After all, he is only 20.
On the other hand, we would not be surprised if Phillips leaves either on loan or on a permanent contract.
The 24-year-old made 15 starts and two substitute appearances in the Premier League last season.
Phillips played thrice in the Campions League.
The Englishman has played just a minute in the Champions League so far his season.
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